Dennis Hauger leads lights-to-flag in Melbourne Formula 2 sprint race
Dennis Hauger held firm through the threat of rain and a long safety car period to take a lights-to-flag victory in the FIA Formula 2 sprint race at Albert Park.
Dennis Hauger celebrates his sprint race victory in Melbourne. (Formula Motorsport Limited)
"Really happy with it," said Hauger.
It was a tough one, a bit of wet and a bit of dry, but overall, we stayed calm."
"Really happy to finally get the win this season, so just got to keep on going for tomorrow.”
A shower before the race left the track slippery, with both Enzo Fittipaldi and Ralph Boschung spinning off on the reconnaissance lap.
Hauger led away well at the start with Jak Crawford following him away from the front row, chasing him down and going wheel-to-wheel at the end of the first lap.
Hauger held the lead and didn't look back, as DRS was finally enabled and the soft tyre runners began their charges through the field.
Charlec Leclerc and Victor Martins, both on the soft tyre, went three-wide with Oliver Bearman for fourth.
Leclerc came out on top and was off after Kush Maini for third, with Martins gliding past Bearman shortly after.
Maini put up a fight against the DAMS driver, the pair going wheel-to-wheel with the Campos Racing driver holding the position with his defence into turn 12.
The field settled into a healthy DRS train and the lull in track action hid the tension inside pit boxes as teams contemplated the risk of an incoming burst of rain.
A fierce battle erupted for fifth, with Zane Maloney coming out on top ahead of Victor Martins, Frederik Vesti, and Oliver Bearman, before the race was neutralised behind the safety car.
Jack Doohan was clipped heading into turn three and spun, stalling on track.
A long safety car period brought more strategy debate over the threat of rain, but with just two laps remaining at the restart, it was for naught.
Dennis Hauger on track on Saturday at Albert Park. (Formula Motorsport Limited)
Hauger led Jak Crawford and Kush Maini through the final laps with the trio locked in that order for the podium at the chequered flag.
"I think we can be really confident about that," said Hauger.
"The pace we have has just not been fully together in one weekend."
"Showing that we have the pace to pull away and be up there is important, and feeling really good with [the new team]."
Dennis Hauger (second from left), Jak Crawford, and Kush Maini on the podium. (Formula Motorsport Limited)
Ralph Boschung is tied for the lead of the championship with Ayumu Iwasa, despite neither earning any points from the Melbourne sprint race.
Théo Pourchaire is third, with Dennis Hauger moving up to fourth with the race victory.
The FIA Formula 2 World Championship will return for the feature race at 11:35am Sunday (AEST).
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2022 FIA Formula 2 Round 3 Australia - Sprint Race Result
- Dennis Hauger
- Jak Crawford
- Kush Maini
- Arthur Leclerc
- Zane Maloney
- Isack Hadjar
- Oliver Bearman
- Frederik Vesti
- Roy Nissany
- Richard Verschoor
- Clement Novalak
- Amaury Cordeel
- Ayumu Iwasa
- Juan Manuel Correa
- Victor Martins
- Roman Stanek
- Jehan Daruvala
- Theo Pourchaire
- Brad Benavides - DNF
- Jack Doohan - DNF
- Ralph Boschung - DNS
- Enzo Fittipaldi - DNS
