Bahrain F2 Grand Prix: Sprint Race – Boschung wins after seven years, Martins on the podium
It took him seven years and almost 100 races for Ralph Boschung to achieve his first victory in Formula 2. The French drivers Victor Martins and Théo Pourchaire animated the race and scored big points. Arthur Leclerc and Isack Hadjar experienced a setback.
After yesterday’s superb qualifying session and Théo Pourchaire’s (ART Grand Prix) masterful pole position followed by his new teammate Victor Martins, the sprint race, as usual, reversed the top 10 for the start. And it was Ralph Boschung (Campos) who started from the first position ahead of Roman Staněk (Trident) and Arthur Leclerc (DAMS).
The good start of the French
At the start, Boschung launches well to come out in the lead of the first turn without incident. At the same time, French driver Victor Martins, starting in eighth position, has a splendid start and finishes this first attacking lap in fourth position before overtaking Leclerc as soon as the DRS is activated.
At the same time, Pourchaire, who had moved up from tenth to fifth place, won’t have to overtake the Monegasque driver since the latter, as well as Isack Hadjar (Hitech GP), will have to serve a 10-second stop-and-go penalty due to their teams interfering with the cars during the formation lap. They will finish the race twelfth and twentieth.
Four drivers for one podium
While Boschung is leading the race, the ART Grand Prix drivers are setting a fast pace and aiming for second place, currently held by Ayumu Iwasa (DAMS). On the ninth lap, Martins dives on the inside at the first corner, but the Japanese driver regains the advantage at turn four and passes the French driver by crossing him at the exit. The Alpine academy driver tries again five laps later, and Iwasa defends his position in the same way, but this time he doesn’t manage to regain his place.
Pourchaire follows in his teammate’s footsteps and immediately attacks the Japanese driver on turn ten, but comes out poorly, allowing Denis Hauger (MP Motorsport) to take advantage and overtake the Frenchman before getting ahead of Iwasa.
Ralph Boschung wins his first F2 race alone, ahead of Hauger who passed Martins in the penultimate lap. Iwasa takes fourth place ahead of Pourchaire under pressure from Jehan Daruvala. Finally, Kush Maini and Enzo Fittipaldi complete the top 8 and take the last points.
The main race will be live tomorrow at 11:20 on Canal+ Sport.
