Boccolacci poised to replace Merhi in F2

GP3 Series race winner Dorian Boccolacci appeared poised to replace ex-formula 1 driver Roberto Merhi in the MP Motorsport Formula 2 team from this weekend’s round at Spa as Autosport closed for press.

Merhi lies 11th in the F2 standings with the Dutch team, with a best result this season of third at Monte Carlo, but is understood to have parted company with the Dutch team. Boccolacci (right) is seventh in the GP3 points with MP, after taking his first win of the campaign last time out in Hungary in the reversed-grid race. It will be a first taste of F2 for the 19-year old from the South of France, who has not even tested in the category.

Boccolacci’s GP3 berth with MP looks set to go to Formula Renault Eurocup race winner Richard Verschoor in what would be a return to the team.

The 17-year-old Dutchman dominated the NEZ and Spanish Formula 4 championships with MP in 2016 before graduating to Renault Eurocup with the squad last year. He switched to Josef Kaufmann Racing for this season but has had a disappointing campaign and is 11th in the points.