The Euroformula for the first time in Imola, as Trulli is back and Staněk debuts
21.07.2021
The second half of the season begins at the famous Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari this weekend, with some slight changes in the 14-car entry list.
GT Sport has visited Imola with the International GT Open in 2009-11, but it will be the first time that the Euroformula Open competes on the iconic track which has a 4.9-kilometre high-speed layout that truly rewards bravery. Formula 1 has held its Italian (1980), San Marino (1981-2006) and now Emilia Romagna (since 2020) Grands Prix there, and there is great expectation among EFO drivers to take to the track on legendary spots such as Tamburello, Rivazza, Tosa or Acque Minerali.
Of course the circuit is also remembered for the events of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix weekend, during which Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna lost their lives in incidents which shocked the world and still hold strong memories in the area today. In fact, the square in front of the circuit entrance is named ‘Piazza Ayrton Senna da Silva’.
The battle at the top of the teams’ standings between CryptoTower Racing Team and Team Motopark continues, with six points separating them after 12 races and CryptoTower ahead. However it’s Motopark’s Cameron Das who is the highest-scoring driver so far, sitting 19 points ahead of CryptoTower’s Louis Foster with five wins to Foster’s three.
Chasing them in the title race is Foster’s team-mate Nazim Azman, who has six podiums to his name but is yet to win, and rookie classification leader Casper Stevenson (VAR).
Carlin will be returning to the championship once again, and this time the British team will be fielding Enzo Trulli after previously running Christian Mansell in 2021. Trulli is the son of Monaco Grand Prix winner Jarno, and will be the only Italian driver on the grid for his home event.
The 16-year-old started the season with Drivex, taking a podium in his debut weekend, and is currently seventh in the points after missing the most recent round. He is also the reigning Formula 4 United Arab Emirates champion.
Cem Bölükbaşi will continue at Van Amersfoort Racing after his winning debut last time out at the Hungaroring. He will be part of a three-car line-up that includes a fellow race-winner in Stevenson, and Rafael Villagómez, who has been on the podium in every round he has contested.
Das is joined at Motopark by fellow American Jak Crawford and the Czech Republic's Roman Staněk (pictured below), who is a race-winner in F4 and also has experience racing in F3. He takes the place of Vivien Keszthelyi, who is unfortunately absent from the grid after contesting the first four rounds. CryptoTower completes its line-up with Filip Kaminiarz.
Double R Racing and Drivex are both two-car operations this weekend, with Zdeněk Chovanec and Josh Mason continuing their strong partnership at Double R while Enzo Scionti is joined by a new name at Drivex. The identity of his team-mate will be known shortly.
