On Thursday, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Richard Verschoor, from Trident, set the fastest lap in Group A during the FIA Formula 2 Championship qualifying session. With a time of 1:21.283s, Verschoor secured pole position, with Victor Martins closely following in second place.
The qualifying session was divided into two groups based on car numbers. Verschoor managed to outpace Isack Hadjar in Group A, while Group B saw an interruption due to a red flag, as Martins overtook Roman Stanek.
To determine the starting grid for this weekend’s races, the results from both qualifying groups were combined. The driver with the overall fastest time would start the feature race from pole position. Each group had a 16-minute session, allowing alternating times for the cars in each group.
Verschoor, driving for Trident, began the first flying lap in Group A and engaged in a fierce battle for the fastest lap with Ritomo Miyata and Zak O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan, racing for ART Grand Prix, managed to secure provisional pole position by setting the fastest times in all three sectors. Hadjar closely followed in second place, with a half-second difference.
At the halfway point of the session, Antonelli was in fifth place and aiming for a top-five result to secure the reversed grid pole position for the Sprint Race, as well as a start among the top 10 in the Feature Race.
Gabriel Bortoleto, driving for Invicta Racing, had a strong start to the season and briefly held the provisional pole position before O’Sullivan reclaimed it.
During the session, there was a brief period of yellow flag when rookie Ritomo Miyata stopped in the tunnel and narrowly avoided a collision with Hadjar.
In the last three minutes of Group A qualifying session, Verschoor secured the provisional top spot with a time of 1:21.283s, while Bortoleto brushed the wall in Sector 2. Antonelli had a slow lap and initially dropped to the back of the grid, but managed to climb to fourth place in the final moments of the session. Franco Colapinto gained speed and secured third place ahead of Bortoleto after making a mistake that cost him a possible pole position. This error left him in fifth place. Enzo Fittipaldi finished in sixth place, followed by Juan Manuel Correa and O’Sullivan in the Group A classification.
Group B, made up of odd-numbered cars and the two main leaders of the Championship, Zane Maloney and Paul Aron, started their 16-minute qualifying session. Maloney, the current championship leader, set the fastest time early on before the session was abruptly interrupted due to Rafael Villagomez hitting the barrier at Turn 1. The session resumed shortly after, and Martins was the first driver in Group B to set the fastest lap with a time of 1:22.690s. Oliver Bearman, a Ferrari Academy driver, set personal best sectors during his flying lap and secured third place behind Martins and Stanek.
With five minutes remaining, Dennis Hauger and Kush Maini engaged in a one-lap battle, with Hauger hindering the Indian driver during his flying lap. Maini briefly held second place before Maloney reclaimed the position. In the final three minutes, Stanek set the fastest time with 1:21.466s, potentially securing a front row for Trident. Both Stanek and Hauger will be investigated for obstruction at Turn 17, as they led Group B qualifying. A brief yellow flag forced the drivers to abandon their laps, leaving Stanek at the top of the standings in the final moments of the session.
However, Martins managed to snatch pole position from Stanek with an impressive time of 1:21.310s, making Verschoor the fastest driver in the F2 qualifying. This marked the 23-year-old driver’s first pole position, surpassing Aron’s fastest time in Group B. Stanek finished ahead of Hauger and Taylor Barnard, while Bearman dropped to sixth place after the yellow flag interrupted his final flying lap. Maloney, the current championship leader, qualified in the seventh row after initially dominating the session, but still managed to qualify ahead of Maini and Crawford.
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Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen secured an impressive victory at the Monaco Grand Prix this Sunday. Verstappen, from the Red Bull Racing team, led from start to finish and crossed the finish line in first place, securing his first victory at the iconic street circuit.
The race started with Verstappen starting from pole position and he maintained his position into the first corner. He faced strong pressure from second-placed Lewis Hamilton from the Mercedes team, but managed to stay ahead throughout the race.
Verstappen showed exceptional skill and control in dealing with the challenging conditions of the Monaco track, known for its tight corners and lack of overtaking opportunities. He avoided any mistakes and maintained a comfortable lead over his rivals.
Hamilton, who is chasing his eighth world title this season, finished in second place, securing valuable points for the championship. Third place went to Sergio Perez, also from Red Bull Racing, completing a podium dominated by the two teams.
Verstappen’s victory in Monaco is a significant milestone in his Formula 1 career. At just 26 years old, he is already considered one of the most talented and promising drivers in the category. His win at one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar only reinforces his status as one of the best in the sport today.
The next race of the Formula 1 season will be the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which will take place next weekend. Verstappen will arrive in Baku as the championship leader, with a 14-point advantage over Hamilton. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain his momentum and extend his lead in the title race.
