The tenth round of the Formula 2 series at the Belgian Grand Prix delivered a thrilling Sprint Race, that was soon interrupted by a red flag.
Zak O’Sullivan capitalised on the reverse grid format to secure pole position, with Dennis Hauger joining him on the front row. The race, already delayed following the morning session’s postponement due to inclement weather, promised excitement from the start.
As the lights went out, O’Sullivan made a commanding start, maintaining his lead over Hauger and Richard Verschoor. Further back, Zane Maloney showcased his skills, turning defence into attack down the Kemmel Straight. He dived to the inside of Franco Colapinto, claiming fourth place after initially fending off Jak Crawford.
LAP 3/18
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) July 27, 2024
Maloney tries to wrestle third away from Verschoor at Les Combes, but runs out of road! 😬#F2 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/dGVu83XM9F
The PREMA Racing duo of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman quickly found their rhythm, warming up their tyres effectively. They occupied seventh and eighth positions respectively, with Bearman managing to overtake Isack Hadjar into the final corner.
The second lap saw Crawford making a decisive move, passing Colapinto on the approach to Eau Rouge for fifth place. Meanwhile, Antonelli began to challenge Colapinto’s position. At the front, O’Sullivan had already established a two-second lead over Hauger.
In a display of bravery, Antonelli made a daring move on Colapinto, going side-by-side through Eau Rouge to claim sixth place. Bearman seized the opportunity, following his teammate past Colapinto down the Kemmel Straight.
LAP 3/18
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) July 27, 2024
Antonelli down the INSIDE at Eau Rouge!! 😱
He storms past Colapinto and into the top 5! #F2 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/eRQxLQP40A
However, the race was soon interrupted when Josep María Martí’s Campos Racing car stopped on track, necessitating a Safety Car period. Martí had earlier pitted with an issue but returned to the track before being forced to retire.
As the Safety Car remained out during lap 7, the rain intensified, leading race control to display the red flag. The decision was made to bring the cars into the pit lane, and ultimately, the race was not resumed.
With the race called off, O’Sullivan was declared the winner, followed by Hauger, Verschoor, Maloney, and Crawford. Antonelli finished sixth, ahead of Bearman, Colapinto, Hadjar, and Enzo Fittipaldi, rounding out the top ten.
