F1 Journal FIA Formula 2 Saturday Round Up

Friday Qualifying

Qualifying started wet but with no rain falling, Mason who is only in his 2nd F2 race after joining half way through the season,  took a trip into the gravel at turn 6. With 27 minutes remaining the rain came and the 2 Prema drivers capitalized on running first  and second on the track as the rain really started to effect the running and both managed competitive laps on only half a wet lap when those behind had a whole wet lap to contend with. After the times set on that lap no further faster times where set and any further running was done under very wet conditions.  
Qualifying Result & Sunday Feature Race-
1- BEA         2-VES
3-MAR         4-MAL
5-POU         6-HAU
7-BOS         8- FIT
9-VER         10-DAR
11- DOO      12- CRA
13-HAD        14-NIS
15-LEC         16-IWA
17-NOV        18-STA
NOT CLASSIFIED(No time set but allowed to race)
19- MAI          20- COR
21- COR         22- MAS

Championship standings before sprint race
©FIA Formula 2

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Saturday Reverse Top 10 Sprint Race Round Up

For the first time this weekend we started a session with a dry track, with dry tyres and dry weather. 
Josh Mason stalled pulling away for the formation lap, triggering a second lap to be completed before that start.
It was a clean start with all cars making it through the legendary but dangerous Eau Rouge, Radillion, Le Source section. Pourchaire gained 2 positions off the start, Vesti over took Hauger around the outside in a brillant move for 6th and the sister Prema of Ollie Bearman over took Doohan on the first lap to take 10th. Vershoor kept the lead from Fittipaldi and the 2 start to pull away.
Lap 2 started with another great move from championship leader Fredrik Vesti on Ralph Boschung just as a saftey car was brought out and leader Daruvela dived into the pits minus one head rest, that had come lose and flown out of the car in the middle of the lap ( never seen that before). The safety car then stayed out to also cover the recovery of  Cordeal's car that had spun after dropping a wheel onto curb and ultimately stalled the car and ended his race.
Lap 5 and the Safety car was in, both Alpine drivers where on the move charging forwards through the feild, Hauger got Vesti for 4th place and Vesti just coudnt fight back anymore. With some great racing between Bearman and Iwasa. Mason received a penalty for an infringement after he stalled on the grid.  

Reverse Top 10 Grid 
1-DAR       2-VER
3-FIT         4-BOS
5-HAU        6-POU
7-MAL        8-MAR
9-VES         10-BEA

Lap 9 saw Maini pit and Iwasa gain another 2 positions to 9th, as he started his push to the end of the race with Dennis Hauger also starting to push on after Pourchaire for 3rd. Zane Maloney was given a 5 sec penalty for exceeding track limits for a 4th time on lap 12 after being shown the black and white flag on lap 10 and while that was being announced Vesti and Martins  began a brilliant dog fight going back and forth and side by side around spa for half a lap and it was fantastic to watch. Fittipaldi was also hunting down a good battle and was gaining on leader Vershoor at a rapid rate.
With 2 laps to go Leclerc gave Bearman a cheeky punt on the rear sending him off into the gravel  trap, Bearman managed to escape the gravel run off but dropped the Brit down the order.  Martins finally over took Vesti on the penultimate lap, when Vesti's tyre were well past their prime.
Lap 16 and Fittipaldi was on the rear of Vershoor up the Kemmel Straight and took the lead with a brilliant move round the outside of Le Combes. But the racing wasn't done! Iwasa gained another place over taking Boschung and on the last lap Vesti lost P6 to Doohan and very nearly lost P7 in the closing meters from Iwasa but held on to finish ahead of the RedBull Academy driver. ​

Sprint Race Result

1-FIT         2-VER
3-POU      3-HAU
5-MAR      6 -DOO
7-VES       8-IWA
9-BOS      10-LEC
11-MAL     12-HAD
13-BEA      14-NIS
15-CRA      16-STA
17-JCO       18-NOV
19-MAI        20-MAS
DNF'S
DAR
​ACO

After such a great Sprint Race, we can only hope the Sunday's Feature Race is just as good.
ART now leads the F2 championship over Prema & Fredrik Vesti retains his lead in the Driver Standings. 

Joanna Blackmore 
Writer F1 Journal