Zane Maloney clinched Feature race Pole position in a chaotic F2 Qualifying session for the 2024 Italian GP. Championship leader Isack Hadjar finished the session P2, while his Championship rival Paul Aron was right behind him in P3.
Championship contender Gabriel Bortoleto had an early end to the session after putting it into the gravel and bringing out the second red flag. After crashing in his first F1 Practice Session, Andrea Kimi Antonelli finished in P6.
Reverse Grid Pole went to Enzo Fittipaldi.
As it Happened
The Trident of Roman Stanek was the first out on track in the F2 Qualifying Session at the 2024 Italian GP after bringing the red flag out earlier in Free Practice 1. He set the first flying lap with a 1:34.992 as the rest of the field exited the pits.
Newcomer Oliver Goethe went wide in Turn 1 while on his first flying lap in F2 machinery. No one was setting flying laps, opting for extra prep laps instead.
Hadjar mentioned on the radio that he was impeded by Stanek as Paul Aron started a flying lap. However, Aron was interrupted by a Yellow Flag in Sector 1. The flying laps started pouring in after 10 minutes of prep laps.
Antonelli set the pace with a 1:32.941 right as the Red Flag came out 11 minutes into the session for a bollard in the middle of the track. It was Victor Martins who had a trip into the gravel and caused the caution. Only O’Sullivan, Fittipaldi, and Antonelli managed to set meaningful times before the session was interrupted.
Before the session was resumed, the session was reduced from the original remaining 19 minutes to 16 minutes.
Back to Green
Everyone poured out of the pits as the green light illuminated. Championship leader Isack Hadjar is the first to set a flying lap, setting a purple middle sector. However, his time was only enough for fourth. Aron crossed the line just before a second red flag came out 12 minutes into the session for Gabriel Bortoleto in the gravel.
This time, the clock continued to count down during the red flag because of the time constraints with a Formula 1 Practice Session set to start soon.
The Final Minutes
The green light was back on with seven minutes to go. Every driver exited the pits to set a time before the session is over. There was a large amount of gravel on track where both Martins and Bortoleto caused red flags.
The majority of drivers continued on prep laps as the minutes ticked down. Zane Maloney started a flying lap but got stuck behind Maini on a push lap. With only three minutes left, half the field still had yet to set a time.
Dürksen and Verschoor were first to set a flying lap, Hadjar was right behind setting a purple first sector. Hadjar put it on provisional pole as Aron sets a time good enough for P2.
Hadjar would not stay on pole for long. Maloney set a time of 1:32.160, jumping to provisional pole with a minute to go in the session. Bearman’s first time was briefly enough for fifth before his teammate Antonelli improved and pushed Bearman down to sixth.
Hauger, Hadjar, and a few others tried to improve on second runs, but no one saw any improvements. Zane Maloney secured pole position, with Championship rivals Isack Hadjar and Paul Aron close behind in second and third.
Photo Credit: Formula Motorsport Ltd
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