Richard Verschoor has been disqualified from the F2 Jeddah Sprint for a technical violation. Despite a dominating win today for the Dutchman, Denis Hauger has been promoted to P1 after both Trident cars were disqualified. Paul Aron is promoted to P2 and Enzo Fittpaldi now takes third.
A fast getaway at lights out saw rookie Aron take the lead in the F2 Jeddah Sprint, leaving MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger to take second position ahead of the Hitech Pulse-Eight rookie. Despite losing the lead, Aron managed to secure his second Formula 2 podium in successive rounds, finishing third. However, it’s been announced that both Trident drivers have been disqualified for having an a non-regulated part on their car.
The disqualifications mean that Verschoor loses first and Roman Stanek loses tenth place in the Sprint.
PREMA’s Oliver Bearman was missing from the starting grid today after being promoted to drive for Ferrari in Formula 1 this weekend. The 18 year old Brit was called up to fill in for Carlos Sainz, who was taken into surgery for appendicitis. Bearman will not race in Formula 2 for the rest of the weekend.
At Lights Out
Aron made a swift getaway at lights out in the F2 Jeddah Sprint, retaining the lead ahead of Verschoor. Isack Hadjar of Campos Racing fended off Hauger to maintain P3 initially. Behind them, the PREMA of Kimi Antonelli made contact with the DAMS Lucas Oil of Jak Crawford. Both cars continued on despite damage to Antonelli’s front wing. Meanwhile, the Williams Academy duo of Franco Colapinto and Zak O’Sullivan stalled at the start, forcing them to get going in the pit lane and relegating them to the back of the pack. Still on the first lap, a collision with the wall at Turn 2 for Victor Martins saw the Safety Car deployed and the ART driver retiring from the race.
Racing resumed on lap 4, where Zane Maloney climbed up the ranks from 15th to overtake Roman Stanek of Trident for eighth. Lap 8 saw a defining moment for Verschoor as he completed a daring overtake on Aron, seizing the lead at Turn 1.
By the midway point, Hauger made a key overtake on Hadjar stick for the final podium spot. However, the action-packed race saw another Safety Car Intervention as Amaury Cordeel sent his Hitech spinning at Turn 2.
Racing Continues
The race was back underway on lap 12, where Verschoor continued to extend his lead over Aron, staying out of DRS range of the field behind. Enzo Fittipaldi emerged victorious in a battle with Hadjar, securing fourth place for Van Amersfoort Racing.
Despite the Safety Car chaos, Verschoor held out to secure the provisional win for Trident. Hauger and Aron joined him on the podium in second and third respectively. However, with the disqualifications, Hauger now sits in P1, Aron is promoted to P2 and Enzo Fittipaldi moves to the third step of the podium.
Aron says the team’s second place today is promising for the season ahead;
“Coming from Bahrain I think it was very important for us to be quick here also. It is a completely different circuit, so it shows that Bahrain isn’t just an outlier, and we are completely in the game, both me and Hitech. I am still happy to come away with the podium.”
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