Trident’s Richard Verschoor will start Saturday’s FIA Formula 2 sprint race on pole, under reverse-grid conditions after qualifying tenth during Friday’s qualifying session. Alongside him is Invicta Racing’s Kush Maini, with Rodin Motorsport’s Zane Maloney, who topped Friday’s practice, just behind in third, and Prema Racing’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli in fourth.
The drivers are all out on track, with the mechanics making their final adjustments. When the lights go out, the twenty-two drivers will have 28 laps around the 4.381 km circuit to compete for points. Conditions for the sprint race are much cooler than those of Friday’s practice and qualifying, but though clouds appear to be moving in, no rain is expected during the session. The drivers are on different tyre strategies with some on the soft tyres and others on the hard tyres. Antonelli is the highest-placed driver on the grid who has opted for the soft tyres, but so too have MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger (HAU) and ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins (MAR) in fifth and sixth respectively.
As the formation lap gets underway, Maloney is slow off the line. The yellow flag is brought out as it turns out the Barbadian drivers has stalled and will need to be pushed back pit lane. If he starts the race, it will be from the pit lane which will significantly affect his chance for points. The other twenty-one drivers successfully return to the grid after the formation lap. They take their respective places to wait for the start of the race.
As the lights go out, Verschoor gets a great launch off the line and covers Maini to keep himself at the front of the pack. Antonelli suffers a lock-up into Turn 1 but quickly recovers and overtakes Maini for P2 into Turn 3. Behind them, Invicta Racing’s Gabriel Bortoleto (BOR) passes Campos Racing’s Isack Hadjar (HAD) and Van Amersfoort Racing’s Enzo Fittipaldi (FIT). Hadjar, the current F2 championship leader is down in P8 and appears to be struggling on the hard compound tyre.
Antonelli is challenging Verschoor for the lead. The Prema Racing driver has DRS onto the main straight by Verschoor and defends well to keep hold of the lead. He does, however, soon lose the lead in Lap 4 as Antonelli goes down the inside at Turn 1 to take the lead. The Italian then puts in the fastest lap time of 1:34.030 in Lap 4 to go 1.5 seconds ahead of Verschoor in P2 who has Maini closing him down.
With so many drivers on the soft compound tyres, including race leader Antonelli, tyre management will be crucial in this race. Should the drivers on the soft tyres be unable to manage their tyres, especially in the late stages of the race, this may be advantageous to the drivers on the hard tyres. At the current moment, however, Antonelli has a lead of over 2 seconds over Verschoor. However, the gap is fluctuating and may be beginning to shrink.
As the drivers complete their tenth lap around the circuit, Antonelli retains his hold on the lead, closely pursued by Verschoor and Maini. Martins and Hauger round out the top 5. The overall standings are ANT, VER, MAI, VMA, HAU, FIT, BOR, HAD, BEA, COL, OSU, VIL, BAR, ARO, CRA, DUR, MIY, ACO, JCO, STA, MAL, JMA.
Prema Racing’s Oliver Bearman (BEA), teammate of race leader Antonelli, is up in P9 after a P14 start. The British driver has had another busy weekend in Hungary, having completed the first Formula 1 free practice session with future team Haas on Friday. Paul Aron (ARO), on the other hand, currently sits P14. The Hitech Pulse-Eight is down four places after his P10 start. He set the top time in qualifying and will be starting Sunday’s feature race on pole.
Hauger is challenging Martins for fourth. The MP Motorsport driver is right up on the gearbox of Martins, but the ART driver remains ahead. Hauger makes another attempt for fourth, almost sneaking his way through with a late dive at Turn 1. Martins, however, fights back to keep his position.
As the drivers get into the thirteenth lap, Verschoor and Maini appear to be gaining on Antonelli, however, Antonelli has a quicker lap to keep Verschoor out of DRS range. Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar is back through on Bortoleto for P7. The drivers on the soft tyres are struggling now as the tyres start to show their wear. The drivers on the hard tyres are benefiting.
Into lap 15, Verschoor now has DRS on Antonelli and gets alongside the Prema Racing driver into Turn 2. He isn’t able to get the pass done but keep up pressure on the Italian. Fittipalidi, meanwhile, is up to P5, having passed Hauger.
Antonelli has a big lock-up at turn 2 but Verschoor isn’t close enough to take advantage of the mistake. He can, however, take advantage when Antonelli locks up again at Turn 1 in the seventeenth lap. The Prema Racing rookie goes wide, allowing both Verschoor and Maini through. He falls to fourth after being passed by Martins, and then down to fifth after another lock-up at Turn 1 allows Fittipaldi to overtake him. Hauger then gets through at the start of sector two, knocking the former race leader down to P6. The decision is made for Antonelli to pit for fresh hard tyres with Plan A having not worked out as planned. With ten laps to go, Richard Verschoor is back at the front of the pack, leading Maini by 1.1 seconds.
Into Lap 20, Aron and Crawford are fortunate to avoid contract from Turns 1 to 4, but the Hitech Pulse-Eight driver takes P13 from the DAMS driver. Bortoleto, also on the soft tyres, is called into the pits for new hard tyres.
With eight laps left, the standings are VER, MAI, VMA, FIT, HAU, HAD, ANT, BOR, COL, BEA, OSU, VIL, BAR, CRA, ARO, DUR, MIY, JCO, ACO, MAL, STA, JMA.
Fittipaldi defends well against Hauger at Turns 1 and 2, opening the door for Hadjar to take P5 from Hauger. At the front of the grid, Verschoor still leads Maini. He is a second quicker in lap 22, leading by 2.6 seconds now. Meanwhile, Hadjar moves himself up to fourth after passing Fittipaldi at Turn 1. A massive lock-up by the Van Amersfoort Racing driver into Turn 1 of lap 23, sees Hauger getting past him and up to P5. Fittipaldi suffered a puncture during that lock-up and limps back to the pits for new tyres.
At the other end of the points positions, a battle between Bearman, Crawford and Correa sees the three go three-wide into Turn 3 in the twenty-sixth lap. All escaped unscathed but it was a dramatic moment, nevertheless. The incident has been noted by race control.
Some rain has begun falling around the track as the drivers get into the final lap. There is no need for a tyre change, however, as the mild drizzle is not enough to stop Richard Verschoor from crossing the finish line to secure the win, ahead of Kush Maini in P2 and Victor Martins in P3.
The final standings of the FIA Formula 2 sprint race in Hungary are VER, MAI, VMA, HAD, HAU, COL, ARO, BAR, JCO, CRA, BEA, VIL, MIY, MAL, ANT, STA, BOR, JMA, DUR, OSU, ACO, FIT. Gabriel Bortoleto, who finished in P17 set the fastest lap time of 1:32.266 on lap 24, in a race which ultimately proved more favourable for the drivers who had opted to race on the hard compound tyres.
