Paul Aron & Ritomo Miyata handed penalties post-sprint race in Qatar

Credit: Mark Sutton

Following Saturday's Formula 2 sprint race in Qatar, Hitech's Paul Aron and Rodin's Ritomo Miyata were handed post-race penalties by the Stewards.

This came after Prema's Formula 1 bound Brit, Oliver Bearman, took victory after starting from pole position under the night skies at the Lusail International Circuit.

Aron and Miyata have both been handed their post-race penalties by the FIA Stewards following different incidents that they got involved in during the sprint race that happened on Saturday. Both penalties received are place-drops.

Firstly, Hitech Pulse-Eight's Paul Aron was handed a two-place position drop following the conclusion of the sprint race due to causing a collision at a part of the race. Aron was adjudged to have been the cause of the collision between he and French ART driver Victor Martins.

The Stewards reviewed video evidence of the incident as well as speaking to both individuals and their team representatives after the sprint race had concluded. After the investigation and all investigating processes were followed by the FIA, it was determined that Aron was predominantly to blame for the incident between himself and Victor Martins.

As a result of the Stewards reaching their decision, they awarded Aron a two-place position drop. This would drop his finishing position from fifth to seven in the sprint race final classification.

In other news, Ritomo Miyata was given to separate place drops following two separate incidents in post-race investigations by the Stewards.

Firstly, Miyata was handed a four-place drop in the final classification for causing a collision between himself and Ferrari Academy driver Dino Beganovic, who was in his debut race at DAMS Lucas Oil.

The Stewards reviewed video evidence as well as speaking to the drivers involved and team representatives and they decided that Miyata was responsible for the incident between he and Beganovic. This would be a four-place drop in the final classification for the Rodin Motorsport driver.

However, penalties would not stop there for Miyata as he would be handed a further two-place drop in the final classification. This time he would be penalised for causing a collision with Prema's Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Miyata was found to be at fault for the collision that happened between he and Antonelli and therefore he would drop a total of six places in the final classification. In the final classification, Miyata would drop from seventh to 13th.

2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship: Round 13 - Qatar Sprint Race final classification

1. Oliver Bearman (Great Britain, Prema Racing)
2. Jak Crawford (United States, DAMS Lucas Oil)
3. Richard Verschoor (Netherlands, MP Motorsport)
4. Isack Hadjar (France, Campos Racing)
5. Gabriel Bortoleto (Brazil, Invicta Racing)
6. Zane Maloney (Barbados, Rodin Motorsport)
7. Paul Aron (Estonia, Hitech Pulse-Eight)
8. Joshua Durksen (Paraguay, AIX Racing)
9. Victor Martins (France, ART Grand Prix)
10. Dino Beganovic (Sweden, DAMS Lucas Oil)
11. Luke Browning (Great Britain, ART Grand Prix)
12. John Bennett (Great Britain, Van Amersfoort Racing)
13. Ritomo Miyata (Japan, Rodin Motorsport)
14. Max Esterson (United States, Trident)
15. Christian Mansell (Australia, Trident)
16. Amaury Cordeel (Belgium, Hitech Pulse-Eight)
17. Rafael Villagomez (Mexico, Van Amersfoort Racing)
18. Cian Shields (Great Britain, AIX Racing)
19. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Italy, Prema Racing)
20. Kush Maini (India, Invicta Racing)

DNF. Oliver Goethe (Germany, MP Motorsport)
DNF. Josep 'Pepe' Maria Marti (Spain, Campos Racing)

Brandon Whiteside
Writer & X Contributor - F1 Journal