Renault F1 tester Jack Aitken ensured ART Grand Prix completed the double at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as he stormed to his maiden Formula 2 victory.
Aitken started from the drier side of the grid in third spot, after heavy rain overnight left some damp patches, but tucked into the slipstream of polesitter Artem Markelov along the main straight and comfortably took the lead into Turn 1.
From there, Aitken remained atop the pack, surviving three VSC periods and a Safety Car phase to collect his maiden win, and the third on the bounce for his ART team after George Russell’s recent successes.
DAMS driver Alexander Albon finished in second spot while championship leader Lando Norris collected another podium position as he took third place, the narrow gap between the pair having grown after the second VSC phase.
Saturday victor Russell made gains from eighth on the grid to take fourth while Campos’ Luca Ghiotto collected fifth position, in front of Prema’s Sean Gelael.
Antonio Fuoco took seventh spot for Charouz Racing System while Nicholas Latifi held off a spirited attack from Markelov on the final lap – the pair making contact exiting the chicane – to take the final point.
Honda juniors Nirei Fukuzumi and Tadasuke Makino were the culprits for the Safety Car period – the pair clashing into Turn 4 and Fukuzumi appearing to brush the halo on Makino’s car.
The VSC periods were caused by the stranded Prema of Nyck de Vries, whose attempt at passing Markelov on the first lap backfired, the stricken Carlin of Sergio Sette Camara – who dropped out of fifth when his car halted – while a heavy lock-up punctured Ralph Boschung’s car and he stopped at Turn 10 in an unsafe position.
The Formula 2 season will continue in Monaco from May 24 to 26
Discussion about this post