Richard Verschoor won a fast and frantic F2 Sprint Race at the Spanish GP after a late Safety Car transformed the fortunes of the Dutchman.
Following an intriguing qualifying session, the stakes were set for a race that would see a new leader at the top of the championship.
At the green light, Fornaroli and Luke Browning were level into Turn 1, with Browning taking the lead. Durksen had dropped to fourth by Turn 4.
Jack Crawford pulled a dramatic move to move into second place, while Fornaroli had dropped to third. A fast and frantic opening lap saw moves pulled up and down the field.
Down the order, 5th placed Richard Verschoor’s fate mirrored that of Fornaroli. After a poor start, the Dutchman slipped back and ended the first lap down in 9th.
Max Estersen endured a nightmare start and was forced to ptit the end of the first lap. John Bennett also pitted to retire, his race very much done.
Crawford wasted little time in taking the lead from Browning, sweeping around the outside of the Dams driver at Turn 4. He completed the move under braking for Turn 5.
Fornaroli was next to challenge Browning. Over the next few laps, he battled to get past the Briton, but, Browning was able to hold on for the moment at least.
Back down in 14th, Alex Dunne’s trying weekend continued. Unable to move forward in the race, he pushed hard but could not pass Gabriele Mini.
By lap 10, the field had started to settle down, as the drivers started to manage their tyres and pace to prepare for attacks later in the race.
The battle for the lead intensifies in F2 Sprint Race
Crawford extended his advantage over the field to almost a full second. Crucially however, Browning was still able to use DRS to stay within range. Dursken’s race was over by lap 14, the car slowing dramatically as he pulled into the pits to retire.
Arvid Lindblad found himself facing the wrong way on lap 15, colliding with Verschoor as the Dutchman exited the pits.
The top four pulled away from fifth-placed Ritomo Miyata, the gap now 1.5 seconds. Stanek, back in sixth, was dropping back, seemingly unable to compete on pace.
Prema team-mates Mini and Sebastien Montoya collided in a clumsy incident on lap 18. Montoya was able to continue, but Mini retired on the spot.
The stricken Prema brought out the Safety Car, sending those in the lower order into the pits for soft tyres.
This split the field into two groups: those who remained on the hard tyres, vs those who pitted for the faster softs. Verschoor led the cars on the soft tyres. Those who pitted would enjoy an advatnage for a time.
Race Restart
At the restart, Browning was told he needed to pass Crawford quickly. Verschoor and Alex Dunne immediately began overtaking those on the hard tyres.
By the end of the first lap after the restart, Verschoor was already up to sixth, Dunne behind him having started in 19th place.
The next lap saw the duo move to 4th and 5th, disposing of Kush Maini and Miyata. Fornaroli was next, overtaken at the start of lap 23, before both past Browning and and Crawford with two laps to go. Miyata was swamped by the other soft runners and was at risk of dropping out of the points.
Rafael Villagomez moved into third, his first podium of the year a real possibility.
Verschoor and Dunne were now locked in a duel for the lead, Dunne within DRS range of the Dutchman. As the field started the final lap, the gap was just just six tenths of a second. Verschoor was able to hold on, and took victory by just., with Villagomez in third.
The result gave Dunne the lead in the championship.
Session results
- Richard Verschoor
- Alex Dunne
- Rafael Villagomez
- Jak Crawford
- Sebastien Montoya
- Victor Martins
- Luke Browning
- Fornaroli
- Arvid Lindblad
- Sami Meguetounif
- Amaury Cordeel
- Cian Shields
- Ritomo Miyata
- Josef Marti
- Dino Beganovic
- Kush Maini
- Roman Stanek
- Oliver Goethe
- Sam Estersen
- Joshua Dursken
Not Classified
Gabriele Mini
John Bennett
