FIA Formula 2

Ayumu Iwasa wins feature race as Formula 2 unleashes in Melbourne

Andrew Rickert

02 Apr 2023 — 3 min read

Ayumu Iwasa started on pole and took victory in the FIA Formula 2 feature race at Albert Park, but the story of the race was far from simple.

Ayumu Iwasa celebrates after winning the feature race at Albert Park. *(Formula Motorsport Limited)*

The Japanese driver takes the lead of the championship standings after taking the top step of the podium ahead of Théo Pourchaire and Arthur Leclerc.

"It was not an easy one," said Iwasa.

"I’m so happy about the result. The pace was good, after the last safety car it was quite close, but still, I could win the race."

"I think we are improving massively since the beginning of the season, so it's really positive and we need to keep pushing to the end of the season."

Iwasa held the lead from Pourchaire off the grid, who faced his own challenge from teammate Victor Martins.

Jack Doohan was on a charge in the early stages of his home race, making up four places from P15 and catching Jak Crawford.

Doohan went deep made contact with Crawford, sending him into the fence and bringing out the safety car.

An extended safety car period saw the field neutralised for over ten minutes, with Doohan trying the unorthodox tactic of stopping twice: once to make the compulsory tyre change, and a second time to ditch the soft tyres for the longer-lasting compound.

Ayumu Iwasa leads the Formula 2 field around Albert Park. *(Formula Motorsport Limited)*

It was Frederick Vesti leading Roy Nissany and Enzo Fittipaldi at the restart, with Iwasa in fifth and the net lead of the race after making his pit stop.

A scuffle between Fittipaldi and Nissany at turn ten left Nissany wide and falling through the field as the chasing trio pounced on the chance to take second.

Kush Maini and Ayumu Iwasa made it through to second and third ahead of Fittipaldi, with Théo Pourchaire up to fifth.

Nissany's race went from bad to worse as he collided with Isack Hadjar at the exit of turn 13, with the Hitech Pulse-Eight driver unleashing a verbal tirade over his team radio.

Yet to pit, Fittipaldi was fading and Pourchaire was up to fourth and closing in on net leader Iwasa in third.

Nissany's woes continued as he crashed at the exit of turn two, bringing out the safety car and a chance to pit for those who had stayed out for the duration of the race so far, including Frederik Vesti and Enzo Fittipaldi.

Both drivers struggled with tyre temperature as they left pit lane, with Vesti putting his PREMA car in the grass on the outside of turn one, before Fittipaldi spun his Rodin Carlin machine and slammed into the wall just inches away from the wreckage of Nissany's PHM Racing by Charouz entry.

Iwasa was composed in the lead ahead of Pourchaire and MP Motorsport driver Dennis Hauger as the race restarted for a final sprint to the finish.

Victor Martins locked up from fourth place and took out Hauger at turn one, ruining his chances of a podium finish.

Ayumu Iwasa (second from left), Theo Pourchaire, and Arthur Leclerc on the podium in Melbourne. *(Formula Motorsport Limited)*

Iwasa led the field to the chequered flag ahead of Pourchaire and Arthur Leclerc, who held off a late challenge from Frederick Vesti, the field compressed into a DRS train after the restart.

Aussie Jack Doohan crossed the line in ninth, taking points at home after his two-strop strategy appeared to have worked, and moved up to eighth after Isack Hadjar was penalised for the incident with Nissany.

Iwasa takes the lead of the championship standings on 58 points, ahead of Théo Pourchaire on 50 points. Frederik Vesti moves up to third ahead of Ralph Boschung, with Arthur Leclerc's podium putting him fifth in the standings.

Jack Doohan is eleventh on points less than 20 points behind Vesti in third with the series competitive and unpredictable so far this season.

The FIA Formula 2 field takes a well-earned breather before returning at Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, 29-30 April.

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2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship - Round 3 Australia Feature Race Result