F2 arrives at the British GP this weekend with Joshua Dürksen determined to find the consistency that has eluded him in recent rounds. Speaking to media, including Pit Debrief, ahead of the Grand Prix, the Paraguayan driver acknowledged the challenges facing him and his team as they seek to establish a rhythm in the championship fight.
Tyre strategy takes centre stage
This weekend presents a unique strategic challenge, with Pirelli bringing the Hard and Soft compounds to Silverstone – a significant departure from the recent soft-supersoft combinations. The gap between the two compounds promises to add an extra layer of complexity to race strategy.
“In previous races, we’ve been always racing now soft, super soft. Now, finally, we have a bigger gap again with the tyres allocation,” Dürksen explained. “Of course, it’s a big difference on grip from the soft and hard tyres, especially in Silverstone, where we have a lot of high-speed corners. So of course, you will feel the difference.”
The softest compound delivers a significant advantage at the start and allows drivers to attempt overtaking moves, making it likely that the majority will opt for this choice in the Feature Race. However, drivers must watch for graining, though careful tyre management could see the first stint extended to between laps 6 and 9 without losing performance.
Dürksen was coy about his team’s specific approach to tyre management. “How to manage the tyres, I won’t tell it here because then Sebas [Montoya] will know,” he joked. “But of course, as always, high-speed corners are the corners where you hit most the tyres. So for sure, we have to take care here. I mean, Silverstone is full of high-speed corners. So, for sure, the tyre management will be key to have a good pace here.”
Weather adds unpredictability
The British weather looms large over the weekend, with changeable conditions expected to influence tyre behaviour significantly. Dürksen, who has limited experience at Silverstone, acknowledged the challenge this presents.
When asked by Pit Debrief about preparing for the unpredictable British weather, Dürksen said, “The UK is very unpredictable. Every time I’ve been here, I watch the forecast on the phone, it says sunny, and then in the next moment, it rains. So you really never know,” he said. “I have very little experience in Silverstone, I must say. I mean, total laps. Last year was my first time in Silverstone. Actually, my first time racing in the UK. I’ve done a total lap of four push laps on the dry track, and then the practise and the sprint race on the wet. At least I’ve got some experience on the wet now.”
Rain is the biggest equaliser
The fluctuating conditions could level the playing field, with Dürksen suggesting that adaptability will be crucial. “I think it will be just the guy that’s the most flexible to the situation. And the guy that adapts better to each situation, will be the guy to beat this weekend because Silverstone by itself is a really tough track driving wise, but also to have a good strategy, to know how to predict the weather,” he said.
Drawing on last year’s F2 British GP experience, Dürksen highlighted how quickly strategies can change. “We saw it last year, actually, on the F3 race, where I think every team or every driver did two or three pit stops in one race,” he explained.
“And it was like, at the first moment, you were thinking, ‘okay, this guy did the right stop, and then it starts raining again, and then they change again, and then it stopped raining, it changed again.’ So it’s really unpredictable. So I think the strategy management and the people who know how to predict better the British weather will be the guys that will win the race.”
The quest for consistency
Central to Dürksen’s approach this British GP weekend is the ongoing search for consistency that has been missing from his F2 campaign. The driver was candid about the challenges he and his team face in achieving the steady points-scoring form that championship contenders require.
“It will be a challenge because we always try to do our best, but we cannot control the results, we cannot control what the other guys are doing, you know. So for sure, this is a bit difficult to measure, but for sure, we want to give our best,” Dürksen reflected. “We’ve done many mistakes, we’ve done many things correct. I just think we have to find this balance again on where we, as a team, we are more consistent with our decisions, with the strategies, with setup, with driving, whatever, and just have more consistent results.”
“Because of course, we know that the drivers that are the most consistent, the drivers that are always on the points, are at the end the guys that are on the top. This is something we’re lacking for sure, but I hope that this is just the start of getting into this consistent rhythm again.”
Dürksen’s quest for consistency comes at a crucial time in the championship, with Richard Verschoor having taken the points lead following his dominant victory at the Austrian GP. The MP Motorsport driver’s triumph at the Red Bull Ring demonstrated exactly the kind of commanding performance that can swing championship momentum.
For Dürksen, the weekend represents an opportunity to begin building the steady points-scoring form that he acknowledges is essential for championship success.
