For Pepe Martí, Spanish-born and Red Bull Junior driver, the Formula 2 season started when Campos decided to take him into the next level of the feeder series after finishing fifth in the F3 championship. Pepe started this season by securing an exciting and thrilling double podium in Bahrain, while the rest of the season was more complicated.
The driver has been a part of the Campos team throughout his entire European single-seater journey, starting with a third-place finish in the 2021 Spanish Formula 4 Championship. He then progressed to FIA Formula 3 with the same team, where he faced a challenging rookie year, scoring only two points. However, he bounced back in his second season, significantly improving and finishing fifth in the championship standings, with two race wins to his name.
Battles & Bad Luck
But that’s when his luck started to take a turn in Jeddah by securing his first F2 DNF by spinning out at the first chicane and getting by some of the middle pack of the drivers as the result of the chicane. Sadly for the Spaniard, this was the beginning as things got more difficult for him, either crashing with his rivals or having some issues with the car
Baku was a weekend to forget by both Campos drivers as their quali ended because of the overheating of the rear brakes that caused tyre lockups, leading both drivers to head straight for the barriers on turn one.
In other races, while Martí was able to finish, he often found himself battling for points after facing various issues, including car malfunctions that sent him to the back of the grid.
These setbacks resulted in penalties, traffic congestion, yellow and red flag interruptions that hindered his ability to set competitive lap times, and struggles with overtaking on certain circuits. There were also unexpected pit stops that further disrupted his progress.
After a well-deserved break from F2, Martí was eager to come back strong in Qatar, hoping for a fresh start. Unfortunately, his comeback hopes dashed when a technical issue prevented him from even starting the Sprint race, with his car unable to make it to the pit lane.
The Path to Glory
After all the sad things that happened, Pepe had an excellent start in the Sprint Race at the Abu Dhabi GP. While being fourth, he had the determination and passed Joshua Durksen for the lead. There was chaos in the midfield, but the Spaniard decided to take his chance and make a gap.
Although Gabriel Bortoleto, a title contender eager to secure maximum points and take the championship lead over Hadjar, had closed in on second place and attempted to overtake, Pepe held his ground and managed his tires expertly, maintaining his position until the end, crossing the finish line in first place.
As the day went in the Yas Marina Circuit o, Martí stepped out of his car, overwhelmed with joy, having secured his first-ever victory in the feeder series of Formula being a step closer to his dreams.
His Rookie Season
Martí concluded his season with four trips to the podium, including a memorable second-place finish in the Sprint race at Spielberg, where he secured a podium at Red Bull’s iconic home circuit — a fitting achievement for the Red Bull Junior.
Throughout the season, the Spanish driver remained resolute in pursuing his objectives, treating every challenge as motivation to come back even stronger. Known for his aggressive yet fair racing style, Martí excels in close, intense battles on the track, where his resilience and skill truly shine.
The future of the talented Pepe Martí
The future of the Spanish driver looks very bright by his podiums, and his first F2 win secured this previous F2 season. As the 2025 Formula 2 season gets closer, Martí has a save seat at Campos Racing by being with them for several years now and proving his loyalty to them. He will be racing alongside the talented British F3 now F2 rookie Arvid Lindblad, which was a contender for the Formula 3 title.
Pepe, who will be racing with car number 3, said: “I am confident that with this team that I consider as family… we will be very competitive and surely a top contender.”
Team principal Adrian Campos Jr. also talked about Martí’s continuation on the Spanish team:
“Iam happy that Pepe and Campos Racing can continue working together for the fifth consecutive year. He is already like family and we understand each other perfectly, as he is fully integrated into the team. It has been a very positive first year in FIA Formula 2, with four podiums including a victory in Abu Dhabi which, as a culmination, should serve as maximum motivation for 2025. We will have two young drivers in Pepe and Arvid with whom we aspire to do well for another year.”
Feature Image Credit: Red Bull Content Pool
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