Formula 2 veteran Luca Ghiotto will return to the series at Monza this week to replace the banned Roy Nissany at DAMS.
Williams test driver Nissany exceeded the limit of 12 penalty points on his race licence following last weekend’s Zandvoort round and as a result was handed an automatic ban for this weekend’s round at Monza.Nissany started his fourth F2 season with several points finishes but his form has since dropped off and he has fallen to 17th in the championship standings with two rounds to go.
The offence at Zandvoort that tipped him over the penalty point limit was disputing a position while the feature race was still running behind the Safety Car.
Ghiotto has five season of experience in the secondary tier of single-seater racing, winning a race on the way to eighth in the GP2 standings as a rookie in 2016 and then coming fourth, eighth, third and 10th over the next four years in F2. Across those seasons he won six races, three pole positions and stood on the podium 24 times.
“F2 plus Monza, yes please,” Ghiotto said on a social media post. “Long time no see F2, but finally we meet again and for my favourite race. I’m super-happy to announce I’ll be back in F2 for DAMS this weekend in the temple of speed, it feels so good.”
Last year he switched to sportscar racing, racing Lamborghinis in European series in 2021 and then switching to an Audi for a GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup campaign in 2022.
After serving his race ban, Nissany is due to return to his F2 seat for the Abu Dhabi season finale in November.
Formula 2
- Antonelli and Bearman’s F1 graduations show the limitations of its feeder series
- Bortoleto wins from last on grid thanks to Safety Car
- Bearman charges to Monza sprint race win from eighth on grid
- Maloney pips Hadjar to secure first F2 feature race pole
- Hadjar wins Spa feature race as last-lap heartbreak costs Aron podium
BasCB (@bascb)
7th September 2022, 14:55
Nice to see Ghiotto in the car, especially in Monza. Will be interesting to see how quickly he picks up the pace.
Shimks (@shimks)
8th September 2022, 13:27
I always liked Ghiotto. Shame he was so inconsistent because when he sparked, he shone.
Jere (@jerejj)
7th September 2022, 15:55
First, Merhi made a temporary series return, followed by Calderon, & now Ghiotto.
What’s with these sudden temporary returns this year? Very uncommon.
MXMXD (@mxmxd)
7th September 2022, 16:05
I don’t like these returns, BUT at least for Ghiotto it sortof makes sense, as he’s an italian filling in for the Italian Grand Prix, during which potential F3 drivers are unavailable due to, well, racing themselves in Monza. And at least Ghiotto is a pretty decent drivers for F2 standards, as opposed to Calderon.
Miane
7th September 2022, 16:51
Mostly down to F3 drivers racing at the same weekend, the only options are ex-F2 drivers.
ajpennypacker (@ajpennypacker)
7th September 2022, 16:54
How the hell is Nissany still on the grid? Even more, how is Williams even keeping him in their ranks?
Nissany has never won a championship at any level. Hasn’t even been top 3. Ever.
He’s been in F2 for 4 years and has one podium to show for it. I imagine he’s some sort of pay-driver, but I’ve never heard who exactly sponsors him. His dad, as far as I know isn’t particularly wealthy. I did learn, however, that he put in the most embarrassing performances in an F1 car that I’ve ever heard off being over 12 seconds off pace.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
7th September 2022, 18:11
@ajpennypacker I do often wonder what motivates these drivers. I highly doubt Williams will ever really want to see him in one of their race cars (like in an actual race). And it can’t be fun to race against (behind) Leclerc, Russell, Piastri etc and watch them move on up each year.
But I guess driving an F2 car is fun, and perhaps he knows he is not on the same level, but just enjoying himself.
I dunno – but if something like this doesn’t make sense, money in some way or another does.
Fighting for position behind the safety car – not so much.
Jere (@jerejj)
8th September 2022, 7:38
@ajpennypacker @bernasaurus, I’ve made the same point before.
He should move on with his racing career to a proper pro series, be that FE, WEC, DTM, IndyCar, SF, whatever.
He’s useless staying F2 forever, which is supposed to be a junior series rather than something where drivers continue for most of their active careers.