Tatiana Calderón returns to FIA Formula 2 Championship action this weekend in Russia for the penultimate round of the 2019 season with fresh hope to end her year on a high.
The Alfa Romeo Formula 1 test driver and her BWT Arden team have endured an extremely tough last two rounds at Spa and Monza, following the loss of Tatiana’s popular teammate Anthoine Hubert in a crash at the former track. Now the Colombian racer is ready to attack the final two events of the season, commencing with this weekend’s races at Russian Grand Prix venue Sochi before the campaign concludes in late November along with the F1 season in Abu Dhabi. The 5.848km Sochi Autodrom, designed by Hermann Tilke, is one of the most recent additions to the grand prix calendar, being based around the facilities used in the 2014 Winter Olympics. The layout itself features a challenging mix of high-speed turns and slow, 90-degree corners that place an emphasis on braking and traction. Tatiana first raced at the track last year in GP3, and it proved the scene of one of her most successful weekends, as she scored her second-best finish of the season there. After flying the flag for Arden alone at Monza, Tatiana is joined by a new teammate for the final two rounds of the season, 2017 F2 runner-up Artem Markelov. Armed with crucial knowledge gained last time out at Monza, the experience of Markelov can only be another benefit for Tatiana as she chases an upturn in fortunes. Tatiana Calderón: “I’m really looking forward to racing in Sochi. Monza was a tough weekend for everyone, but we discovered some things that I think could help me have more feeling, particularly with the braking – and in Sochi braking is very important because of all the 90-degree corners. It’s an interesting circuit, one I enjoyed discovering for the first time last year, when we showed some good pace in GP3. I’m looking forward to jumping back in the F2 car and hopefully having a smooth weekend.” SOCHI WEEKEND TIMETABLE (all times CET and subject to change) Friday 27 September Practice – 08:30 Qualifying – 16:00 Saturday 28 September Race 1 – 15:45 Sunday 29 September Race 2 – 10:20
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