Round 10 of FIA Formula 2 gets underway at Spa-Francorchamps. The track temperature is cool, only about 25.0 degrees Celsius, with an air temperature of 19.2 degrees Celsius. However, the sun has begun to peak through the clouds, and it is expected that the track will heat up somewhat, though wet conditions are expected throughout the weekend.
As the light goes green, the drivers are out of their garages and into the pit lane. One by one, they make their way out onto the damp 7.004 km track to complete a few exploratory laps. At the end of these, they all return to the pit lane.
With thirty-two minutes left in the practice sessions, some drivers have opted to return to the track. Some are attempting their first flying laps. The majority, however, including championship leader, Isack Hadjar (HAD) of Campos Racing, are still in pit lane, likely waiting for an improvement of track conditions. MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger (HAU) was the first to set a lap time. He sets the benchmark of 2:20.529. Van Amersfoort Racing’s Rafael Villagómez (VIL) is unable to top this, settling into P2 with his first flying lap.
With more drivers now out on track, times are beginning to tumble. AIX Racing’s Joshua Dürksen (DUR), Dams Lucas Oil’s Jak Crawford (CRA) and Juan Manuel Correa (COR), and Rodin Motorsport’s Ritomo Miyata (MIY) add their times to the board. With twenty-five minutes left in the session, Correa goes top with a time of 2:02.634. Van Amersfoort Racing’s Enzo Fittipaldi (FIT) sits in second with 2:02.784 and Crawford is third with 2:02.944.
A yellow flag is brought out in sector 2 with Villagómez going wide and subsequently, spinning off track at Turn 9. This is quickly upgraded to a red flag. Villagómez’s practice session as there appears to be quite significant damage to the car. The driver, however, seems okay and is walking back to the pit lane. The other drivers on track have now returned to the pit lane to allow for the recovery of the Van Amersfoort Racing car.
With just under fourteen minutes remaining, the track goes green. The drivers are quick to make their way onto the track. Currently, Correa leads the standings with the fastest time of 2:02.634, followed by Fittipaldi with 2:02.784. Crawford is in P3, followed by Miyata in P4, Villagómez in P5, Dürksen in P6, and Hauger in P7. No other drivers have put a time on the board, but this is expected to change as they complete their respective outlaps and get into the final ten minutes of the session. All drivers are out on track, except for the crashed Villagómez.
ART Grand Prix’s Zak O’Sullivan (OSU) went top with a time of 2:01.911. He quickly drops to P2 with teammate Victor Martins (VMA) setting the new top time of 2:00.773. Martins holds on to the top spot as other times begin to be set, but he falls to P2 with Crawford setting a time of 2:00.516. His lap time, however, is deleted, restoring Martins to P1. However, Hauger soon improves on his time, going top with 1:59.682. Prema Racing’s Oliver Bearman (BEA) is up to P2 with 2:00.688. Invicta Racing teammates, Gabriel Bortoleto (BOR) and Kush Maini (MAI), and AIX Racing’s Dürksen have now gone ahead of Bearman. The Haas-bound driver now sits in P5, a second behind current session leader Hauger and appears to be somewhat struggling with track limits.
Martins improves on Hauger’s time, going top with 1:58.787, but falls to P2 with Hadjar’s new fastest time of 1:59.761. Prema Racing’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli (ANT) completes the top 3 with 1:59.265. All drivers except Trident’s Roman Stanek (STA) have set times. Stanek is still in the pit lane with mechanics working on his car. He has less than two minutes to get a time on the board and as the clock ticks down, it appears less and less likely that he will be able to do so.
With less than a minute of practice left, some traffic has built up on the track, particularly in the final sector. The top three drivers have all improved their times, with Hadjar holding on to P1 with a new fastest time of 1:58.730. Roughly 4.8 seconds separate Hadjar’s fastest time and that of Villagómez who sits in P21 with a time of 2:03.606 after having retired early following his crash at Turn 9.
As the chequered flag falls on the practice session, Hadjar holds on to his top time of 1:58.730. He sits just one-hundredth of a second ahead of Martins. The final standings are HAD, VMA, ANT, ARO, ACO, HAU, OSU, COL, CRA, BOR, VER, MIY, FIT, MAL, JMA, BAR, JCO, DUR, MAI, BEAR, VIL, STA. Almost 1.9 seconds separate the top time set by session leader, Hadjar, and that of Bearman in P20, with the latter having struggled to remain within the white lines, especially in the last minutes of the session.
FIA Formula 2 will return for qualifying at 16:00 local time.
