Marcus Armstrong talks 2020

Marcus Armstrong says a clearer picture of the start to his debut Formula 2 campaign will come to light in the next few days.

The kiwi single-seater ace is now only one step away from a coveted Formula 1 drive, but the start to his maiden season in the sport’s second tier has been disrupted amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, Armstrong has revealed that the finer details of what a newly-restructured championship season will surface shortly. 

“In terms of information, everything is up in the air at the moment,” Armstrong told Velocity News.

“But this week is the first week that Italy and France are opening up their factories so I am sure we will have a clearer picture of the season shortly.

“It does look like we will be having back-to-back race weekends at the same venue. Though this shouldn’t affect my preparation.”

Armstrong also added how has enjoyed the opportunity during the break to catch up on his fitness levels, an ordeal which 19-year-old admits can be difficult to keep on top of while travelling around the world from circuit to circuit.

“Training has actually been really cool,” he explained.

“I am lucky that I have a gym in my house and I have also been doing lots of cycling and exercise.

“[The break] has allowed me to get on top of my fitness which I have been wanting to do for a long time now, so it is good to have that opportunity.”

Perhaps one of the more noticeable surprises has been Armstrong’s lack of public presence in the realm of virtual racing.

However, he says he hasn’t been completely ignoring the simulator, having competed in last Friday’s Racing Local Eseries, and admits he can even be quite handy behind the virtual wheel.

“I have been doing a bit of sim-racing and I did my first E-race/Eseries event last Friday in Brendon Hartley’s race (Racing Local). I didn’t even tell anyone I was doing it, not even my parents.

“I have also been racing with Christian [Lundgaard, Armstrong’s ART teammate] and Juri Vips and some other drivers, though they are often waking up as I am about to go to sleep.

“But because we do a lot of simulator work overseas it just takes a matter of time to get into the zone.

“Though I would like to say I am a pretty decent sim-racer.”

2020 will not only see Armstrong promoted to Formula 2 but he will also leave the Prema camp to join storied front-runners ART.

ART has clinched the last two Formula 2 titles with current Williams driver George Russell in 2018 and Mercedes Formula E racer Nyck de Vries the subsequent season. It as a lineage Armstrong is excited to be a part of and it may prove to be his best opportunity to make the leap into F1 for the next season.

“We had three offers on the table that we were strongly considering. And I was in a privileged position because I had a really good run in F3.

“But ART was the obvious choice and I am glad I made it. My manager Nicholas Todt actually founded the team.

“And It has been fantastic switching to ART, it has such a strong racing history. A lot of the engineers and team members have been working there for a long time.”

The sport has gained plenty of undesirable limelight concerning the financial stability of smaller teams. It now seems implausible to believe that motor racingwill exit the Covid-19 pandemic in the same circumstances as it was earlier in the year.

When quizzed on how he views the future of motorsport concerning his own career, Armstrong was adamant that change is inevitable, but shrugged off the possibility it will influence his career progression.

“I don’t worry about the future too much because this is a good opportunity to have change and will embrace that.

“Obviously I like things how they are but would like a few more seats at the top to open up, but that is out of my control.

“But for now I am not too worried about the future.”

The 2020 Formula 2 season-opener is expected to go ahead in align with the revised Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix slated for July 3-5.

Beyond that and the FIA and event organisers will have to evaluate the Covid-19 situation in individual countries before confirming a fully rescheduled race calendar.

Main Image: Carl Bingham / LAT Images