Ayumu Iwasa steps into Formula 2 championship lead with Monaco victory
Ayumu Iwasa stepped into the lead of the FIA Formula 2 standings with victory in the Monaco sprint race.
Ayumu Iwasa takes the chequered flag in Monaco. (Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool)
The DAMS driver took the lead as polesitter Hadjar faltered with mechanical issues and led confidently through two safety car restarts to the chequered flag.
“I won the Sprint in Monaco! I’m so happy about this result but unfortunately, I had such a bad result in qualifying yesterday, I think this is the minimum recovery,” said Iwasa.
“After today, I just need to stay focused on tomorrow and then I will try to push hard to the end. Still, I’m so happy about this and I’ll keep pushing.”
Isack Hadjar led the field away from reverse-grid pole position while contact further down the field took out Roy Nissany and Ralph Boschung, bringing out the safety car.
The Hitech Pulse-Eight driver held the lead at the restart but pulled off with a mechanical issue as Iwasa moved into the lead ahead of Jehan Daruvala and Jak Crawfard.
Daruvala set about chasing down the Red Bull junior, while Crawford used the tight confines of the Monaco circuit to his advantage, keeping the much-faster car of Richard Verschoor at bay.
Iwasa was unbothered by another safety car when Amaury Cordeel and Juan Manuel Correa made contact, and drove away to a six-second lead by the flag.
Ayumu Iwasa on the podium in Monaco. (Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool)
Jack Doohan was sixth, showing signs of pace but stuck in the train of cars behind Crawford in fourth place.
Iwasa’s win takes him to the top of the standings on 68 points, ahead of Théo Pourchaire on 66 points, who finished eighth in the sprint race.
Vesti is third on 64 points and the last of the clear front-runners, with Oliver Bearman and Kush Maini in fourth and fifth on 41 points.
The FIA Formula 2 field returns for the Monaco feature race at 5.40pm on Sunday (AEST), with third-placed Vesti on the all-important pole position.
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2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship - Round 6 Monaco Sprint Race
- Ayumu Iwasa
- Jehan Daruvala
- Jak Crawford
- Richard Verschoor
- Zane Maloney
- Jack Doohan (AUS)
- Victor Martins
- Theo Pourchaire
- Frederik Vesti
- Enzo Fittipaldi
- Juan Manuel Correa
- Brad Benavides
- Roman Stanek
- Kush Maini
- Arthur Leclerc
- Dennis Hauger
- Clement Novalak
- Oliver Bearman - DNF
- Amaury Cordeel - DNF
- Isack Hadjar - DNF
- Roy Nissany - DNF
- Ralph Boschung - DNF
