As the first triple header of the 2025 F2 season nears its conclusion, Van Amersfoort Racing’s Rafael Villagómez is setting his sights on a competitive weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Mexican driver, currently 16th in the Drivers’ Championship with only four points, spoke candidly ahead of the Spanish round, reflecting on past experiences and outlining his expectations for the challenging weekend ahead.
A return to familiar ground
This weekend marks Villagómez’s return to a circuit he knows well. Over the past five years, he has raced at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya across several championships, including Euroformula Open, F3 and most recently the 2024 F2 season. Despite this extensive experience, the results have not always reflected his familiarity with the track.
His only points at the venue came in 2021, during the second and third races of the season finale. In contrast, last year’s outing proved frustrating, with Villagómez finishing P17 and P16 in the Sprint and Feature Races respectively.
When asked whether returning to such a well-known circuit could offer an advantage, Villagómez offered a measured response: “I think yes and no.”
Pre-season testing offers a more-level playing field
He went on to explain that pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya gives every driver a high level of familiarity, making for a tightly contested field.
“You know what you need to do in a way, but it’s also super tight because everyone has done a million laps here. You will see the gaps here in Quali are really close.”
Given this, Villagómez expects a narrow margin between drivers in 2025 F2 Barcelona Qualifying, placing added importance on precision and execution.
Managing the heat and tyres
In addition to a closely matched field, the Mexican driver is anticipating that the rising temperatures will add another layer of difficulty, particularly in relation to tyre degradation.
“It’s already a pretty hot weekend, and it’s only going to get hotter, so, that’s going to make it tricky.”
“But that’s also part of F2, taking care of your tyres, making sure you do every single thing right, not over pushing or else you won’t be quick enough.”
Tyre management, a consistent theme in F2, is something Villagómez believes will be decisive in the outcome of the races in Spain.
Strategy and driver performance as decisive factors
Beyond tyre management, Villagómez emphasised the strategic element of the weekend. According to him, the combination of the circuit conditions, weather, and the level of competition means that both team and driver must perform flawlessly.
“The strategy is also important and also I think the driver within the car can make a difference this weekend, especially in F2.”
This suggests that adaptability and awareness in changing race conditions could be crucial in determining success at the Spanish circuit.
Lessons from a turbulent Monaco weekend
Villagómez arrives in Spain after a turbulent but ultimately rewarding weekend in Monte Carlo. After a tangle with Alexander Dunne in Qualifying left him in the barriers and without a lap time, he clawed his way back to P9 in the Feature Race.
Reflecting on the event, he noted: “On Friday, if you told me where I would finish, I would have signed right away.”
“Obviously not doing Qualifying was really disappointing, so it went from the worst weekend to a decent weekend. But I think these types of weekends, it teaches you about the bigger picture.”
He highlighted the unpredictable nature of F2, noting that anything could be possible. In addition to his own experience in Monaco, he highlighted Sebastián Montoya’s chaotic Feature Race where he managed a podium finish despite starting from the pit lane after stalling at the start of the formation lap.
“Anything can happen, especially in this Championship, there is so much that can change. For example, just in that Sunday race I stalled at the start, but Montoya stalled even before that. He went from last back to his original position and finished on the podium, so it just shows the bigger picture.”
“In Formula 2, you don’t give up until the end,” he said.
An up-and-down start to 2025
Reflecting more broadly on his 2025 F2 campaign ahead of the Barcelona Round, Villagómez admitted the inconsistency of his results. He described it as a season of highs and lows, noting that he had achieved only four points from the opening five rounds.
“It’s been a pretty up and down season to be honest,” he said. “We did not really have a race in Australia, but it should have been a good weekend. Bahrain was really good for me and the team but, we struggled in the races. “Imola, we had great pace on Sunday, and then Monaco is one I take out of the picture, we did not qualify, but Free Practice was good. So, I know it’s better than last year, it’s just about putting things together.”
Villagómez aiming for a strong Qualifying in Spain
With his focus now on Barcelona, Villagómez underlined the critical role of a strong Qualifying performance in shaping the rest of the weekend, echoing sentiments by F3’s Mari Boya.
“I think it will start with qualifying in the top 10, then your weekend looks different,” he said. “We saw in Bahrain when I qualified inside the top 10 it was a different story. So that’s the main aim, to qualify in the top 10.”
“It’s about not having any traffic in the last sector and then just doing a good lap, that’s the most important. That last sector, making sure you have the most amount of tyres, and also using enough tyres in the first sector.”
As the Formula 2 paddock heads into the final leg of the triple header, Rafael Villagómez remains optimistic about his chances. With lessons learned from Monaco, a detailed understanding of the Barcelona circuit, and a clear emphasis on tyre management and strategy, the Van Amersfoort Racing driver is aiming for a strong Qualifying that can improve his odds for a points-scoring result.
