Photo credits: Formula 2
With only five rounds of the 2024 season remaining, the battle for the championship is spicing up with Isack Hadjar leading the standings with a 16 point advantage over Paul Aron. Behind the Estonian, Zane Maloney lurks rounding out the top three.
Before Qualifying began, a 45-minute practice session took place around the 2.722 mile long circuit. Turn 11 was emerging as a difficult corner for the drivers with several running onto the gravel.
Martí spun off and hit the barriers in practice. Photo credits: Formula 2
Pepe Martí brought out the Virtual Safety Car after spinning into the turn 11 barriers. Aron initially went quickest with a 1:32.948, however, it was quickly eclipsed by Maloney finishing the quickest in the session with a 1:32.668.
The Estonian was quick to bounce back, securing his second pole position of the season during qualifying. But how did the session unfold?
As it happened
Despite the clouds covering the track, track temperatures soared with 31 degrees, a task drivers will have to battle with.
The 22 drivers exited the pits and began their warm up laps, Jak Crawford was the first to put a time on the board, setting the benchmark of the session at 1:31.921. Maloney eclipsed this time and entered the 1:30’s, shooting to the top of the board with a 1:30.515.
A tough start to the weekend for Kimi Antonelli. Photo credits: Formula 2
Antonelli locked up, throwing his lap away and having to attempt another time next time around, the Italian next time round was only able to muster up a time worthy of 16th position, a difficult start to the weekend for the Mercedes junior.
Gabriel Bortoleto jumped to the top of the times with 22 minutes to go with an excellent time of 1:30.269.
Pepe Martí brought out the red flag with 19 minutes to go, after spinning off and hitting the barriers once again at Turn 11. A disappointing start to the weekend for the Spaniard who will line up last for the Feature race on Sunday.
When the Campos Racing car was retrieved the track went green again, a handful of drivers darted out to improve their times, whilst the other half remained in the pits.
With ten minutes on the clock the drivers sat in the pits awaiting for their final runs. Fittipaldi was the first to head out and set a time of 1:30.096 shooting to the top of the standings. Aron begins setting purple sectors, the Estonian sets the quickest lap of the session with a 1:30.028, placing his car on provisional pole.
Hadjar slots his car into third with five minutes remaining the Frenchman was looking to improve his time. Crawford runs onto the gravel at Turn 11, meaning the American will be starting both races from the back of the grid.
Aron was setting his final lap, the Hitech driver can’t improve on his time, but the rest of the grid was struggling to find any grip to match Aron’s time, meaning the Estonian claimed his second pole position.
The top 10
1 - Paul Aron
2 - Enzo Fittipaldi
3 - Isack Hadjar
4 - Gabriel Bortoleto
5 - VIctor Martins
6 - Dennis Hauger
7 - Kimi Antonelli
8 - Zane Maloney
9 - Kush Maini
10- Richard Verschoor
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