Formula 2 starts a new season with a new format and several penalties
Formula 2 started the 2021 season in the same place it ended brilliantly in 2020: at the Sakir race track, in Bahrain. The main category of access to F1 debuted a new weekend format, with three races: Sprint 1 and 2 (shorter races) and Feature (longer race).
In general terms, the racing grid is defined as follows: Sprint Race 1 — formed by the inversion of the first 10 in the qualifying; Sprint Race 2 — formed by the inversion of the first 10 of Sprint 1; Feature Race — formed by the normal grid of the qualifying.
Sprint Race 1
Sprint Race 1, held on Saturday, started with bad news for Hitech’s driver Juri Vips. Due to a non-compliance of the car with the technical regulations of 2021, the Estonian was disqualified from the quali, which forced him to start not only Sprint 1, but also the Feature Race from the back of the grid.
ART newcomer Theo Pourchaire inherited the opportunity to start on pole position. However, Hitech’s Liam Lawson made a sensational start, jumping from P3 to P1. Pourchaire, who was in 2nd position until the 13th lap, had problems and did not finish.
The first accident happened in the beggining of the race: Dan Ticktum (Carlin) hit Richard Verschoor (MP). The Brit received a five-second penalty. Brazilian Felipe Drugovich (UNI Virtuosi) got involved in the accident and needed to stop early in the pits to change the damaged front wing.
Some “VSC” (Virtual Safety Car) later, after the excellent start and good pace, rookie Liam Lawson took the first victory of the year in F2.
Besides Lawson, Jehan Daruvala (Carlin) and also newcomer David Beckmann (Charouz) were on the podium. It also worths mentioning the two Prema drivers, Robert Shwartzman and Oscar Piastri, who finished 4th and 5th.
Sprint Race 2
The second race of the day was marked by a turbulent start, with a clash between Dan Ticktum and Robert Shwartzman. Bad start to the championship for Ticktum, who was involved in two accidents on the same day, and an unpleasant surprise for Shwartzman, after his good performance on Sprint 1.
Who was also not satisfied with Sprint 2 was the winner of the first race of the day. Lawson was hit by Drugovich and had to retire. Moments later, the Brazilian received a 10-second penalty and finished only in 14th place.
Another 10-second penalty was aimed at ART’s Christian Lundgaard after an incident with MP’s Lirim Zendeli, who was also forced to retire. The event generated confusion at the end of the race, as Lundgaard crossed the finish line in P2, but, at the time of the podium ceremony, he was warned that the 10 seconds would be added to the final time, which would take him to 9th position. However, Lundgaard had already discounted the 10 seconds in a pit stop, and the second place was recovered at the end of the day.
Confusions and punishments aside, the biggest highlight goes to the brilliant race of Oscar Piastri, champion of the FIA F3 2020 and winner of the second race of the F2 season. Very consistent and self-confident, he had an excellent recovery after starting in sixth. In addition to him and Lundgaard, Guanyu Zhou (UNI Virtuosi) completed the podium, formed only by drivers from the Alpine academy.
Feature Race
The last and longest race of the weekend was filled with good fights for position and interesting strategies. Lundgaard had an excellent start and took the lead from Zhou.
Roy Nissany (DAMS) and Alessio Deledda (HWA) retired the race, forcing the safety car to enter the track. Shwartzman, who had run into Nissany, was later punished with a drive-through penalty.
On the 17th lap, the safety car returned to the track after Gianluca Petecof (Campos) retired due to a problem with the car’s extinguisher.
As it happened on the rest of the weekend, Drugovich and Lundgaard were also punished, five seconds each, for breaking the regulation whilst the safety car was on track.
With two laps to go, Ticktum ran into Piastri, who, until that moment, had another good race and was fighting for the second position of the British driver. The Australian dropped several positions and did not finish the race.
Guanyu Zhou won the first Feature of his career, after starting on pole. Ticktum was second and Lawson, third. Also worth mentioning is Richard Verschoor; Marcus Armstrong (DAMS), who led the race at some point; and Robert Shwartzman, who even after the start incident, made a good recovery and finished 7th.
Brazilians’ performances
The weekend was very disappointing for the three Formula 2 Brazilian drivers. The best was Felipe Drugovich’s 9th place in the Feature Race, even after being punished for breaking rules with the safety car on the track. Guilherme Samaia, also in the second year of F2, was in 11th, 11th and 16th place in the three races, while rookie Gianluca Petecof managed a good 13th place in the second race, but retired in Feature due to problems with the car.
