F2 drivers prepare for the “most important qualifying” of the year

In Monaco, the Formula 2 drivers will face the most intense, high-stakes qualifying session of the season.

At the historic and iconic Circuit de Monaco, Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula 3 will all be racing this weekend.

Unlike most weekends, where the main focus is on the races, drivers will all be looking to Qualifying as the most crucial session. Why? Because overtaking at this track isn’t just difficult, it’s nearly impossible. The Formula 1 Grand Prix has been nicknamed a procession, and the lower categories are much the same. So more than at any other race track, qualifying high up on the grid is pivotal to a driver’s success.

Qualifying structure

Due to the nature of the Circuit de Monaco, 22 drivers can’t realistically qualify all at once. So, just for this track, they split up into two groups for Qualifying.

The drivers are split by teams and by odd and even numbers, so one odd-numbered driver from each team is in one group, and the even-numbered driver from each team is in the other group.

Each group gets sixteen minutes of track time. At the end, once both groups have qualified, the grid is set by alternating every other driver in each group by the order they qualified in, with the group with the fastest driver overall going first.

Since the Sprint Race reverses the top ten in qualifying, the driver that qualifies fifth-fastest in the group without the Feature Race polesitter will start at the front of the grid.

Driver thoughts

Ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, FormulaNerds spoke to Van Amersfoort Racing’s Enzo Fittipaldi and Rodin Motorsport’s Ritomo Miyata in a Virtual Media Roundtable about how they’d be approaching qualifying this weekend.

“I think Monaco is very particular because it’s a track where qualifying is super important,” commented Fittipaldi. “You’re divided into two different groups, basically your weekend is decided in qualifying because in the races it’s very hard to make overtakes.

“You just have to be very ready because your weekend is decided in those sixteen minutes, especially being Monaco where in the races you cannot make really any overtakes. So you have to be very prepared.”

Fittipaldi knows just how important qualifying in Monaco can be, having raced there twice already in Formula 2. His first year, in 2022, he qualified third-fastest in the slower group and finished both races in the top five.

He fared less well in 2023, when he qualified outside the top ten and didn’t score any points that weekend.

A driver who has never qualified around this track is rookie Ritomo Miyata. While 24-year-old Miyata has plenty of racing experience, most recently winning the 2023 Super Formula champion, he’s still getting to grips with Formula 2 and the European circuits.

While Monaco will be a unique challenge, the still adjusting Miyata commented: “For me, every [qualifying] is really tough.

“But Monaco is the most important qualifying result. So I will do my best with my team, and we’ll see.”

Qualifying takes place on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s Sprint Race and Sunday’s Feature Race.

Feature Image Credit: James Sutton – Getty Images