Comma’s Bacheta makes F2 history

03/05/2012

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Comma sponsored Luciano Bacheta propelled himself into the record books with a second brace of wins in the third and fourth rounds of the 2012 FIA Formula Two championship at Portugal's Autodromo International Algarve on April 28th/29th. In the process, Luciano became the first driver in the modern era of F2 to compile four consecutive victories.

With a 'perfect 100' championship points in his pocket, the 22 year old Brit now has almost a two race cushion over his nearest challenger, the outstanding Swiss teenage discovery, Matheo Tuscher, who was a constant presence in Luciano's mirrors and finished runner-up to him in both races.

Impressive as it is at this early stage of the season, the points difference between the two cannot disguise the reality that the sixteen year old Tuscher is a potent new presence in Formula Two. 'The Kid' –as the F2 paddock has already respectfully tagged him - recorded his second pole position of the season for Race 1 and stretched Bacheta to the limit throughout the weekend. On the evidence so far, the pair look like providing a compelling season-long contest, both for race wins and the championship.

Germany's Markus Pommer, the pre-season 'form horse', went some way to making amends for a faltering start to his campaign at Silverstone, lining up alongside pole sitter Bacheta and finishing fourth in Race 1, and going one better to claim the third podium spot in Race 2. Newcomer Kevin Mirocha of Poland impressed with a third place podium in Race 1, albeit over 16
seconds adrift of the two leaders, and Christopher Zanella of Switzerland kept his points tally ticking over to hold third in the championship at the end of the weekend with fourth and sixth place finishes respectively in the two races. His fellow Swiss, Alex Fontana also added to his points, finishing seventh and tenth in the two races but slipping a place in the championship table to fourth.

With the championship leaders in such convincing form, the next rounds at the iconic Nurburgring in Germany on May 26th/27th are going to be a major wake-up call for the rest of the runners. Two or three of them need to break out from the pack and apply some real racing pressure at the head of the field. There's a long way yet to go, but the chase has to start very soon if Bacheta and Tuscher are not to have it all their own way.

Comma has been Technical Partner to FIA Formula Two, and the exclusive supplier of engine oils, coolants and maintenance chemicals to the championship since it was launched in 2009. All of the identical 500bhp Williams F1 designed Formula Two race cars are lubricated, cooled and serviced with maintenance products supplied by Comma.

You can read detailed race reports, view the complete championship standings and keep up with all the other latest FIA Formula Two news at the excellent official Formula Two website.