Time in the simulator is key for F2 drivers as they prepare to race in Melbourne as part of next weekend’s Australian Grand Prix.

Formula 2 headlines the support card for the March 30-April 2 event with Formula 3 also set to make its Albert Park debut.

It promises a new challenge for teams and drivers who’ve never raced at the venue before.

“Obviously the sim prep with the team is important,” explained Jack Doohan when asked by Speedcafe how F2 teams approach the new venue.

“Trying to maximise those sessions and those days that you get to really try and prepare yourself as much as possible for those new circuits.

“I think the level that we are now, it’d be a matter of laps before we’re up to speed and really getting a good grip on the circuit.”

The winner of the Feature race in Saudi Arabia, Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti, agreed.

“The simulator is a very good tool for drivers to get ready,” he said.

“I know the track since 2011 when I was driving on the Playstation game with my brother, but it has changed a bit!

“I know where it goes [but] I’ve never been there before.

“In a way, it’s the same as for me last year; I came to Jeddah without experience, I came to Baku without experience, Monaco…

“So there’s always new tracks most seasons and that will be the same challenge in Melbourne.”

Maximising F2 practice in Melbourne

Jehan Daruvala, who finished third in the Feature race in Saudi Arabia, believes maximising track time will be critical.

“I think all of us are at a level where we just go for it pretty much from lap one,” he said.

“You don’t have too many laps, you have 40 minutes of practice if there’s no red flags, so you may get five or six laps before qualifying.

“So you need to just, every lap you do, you need to learn and push 100 percent.”

On top of the simulator time and maximising the limited practice available next weekend, Doohan suggests other homework can be beneficial.

“Obviously the track changed last year, so it has a slightly different layout which has changed quite a few turns, so trying to look back to last year and see how that was affecting [the lap],” he suggested.

“I think it’s really going to [be] just try and maximise those conditions.”

Formula 2 heads out on track next Friday for a single practice session prior to qualifying later in the day.

A Sprint race then follows on Saturday before Sunday’s Feature race acts as the Formula 1 curtain raiser.