British drivers Dean Stoneman and Jolyon Palmer will go head-to-head at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia this weekend to fight for the 2010 FIA Formula Two Championship.
The pair have led the way since the beginning of the season, and will now fight it out for the championship crown as well as the prize test for the Williams F1 Team that comes with it.
Stoneman, 20, from Southampton, seized the championship lead from his rival last time out at Oschersleben with a double victory. He now holds a 31 point lead going into the final two races. Stoneman only graduated to F2 this year after finishing fourth in British Formula Renault in 2009.
He says: “Going from the beginning of the year, I didn't expect to be as fast as I have been. I was hoping obviously to do the best I could, which was to finish in the top three, but fighting for the championship has been really good and hopefully I can go into the first race and secure the title.”
Palmer, 19, from Southwater in Sussex, has been in winning form since the first race of the season at Monza, but lost his series lead in Germany. If he can win the title, he will follow in the footsteps of his father, Jonathan, who won the European F2 title in 1983. Jonathan is also the organiser of the modern-day F2 championship, which was re-launched for 2009.
Jolyon says: “Being second I've nothing to lose really; I've got no pressure on me. I know the Valencia track quite well and I was quck in the winter test there last year so I'm feeling confident. It's been an amazing season, and whatever happens for me it's been the best year of my career. Still there's a bit more to be pushed out of it, and hopefully I can get the prize at the end.”
Whichever driver wins the title will be looking to follow in the footsteps of 2009 champion Andy Soucek, who topped the timesheets during his prize test for Williams, beating the likes of Gary Paffett and Paul di Resta.
