With the first round of the Formula 2 season finished, let’s take a look at the five takeaways from across the weekend.
The opening round of the Formula 2 Championship commenced as each driver looked to place themselves in early contention and stamp their presence in the standings. Here are five of the main takeaways coming out of the weekend.
1 – Ralph Boschung vs Theo Pourchaire
With four points separating the two following the first round, both veterans have put themselves into early contention for the title. After a stonking lap by Theo Pourchaire, the Frenchman managed to transfer that pace to the Feature Race and win by 19 seconds. Ralph Boschung kept his car out of trouble and found himself in second place ahead of teammate Kush Maini.
Boschung persevered during the Sprint Race to earn himself his maiden Formula 2 win since making his debut in 2017 and further added to his tally during the Sprint. Both drivers are more determined than ever to win the title after multiple years in Formula 2 and it seems we’re in for a long, exhilarating championship battle.
2 – Kush Maini’s impressive form
After finishing 14th in the 2022 Formula 3 Championship, many speculated whether the move to F2 was premature. However, the Indian has proved himself worthy as he finished both races in the top ten – with a fourth-place finish during the Sprint. Maini sits one point behind his F3 rival Zane Maloney who is in third.
LAP 1/22
⚠️ SAFETY CAR ⚠️
What a MEGA start for Boschung and Maini!!
The two @CamposRacing cars have had an incredible start, with Maini in P2, Boschung in P3 👊 #BahrainGP #F2 pic.twitter.com/WhJDPBNK3O
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 5, 2023
3 – Reigning F3 Champion Victor Martins proves his worth
Returning to ART for the Formula 2 champion, Victor Martins had the pressure of maintaining his F3 performance. After qualifying second for the Feature Race, Martins started the Sprint in seventh, working his way up and securing a third-place finish, ahead of teammate Pourchaire. However, following a poor start to the Feature Race, Martins’ poor start saw him dropping back and involved in a collision with multiple drivers which ultimately forced him to retire.
With a strong car underneath him, Martins is sure to have a strong season ahead.
4. DAMs woes
Throughout the weekend, DAMS drivers Arthur Leclerc and Ayumu Iwasa both suffered from lockups that hindered their performances. During the Feature, Leclerc locked up several times throughout the race and lost positions before working his way back up to sixth – ahead of Iwasa.
Both drivers complained about their brakes and with a long season ahead and a new venue, the team better get their car in order if they want a shot at the title.
5 – Campos Racing vs ART Grand Prix
Just as their drivers are locked in a championship battle, so are the teams with Campos leading the way by four points. With both teams having a veteran and rookie partnership, it’ll be interesting to see how it develops over the course of the season. Which team can pull out winning performance and avoid trouble?
