Qualifying for round two of the Formula 2 championship was an exciting one. The earlier practice had seen Hitech Grand Prix driver Colton Herta top the times on home soil. It also proved more difficult for others, including Trident Motorsports’ Laurens van Hoepen, who made contact with the wall late on.
Rafael Câmara Dominates
Current Championship leader Nikola Tsolov hit the ground running with a 1:41.097, but Rafael Câmara wasted no time, surging to the top of the timing sheets with a 1:40.441.
Alexander Dunne attempted to knock Rafael Câmara off the top spot, but fell just 0.102 seconds short. Nikola Tsolov, meanwhile, hit back with another flying lap, but makes some mistakes in the procces. Rafael Câmara was simply too quick for the rest of the field.
Lock-Up’s All Over
Across both Formula One and Formula 2, drivers have consistently been locking up the left tyre into corners, causing issues throughout the field. This has affected several drivers, including Colton Herta, who is aiming for pole position at his home race.
Alexander Dunne continued his pursuit of knocking Rafael Câmara off the top, but was also among the drivers struggling with lock-ups. However, it wasn’t all straightforward for the Championship leader either. Nikola Tsolov may not have secured pole for the Feature Race, but his 10th-place finish puts him on the front row for the Sprint Race.
Half-Way Point
Midway through the session, all drivers made pit stops for fresh tyres before returning to the track. The influx created a cluster, leaving many struggling, but experienced driver Kush Maini showed the rest how it’s done.
Tsolov returned to the top of the timing sheets for a second time, but was once again knocked off, this time by Nico Varrone. Rafael Câmara attempted to reclaim his place at the top, but ART Grand Prix driver Kush Maini had other ideas. He set a 1:39.888 to go fastest and lay down an early marker for the season.
Parked Up With No Worries
After setting the fastest lap of the session, Kush Maini returned to the ART Grand Prix garage with a minute remaining, confident his time would hold. He did not have to wait long, as Martinius Stenshorne brought out the yellow flags, effectively bringing the session to an end.