Frantic start, that of the Sprint Race of Formula 2, but certainly not disappointing. A race full of duels and overtaking, which he decreed only one winner: Ayumu Iwasa. On the podium of Jeddah together with the Japanese also the conqueror of the pole yesterday, Victor martins and the MP Motorsport driver, Jehan daruvala.
Ayumu Iwasa always at the head of the group
A modified starting grid, compared to the one announced yesterday, due to the penalties imposed on Vesti, Novalak and Stanek. The first positions remained unchanged, with the American Crawford in the lead, followed by the winner of the last one Sprint Race in Bahrain, Ralph Boschung. Great start from Crawfordwhen the traffic lights go out, but not as much as Ayumu Iwasa's, who manages to reach second from fourth position. The #11 DAMS driver pulled away well on the restart after the Safety Car returned to the pit lane and extended the gap.
Undisturbed until lap 14, Iwasa finds himself behind Daruvala and is forced to defend himself. Daruvala is faster on the straight than Iwasa and certainly doesn't want to settle for second place. At turn 1, MP's number #2 tries again, goes wide going out in the lead, but has to give back the position. Two laps later the Indian tries again, but Iwasa forces Daruvala outside, thus allowing a Martins to take the second position. Ayumu Iwasa defends himself to the last e manages to bring home the first victory of the season.
Pourchaire-Bearman accident, will there be repercussions?
Garage divided into ART GP, where one side witnessed a phenomenal race by Victor Martins, who reached the podium from the tenth position, on the other hand he dominated the disappointment for Pourchaire's DNF. Thèo Pourchaire, after the victory of Feature Races on the Sakhir circuit, he was first in the standings, but today's accident did not allow him to score points and increase distances.
At the time of the contact, Bearman was in turn 1, behind him Martins and his teammate. Pourchaire, arriving from the straight with a lot of speed thanks to the DRS, attempts to pass Martins, but in doing so he finds himself in front of the Prema driver and the takes with it off the track – and out of the race. While the French apologized to Bearman, admitting his faults, the management decides to investigate what happened once the race is over. Probable penalty arriving for the number #5 of ART GP, which according to yesterday's qualifying, should have started in third place in tomorrow's Feature Race.
Bad weekend for Maloney
To forget, at least for the moment, the weekend for Zane Maloney, that goes head over heels after going off course e can't get the car to restart. He was engaged in a duel with Clèment Novalak when this happened. Initially it seemed that it was just a contact with the Trident team driver that drove the boy from Barbados off the track, but from the replays it is clear that it is Maloney who loses the command of the single-seater.
The Campos Racing men were very happy as they closed the Sprint with Boschung in fourth and Maini in fifth position. Great too Dennis Hauger who from P15 closes in the points area, with a overtaking Crawford just before the finish line.
Tomorrow at 14:15 la Feature Races, who will be able to get on the podium in Jeddah?
