FIA Formula 2’s newest racing outfit, Van Amersfoort Racing have announced that British racing driver Jake Hughes will race for them in the 2022 season.
It marks the first time the 27-year-old has had a full-time drive in the series, initially making his F2 debut with HWA Racelab for a single round at Sochi back in 2020. An injury to Jack Aitken the following season saw him step back into the German team for a few rounds.
With the Dutch team taking over from HWA Racelab for 2022, Hughes tested for them for two of the three days at the Abu Dhabi post-season testing where he finished in the top ten through three out of the four sessions.
“I’m overly excited to be racing with VAR in 2022. During the post-season test at Abu-Dhabi it became clear to me that VAR takes this new challenge extremely serious,” Said the Briton to Formula 2 journalists. “We are very much on the same level when it comes to vision and drive for success, making it a very pleasant environment to work in.”
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Hughes continued by saying, “The F2 car is incredible to drive, and I look very much forward to compete in it for the full season. It will be a long and tough stretch, but I am eager to kick off the season soon in Bahrain!”
Between the occasional appearances for HWA, Hughes spent the rest of the time inbetween roles as a simulator driver for Formula 1 and Formula E World Champions Mercedes as well as a reserve driver for ROKiT Venturi Racing.
“It is exciting to be able to make this first FIA F2 driver announcement! We are extremely happy with Jake joining us for the FIA F2 Championship. We are standing on the brink of a great adventure for which we very much welcome the experience and maturity that Jake brings along.” Said Rob Niessink, Van Amersfoort Racing CEO.
“During the post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, Jake showed to be a highly motivated and professional team player. Jake’s accurate input and feedback already made an impact during testing, which helped the team to progress already in a very short time. His drive and dedication match ours, giving us great confidence for the season ahead!”