Frederik Vesti wins Formula 2 sprint race in Monza to maintain title fight
Frederik Vesti held off Victor Martins to take victory in the FIA Formula 2 sprint race in Monza and secured valuable points in the championship battle against rival Théo Pourchaire.
Frederik Vesti celebrates victory in the FIA Formula 2 sprint race in Monza. (Formula Motorsport Limited)
Vesti emerged in the lead after lap one but a number of safety car interventions denied him any chance of breathing room, with Martins in close contact until the chequered flag.
The Danish driver held on for victory to bring the gap to championship leader Pourchaire to just nine points, with the Frenchman on pole for Sunday’s feature race.
“P1 in the Sprint Race at Monza. Honestly it feels so good to be back on the podium,” said Vesti.
“The last few rounds have been very tough for me, so this is a great way to bounce back. Ready to push for tomorrow in the feature race.”
Frederik Vesti takes the chequered flag in the Formula 2 Monza sprint race. (Formula Motorsport Limited)
It was the fifth win of the season for Vesti, who sprung from sixth on the grid into a three-way battle for the lead with Ralph Boschung and Richard Verschoor into turn one. Boschung ran wide and down the escape road, with Vesti putting his PREMA on top for the race ahead.
Contact between Zane Maloney and Amaury Cordeel brought out the safety car, with Boschung falling through the field after flatspotting his tyres.
It was the ART Grand Prix duo of Pourchaire and Martins making moves through the field, with the championship leader up to fifth while Martins was up to third and into DRS range of Verschoor by lap ten.
Martins was through to second before Roy Nissany spun and brought out the safety car, brining the Frenchman up to Vesti’s gearbox for the restart. He set about chasing down the Dane but it wasn’t enough, with Verschoor holding off Pourchaire to complete the podium.
With Isack Hadjar and Jak Crawford penalised for track limits violations and dropping out of the top ten, Jack Doohan was frustratingly close to a points finish in ninth after starting down the order.
The FIA Formula 2 field returns for Sunday’s feature race with Pourchaire looking to extend his championship advantage in the penultimate round of the season from pole position.
Watch every race of the FIA Formula 2 season on Kayo Sports.
2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship - Round 13 Monza Sprint Race
- Frederik Vesti
- Victor Martins
- Richard Verschoor
- Theo Pourchaire
- Kush Maini
- Ollie Bearman
- Arthur Leclerc
- Roman Stanek
- Jack Doohan (AUS)
- Clement Novalak
- Isack Hadjar
- Dennis Hauger
- Jak Crawford
- Zane Maloney
- Enzo Fittipaldi
- Joshua Mason
- Jehan Daruvala
- Juan Manuel Correa
- Ralph Boschung
- Ayumu Iwasa - DNF
- Roy Nissany - DNF
- Amaury Cordeel - DNF
