Jak Crawford arrives at the Austrian GP buoyed by DAMS Lucas Oil’s recent triple-header success but acknowledging that qualifying improvements hold the key to his F2 championship ambitions. The American driver, currently fourth in the F2 standings, believes his team has finally found the consistency that eluded them early in the season.
DAMS hitting their stride
Speaking to the media including Pit Debrief, Crawford reflected on his team’s recent performance surge, and was pleased with the progress made since the difficult start to 2025. “It has been a really good couple weekends for the team. Obviously, three race victories between me and Kush and lots of points scored. But you know, I feel like this is kind of where we should be,” Crawford explained.
The American driver emphasised that DAMS’ current form represents the team’s true potential rather than an unexpected purple patch. “Last year we were there at times, and it was a bit inconsistent, a bit up and down. And you know, now this year was about smoothing out those inconsistencies,” he said. “It felt like we didn’t really get a chance to show what we had the first two rounds in Melbourne and Bahrain, and finally, we were able to show, you know, what we improved on, and you know, the better consistency that we’re bringing for this year already in Jeddah.”
Austria: A favourite venue
Looking ahead to the F2 Austrian GP, Crawford made no secret of his enthusiasm for the Red Bull Ring. “It’s one of my favourite tracks. I love the Red Bull Ring. I love coming here. Great fans, great atmosphere, a great place to be. Also a great track for racing and all that,” the 20-year-old stated.
Beyond his personal affinity for the circuit, Crawford believes the track characteristics suit his DAMS machinery. “It’s a track I really enjoy personally, and I think it suits the car we have as well. So, you know, I’m looking forward to this weekend. I think we’re going to have another great weekend with good points.”
When questioned about Aston Martin’s recently announced driver development programme, Crawford clarified that his current role remains unaffected. “That has nothing to do with me. I think that’s completely separate. I mean, I have, you know, a job as, you know, sim and development driver for Aston Martin,” Crawford explained. “I think it’s a bit of a different role to, let’s say, being in an academy. So, yeah, no intention to join the academy. And yeah, just keep on doing what I’m doing now.”
Formula E experience is an advantage
When asked by Pit Debrief about his Formula E work during the F2 break, Crawford highlighted the benefits of cross-series experience. “I think, you know, just in general, being able to work a lot on the sim and, you know, be there at the races and just listen to the driver, even though it’s a completely different car and a completely different tyre, of course, not even an engine. It’s completely different, but I still learn a lot,” he said.
“It teaches kind of a new, a different way of driving. So, I kind of have to drive differently when I drive that car. And it helps, I think, my adaptability when I, you know, hop back in the F2 car and I can be on it straight away, either in a simulator or on track.”
Crawford sees simulator work across different series as universally beneficial. “I feel like the more simulator days I can do, whether it’s Formula E, Formula 1, Formula 2, the more it helps and the more it helps my adaptability as well,” he explained.
Crawford looks to improve on his Qualifying performance
Despite his recent race-winning form, Crawford identified qualifying as the primary area requiring improvement. “The main thing that we want to improve is qualifying. Actually, my qualifying hasn’t been great the last couple of rounds. Some of it, you know, not in my control. But, you know, I haven’t qualified higher than seventh in the triple header,” he admitted.
“Qualifying puts you in a great spot for Sunday when there’s a lot of points, you know. But your life becomes a bit difficult when you have to, you know, fight through the field on Sunday,” Crawford explained. “Starting from eighth, seventh, eighth, you’re not going to fight directly for the win unless, you know, kind of a miracle happens.”
While acknowledging his qualifying struggles, Crawford remains confident in his race pace. “We’ve been really, really strong in the races with race pace and stuff like that. So I have no doubt there. It’s all about qualifying.”
With momentum building and his championship challenge gaining strength, Crawford’s focus on qualifying improvement could prove pivotal as the F2 season nears the middle of its season. The F2 Austrian GP presents an ideal opportunity for Crawford to demonstrate that DAMS’ recent success is no fluke.
