Ex-F1 driver Merhi to race for Campos in F2
Ex-Manor Marussia Formula 1 driver Roberto Merhi will make his Formula 2 debut for Campos Racing at the second round of the 2017 season at Barcelona.
The Spaniard will replace Stefano Coletti, who endured a woeful return to the sport in Bahrain with a 16th and a 15th place finish in the two race.
Merhi initially planned to start his F2 season in Bahrain, following a successful first pre-season test, but the team eventually elected to run the Monegasque driver instead.
The team says Coletti withdrew from this weekend due to “family issues.” Merhi will be partnered by Swiss racer Ralph Boschung who finished 12th in the feature race in Bahrain.
Merhi, who will be the third oldest driver on the grid, graduated to F1 with Manor in 2015 and participated in 13 of the 19 rounds.
His F1 career stalled and he found himself in the WEC in 2016, once again with the Manor team. However, he failed to secure an extension into 2017 and is hoping to use F2 as a springboard back to the top.