F2 | FP | Imola GP | Alex Dunne starts the weekend in the lead - Motorsport

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Formula 2 is back again this weekend, and after a three-week break, all 22 drivers are ready to return to the Imola GP for an F2 FP session. Some already spoke out about their excitement to be back on European ground. Either way, this old-school track will surely bring out some amazing racing. The Irishman, Alexander Dunne, brought out everything he could muster from his car to claim P1.

After his win during the Saudi Arabian GP, Richard Verschoor put some space between himself and the rest of the grid. As a result, the Drivers’ Championship is incredibly close already. Whilst Verschoor holds P1 with 53 points, Josep Maria Martí is on his tail. The Spanish driver is at a 12-point deficit from first place, with 41 points.

Meanwhile, separated by a singular point from Martí, Leonardo Fornaroli is starting the Imola GP from P3. The battle does not stop there, seeing as the difference between P4 and P5 is only 2 points. Alexander Dunne and Luke Browning are sure to try to rearrange the standings this weekend.

Lights out for FP

As a great start to the weekend in Italy, the Formula 2 FP session at the Imola GP began as scheduled. This historic circuit is known for having limited run-off areas and a narrow, unforgiving layout, overtaking will be difficult. Therefore, everyone wants to bring their drivers out as fast as possible to gather enough data for qualifying.

The 45 minutes on the timer started running, and driving commenced. Initially, all the F2 drivers went out on track to take advantage of all the seconds.

While AIX Racing’s Joshua Dürksen took P1 at the beginning of the FP session with a 1:51:438, Montoya and Bennett kept close behind.

ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins got away from the rest of the pack to beat Dürksen’s time, managing slightly, before PREMA driver Gabriele Minì dropped even more seconds off the clock, 1:30:416.

Meanwhile, the other drivers finally managed to bring their tyres to the perfect temperature. The youngest race winner in Formula 2, Campos Racing’s Arvid Lindblad, took the first position with grace and a 1:29:031.

30 minutes on the clock

Dürksen had a small moment where he went wide and entered the gravel, yet he managed to exit and reenter the session. Fortunately for all Italian fans, Gabriele Minì regained his spot at the front of the grid with a 1:28:526.

Although he is leading the championship from the drivers’ standpoint, Richard Verschoor did not manage to gather enough speed. The Dutch abandoned a couple of laps already, seeming to struggle slightly on this circuit.

The FP session here at the Imola GP gave the perfect opportunity for Rodin’s Alexander Dunne to claim P3, just a +0.056 behind Minì and Martins. Despite his great time, the Irishman lost control of his car and went out on the gravel.

ART’s Victor Martins returned to P1 after combining a beautiful succession of sectors, but he quickly lost it after Luke Browning went fastest with 1:28:461.

Amaury Cordeel had a big lock-up during his lap around the Imola circuit in this FP session. Yet, he was not the only one. This famous track gave the young drivers a run for their money with its narrow sectors.

Chasing that P1 position

Laying down a good marker for the others, DAMS Lucas Oil driver, Kush Maini, gathered 2 purple sectors for an incredible 1:28:022.

With only 15 minutes left of this Imola GP Free Practice, MP Motorsport’s Oliver Goethe had his car lift significantly off the ground after he went over the kerb.

Meanwhile, Goethe’s teammate, Verschoor, tried yet again to put that MP car in P1, failing unfortunately.

Arvid Lindblad returned to the track and claimed that P1 instead. His time,1:27:916, outdid both Kush Maini’s and Josep Maria Martí’s, who followed in P2 and P3.

While all the teams tried to harness the last 10 minutes, there was a moment in the middle sector where traffic affected Alexander Dunne’s lap. Consequently, this might be a problem for the rest of the Imola GP, where the track’s layout causes drivers to stay behind in dirty air.

Chequered flag

With 5 minutes left, Leonardo Fornaroli took another trip through the gravel, having to abandon his flying lap.

Despite his run-offs, Alexander Dunne returned with an incredible lap time of 1:27:907, knocking Lindblad back to P2 by +0.009.

Furthermore, all the top contenders of this FP session here at the Imola GP tried their hand at conquering the Italian circuit. With the track all heated up,

The championship leader struggled again, not managing to get further than the 16th position. Meanwhile, Dunne exited the track onto the gravel another time, but he kept his cool and did not lose control. Dino Beganovic followed in Dunne’s path, running wide himself.

After all the final tries to become the leader of this Free Practice, no one managed to beat Rodin Motorsport’s Alexander Dunne. Lindblad came after the Irishman in P2, with Kush Maini at a +0.115 difference from Dunne.