F2 Monza: Vesti wins sprint race to close in on points leader Pourchaire

Lining up third, the Prema driver, who is second in the championship, had a great start off the line as he and Richard Verschoor (VAR) tussled with poleman Ralph Boschung (Campos) for the lead.

Boschung locked up into Turn 1 before Vesti made it into the lead soon after, with Verschoor in second.

Despite an early safety car, Vesti remained in control, and though there was a second pause in action and a late challenge from charging ART driver Victor Martins, he held on to take victory.

It is the Dane’s fifth win of the season, closing the gap to championship leader Theo Pourchaire, who finished fourth behind Verschoor, to nine points.

The leading trio ran three-wide into Turn 1, with Boschung locking up and forced through the escape road as Vesti and Verschoor tussled for the lead, while Kush Maini moved into third for Campos.

The safety car was deployed for the first time after Virtuosi driver Amaury Cordeel came to a stop on track at the second chicane, having made contact with Zane Maloney (Rodin Carlin).

Vesti went early on the restart, leading from Verschoor and Maini as Boschung continued to fall backwards, eventually pitting with an issue.

Behind, Martins made it past Jak Crawford (Hitech) and his team-mate Pourchaire on lap six, before taking third from Maini up the inside of Turn 1 two tours later.

Vesti was 1.2s clear of Verschoor up ahead, but the gap to the charging Frenchman was closing, down to 0.9s by lap 10.

Martins then made it past Verschoor at Turn 2 for second on lap 12 before the safety car was deployed again after PHM’s Roy Nissany came to a stop at Turn 5, having tussled with Juan Manuel Correa (VAR).

Racing resumed on lap 16, with Pourchaire passing Maini for fourth at the second chicane.

The midfield pack had bunched up behind, with several drivers fighting between ninth and 14th. Dennis Hauger ran across the gravel at Ascari and almost made contact with OIlie Bearman (Prema) upon rejoining.

Martins had closed on Vesti with two laps remaining, but was unable to catch the Dane.

Pourchaire settled for fourth with Maini in fifth and Crawford sixth after Hadjar was handed a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

Bearman finished seventh ahead of DAMS’ Arthur Leclerc, Trident driver Roman Stanek and Jack Doohan (Virtuosi).

F2 Monza Sprint Results

Main Information Additional Data Additional Data Driver Info

       

Driver Info			Main Information Additional Data
Cla	Driver	#		Laps	Time	Interval	km/h	Pits	Points	Retirement	Bonus
1	F. Vesti Frederik Vesti Prema Powerteam	7		21	-				10
2	V. Martins Victor Martins ART Grand Prix	6		21	+0.500	0.500			8		1
3	R. Verschoor Richard Verschoor Van Amersfoort Racing	22		21	+0.900	0.400			6
4	T. Pourchaire Theo Pourchaire ART Grand Prix	5		21	+1.700	0.800			5
5	K. Maini Kush Maini Campos Racing	24		21	+3.900	2.200			4
6	O. Bearman Oliver Bearman Prema Powerteam	8		21	+6.300	2.400			3
7	A. Leclerc Arthur Leclerc DAMS	12		21	+7.200	0.900			2
8	R. Staněk Roman Staněk Trident	20		21	+8.700	1.500			1
9	J. Doohan Jack Doohan Invicta Virtuosi Racing	14		21	+9.400	0.700
10	C. Novalak Clement Novalak Trident	21		21	+10.100	0.700
11	I. Hadjar Isack Hadjar Hitech Pulse-Eight	10		21	+10.500	0.400
12	D. Hauger Dennis Hauger MP Motorsport	1		21	+10.700	0.200
13	J. Crawford Jak Crawford Hitech Pulse-Eight	9		21	+11.100	0.400
14	Z. Maloney Zane Maloney Rodin Carlin	3		21	+11.400	0.300
15	E. Fittipaldi Enzo Fittipaldi Rodin Carlin	4		21	+13.800	2.400
16	J. Mason Joshua Mason PHM Racing by Charouz	17		21	+16.200	2.400
17	J. Daruvala Jehan Daruvala MP Motorsport	2		21	+18.900	2.700
18	J. Correa Juan Manuel Correa Van Amersfoort Racing	23		21	+21.900	3.000
19	R. Boschung Ralph Boschung Campos Racing	25		21	+24.100	2.200
20	A. Iwasa Ayumu Iwasa DAMS	11		12	9 laps
21	R. Nissany Roy Nissany PHM Racing by Charouz	16		11	10 laps
22	A. Cordeel Amaury Cordeel Invicta Virtuosi Racing	15		21
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