Two months on
Now, Formula 2 returns only in Monaco (20 - 22 May). Before the official return to the track, the category will have new testing from 23 to 25 April in Barcelona.
Sprint Race 1 results
1. Liam Lawson — Hitech
2. Jehan Daruvala — Carlin
3. David Beckmann — Charouz
4. Robert Shwartzman — Prema
5. Oscar Piastri — Prema
6. Christian Lundgaard — ART
7. Guanuy Zhou — UNI Virtuosi
8. Dan Ticktum — Carlin
9. Lirim Zendeli — MP
10. Juri Vips — Hitech
11. Guilherme Samaia — Charouz
12. Roy Nissany — DAMS
13. Bent Viscaal — Trident
14. Matteo Nannini — HWA
15. Marino Sato — Trident
16. Felipe Drugovich — UNI Virtuosi
17. Gianluca Petecof — Campos
18. Alessio Deledda — HWA
Sprint Race 2 results
1. Oscar Piastri — Prema
2. Christian Lundgaard — ART
3. Guanuy Zhou — UNI Virtuosi
4. Jehan Daruvala — Carlin
5. Richard Verschoor — MP
6. Theo Pourchaire — ART
7. David Beckmann — Charouz
8. Marino Sato — Trident
9. Matteo Nannini — HWA
10. Marcus Armstrong — DAMS
11. Guilherme Samaia — Charouz
12. Bent Viscaal — Trident
13. Gianluca Petecof — Campos
14. Felipe Drugovich — UNI Virtuosi
15. Roy Nissany — DAMS
16. Juri Vips — Hitech
17. Ralph Boschung — Campos
Feature Race results
1. Guanuy Zhou — UNI Virtuosi
2. Dan Ticktum — Carlin
3. Liam Lawson — Hitech
4. Richard Verschoor — MP
5. Marcus Armstrong — DAMS
6. Jehan Daruvala — Carlin
7. Robert Shwartzman — Prema
8. Theo Pourchaire — ART
9. Felipe Drugovich — UNI Virtuosi
10. Matteo Nannini — HWA
11. David Beckmann — Charouz
12. Christian Lundgaard — ART
13. Juri Vips — Hitech
14. Marino Sato — Trident
15. Ralph Boschung — Campos
16. Guilherme Samaia — Charouz
17. Bent Viscaal — Trident
18. Lirim Zendeli — MP
Drivers’ standings
1. Guanuy Zhou (UNI Virtuosi): 41 points
2. Liam Lawson (Hitech): 30 points
3. Jehan Daruvala (Carlin): 28 points
4. Oscar Piastri (Prema): 21 points
5. Dan Ticktum (Carlin): 19 points
6. Richard Verschoor (MP): 18 points
7. Christian Lundgaard (ART): 16 points
8. Robert Shwartzman (Prema): 16 points
9. David Beckmann (Charouz): 12 points
10. Marcus Armstrong (DAMS): 10 points
11. Theo Pourchaire (ART): 8 points
12. Felipe Drugovich (UNI Virutosi): 2 points
13. Lirim Zendeli (MP): 2 points
14. Marino Sato (Trident): 1 point
15. Matteo Nannini (HWA): 1 point
16. Juri Vips (Hitech): 0
17. Guilherme Samaia (Charouz): 0
18. B. Viscaal (Trident): 0
19. Roy Nissany (DAMS): 0
20. Gianluca Petecof (Campos): 0
21. Ralph Boschung (Campos): 0
22. Alessio Deledda (HWA): 0
Teams’ standings
1.Carlin: 47 points
2. UNI Virtuosi: 43 points
3. Prema: 37 points
4. Hitech: 30 points
5. ART: 24 points
6. MP: 20 points
7. Charouz: 12 points
8. DAMS: 10 points
9. Trident: 1 point
10. HWA: 1 point
11. Campos: 0
F2 calendar:
Sakir, Bahrain: 26–28 March (ok)
Monte Carlo, Monaco: 20–22 May
Baku, Azerbaijan: 4–6 June
Silverstone, UK: 16–18 July
Monza, Italy: 10–12 September
Sochi, Russia: 24–26 September
Jeddah, Saudi Arab: 3–5 December
Yas Marina, United Arab Emirates: 10–12 December
PT: Fórmula 2 estreia temporada 2021 com novo formato e muitas punições
ES: Temporada 2021 de la Fórmula 2 empieza con nuevo formato de fin de semana
