SEANGP.com – The FIA Formula 2 Championship visits Mugello for the first time as the 2020 season continues in Italy for Round 9.
WHEN TO WATCH All times local (GMT +2)
Friday Free Practice: 12:55 – 13:40 Qualifying: 17:00 – 17:30 Press conference: 18:15 Saturday Feature race: 16:45 (33 laps) Press conference: 18:05 Sunday Sprint race: 11:55 (23 laps) Press conference: 13:00
THE STORY SO FAR
The historic circuit at Monza gives way to a brand-new Italian adventure this weekend, as the FIA Formula 2 Championship visits Mugello for the first time. The excitement should be just as intense however, as the battle for the Drivers’ Championship continues. Mick Schumacher grabbed his first F2 Feature Race win last weekend to underline his title ambitions, before Callum Ilott inherited Sprint Race victory to move top of the standings once again.
It was Yuki Tsunoda who went quickest in Free Practice on Friday, the fourth time the Carlin racer has done so this season, but Ilott pipped him to pole position by just 0.030s in Qualifying.
The UNI-Virtuosi racer looked fast on Saturday too, though Schumacher’s lightning start from P7 to seize second place before the first corner was eye-catching. The Ferrari juniors then fought for the lead, but when Ilott stalled after his pit stop Schumacher took full advantage. The PREMA ace took the flag for his first win of the campaign, ahead of Luca Ghiotto and Christian Lundgaard. Ilott recovered to sixth to move level on points with Championship leader Robert Shwartzman, who finished ninth.
Ilott was then promoted to first following Sunday’s Sprint Race, after Dan Ticktum was disqualified having led from lights to flag. It was not possible to take the required fuel sample from his DAMS machine and he was denied victory. Subsequently, ART’s Lundgaard gained second place, with Schumacher moving up into third for the pair’s second podium finishes of the weekend.
THE CHALLENGERS
It’s all change at the head of the Drivers’ Championship heading into Round 9, as Ilott (149 pts) regains top spot. 37 points from Monza move Schumacher (143) up two places into second, just six points behind. Shwartzman (140) has slipped to third, but is only nine points off the leader. Tsunoda (123) has also dropped into fourth place, ahead of Lundgaard (116).
Having clinched the FIA Formula 3 title last weekend, PREMA Racing (283 pts) have now extended their lead in the F2 Teams’ Championship to 32 points over UNI-Virtuosi (251). Hitech Grand Prix (173) are third, with ART Grand Prix (150) climbing to fourth, just four points ahead of Carlin (146).
Visiting Mugello is almost a trip into the unknown for many in the paddock. Fast, flowing corners and a switch to Pirelli’s hard and soft compounds, mean tyre wear will be critical to any chance of success.
“Last weekend in Formula 2, Mick Schumacher took an emotional victory after executing his soft-medium strategy perfectly, while Guanyu Zhou made up 12 places using the alternative strategy. Congratulations to PREMA Racing for an excellent result on home territory, winning the F2 Feature Race, as well as the F3 Teams’ Championship.”
STAT PACK
(ARL/WTO/F2)
Sumber:
fiaformula2