With 2 safety cars, and many changes to the top 5 throughout 20 laps Ayumu Iwasa defends and take top position in the Round 2 F2 Sprint Race in Jeddah
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Winning his first F2 Race of the 2023 season from fourth position remained calm, and collected amongst the drama that unfolded throughout the race. 2022 F3 Champion and tomorrow’s pole sitter for the feature race showed rapid pace starting from P10 to take P2.
At Lights Out:
American and rookie driver Jak Crawford starting from front row managed to keep the most experienced F2 driver of the season Ralph Boschung at bay off the line at lights out. However Iwasa was able to get a better start off the grid going from fourth to second straight away. Iwasa went outside of the Campos driver at turn 1 to take the inside line into turn 2 to take second. Crawford’s lead was brief after a slipstream Iwasa took advantage of allowing him to take first place just moments before the first safety car was brought out as Rodin Carlin driver rookie Zane Maloney was found facing the wrong way in lap 2.
Once going green again Iwasa controlled the start remaining first with a few drivers switching positions behind him in the top 6. Oliver Bearman having started 8th was able to get into p5, and Victor Martins from 10th to 6th.
It wasn’t long before the Safety Car made another appearance. After executing a late lunge on Maini for seventh into Turn 1, Théo Pourchaire attempted to repeat the move the following lap on his ART teammate. Diving too deep under braking, the Frenchman collided with Bearman ahead, forcing the pair into retirement.
The Halfway Point:
Iwasa decided to go early on the second restart of the race leaving Boschung way in his mirrors getting out of a slipstream. Kush Maini and Crawford on the restart got their elbows out to battle for fifth, to which at one point it was three-wide along the main straight, Maini finally got the job done, as Jack Doohan joined the fight.
Out front, it was all to play for as Daruvala and Martins dispatched Boschung on consecutive laps and set out to catch up with Iwasa. Less than a second separated the top three for the final five laps, as Daruvala pounced, going side-by-side with Iwasa into Turn 1. After going a bit off the MP Driver left open an opportunity for the ART driver to make a move and secure the 2nd spot on the podium.
With Martins following Iwasa right until the final lap, Iwasa was forced to go on the defensive all the way to the chequered flag. Daruvala comfortably took third ahead of Campos duo Boschung and Maini.
Frederick Vesti who suffered a grid penalty for this race after actions in Bahrain was able to move his way up to finish 6th having started from 9th. Jack Doohan able to score some points finishing in 7th and Dennis Hauger taking the final points for the sprint race finishing 8th.
Pole sitter for tomorrows race Victor Martins says for tomorrow:
“It was not the expectation to make a come back today in the sprint, but to learn as much as possible for tomorrows race, so finishing on a podium is good, its good for the confidence. We have learn some things about the balance of the car and we want to come back stronger and stronger for the race”
Tomorrow’s Feature Race:
After getting his maiden F2 pole position the ART Driver Victor Martins will start alongside Oliver Bearman to make up an all-rookie front row.
FEATURE IMAGES COURTESY OF Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images : JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – MARCH 18: Race winner Ayumu Iwasa of Japan and DAMS (second from right), Second placed Victor Martins of France and ART Grand Prix (L) and Third placed Jehan Daruvala of India and MP Motorsport (R) celebrate on the podium during the Round 2:Jeddah Sprint race of the Formula 2 Championship at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on March 18, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Joe Portlock – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images)
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