Felipe Drugovich wins 2022 Formula 2 title in Monza pit lane
Felipe Drugovich won the FIA Formula 2 title in the pit lane at Monza as Jüri Vips took victory in the weekend opener.
Drugovich made contact with Amaury Cordeel on lap one, sending him out of the race and opening up the title battle for rival Théo Pourchaire.
With limited points on offer in the sprint format, Pourchaire was up to eleventh when he ran wide into the gravel and fell to sixteenth.
His lead now unbeatable, Brazilian Felipe Drugovich was crowned champion while standing in the pit lane with his MP Motorsport teammates.
Felipe Drugovich celebrates after being crowned FIA Formula 2 Champion. (Formula Motorsport Limited)
Frederik Vesti held the early lead of the race itself but was beaten at the first restart when Vips lunged down the inside.
"Really happy to get the win today to just maximise the weekend so far after a poor qualifying yesterday," said Vips.
"A good day today, got past at the start, then just controlled an easy race from then on to be honest, no major dramas and happy to get a win.”
Vesti held second at the chequered flag, with Jehan Daruvala fighting his way up to the final podium position.
Felipe Drugovich joins Juri Vips, Frederik Vest, and Jehan Daruvala on the Monza podium. (Formula Motorsport Limited)
Ayumu Iwasa was the cork in the bottle further down the field, with Kiwi Marcus Armstrong, Aussie Jack Doohan, and Liam Lawson, all part of the queue for sixth.
Armstrong made the decisive move past the Red Bull junior, and the trio delved into their own high-stakes battle.
In the final stages, Armstrong ran wide into the first corner, allowing Lawson to sneak through and cement sixth position.
Doohan was seventh, while Armstrong dropped to tenth by the flag.
Their progress was all-important for the championship stakes, with Doohan and Lawson both chasing down runner-up status.
Doohan starts Sunday's feature race on pole, with lights out at 6.05pm Sunday (AEST).
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