acf domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /var/www/drivingforpleasure.co.uk/public/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121 Posted on 14th April 2017
In qualifying for the feature race in the FIA Formula 2 Championship at Bahrain today, Charles Leclerc beat his Prema Racing team-mate Antonio Fuoco and Nyck de Vyres to pole position for the Formula 2 feature race at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Leclerc who is the 2016 GP3 champion was the quickest driver after the field had completed their first runs in the night-time session, which took place in 29C temperatures that were significantly lower than the day’s earlier practice session.
He headed back out on the circuit while his rivals sat in the pits in the middle of the session and improved in all three sectors to set a best time of 1m38.907s.
Fuoco, who had got within 0.1 seconds of his team-mate’s previous fastest time early in the 30-minute session; did not get a chance to reply on his second run as a collision between Nabil Jeffri and Gustav Malja brought out the virtual safety car and ruined his chances.
The incident between Jeffri and Malja occurred at Turn 9 with just over 90 seconds remaining on the clock as Jeffri closed rapidly on the Racing Engineering driver and dived to his inside at the apex of the left hander.
They came together and the resulting collision caused them both to stop (Malja only just off the racing line on the approach to Turn 10 which brought out the virtual safety car) and prevented any drivers caught behind the crash improving their times.
One driver who was not caught out was de Vries and the Rapax racer was able to move up to third quickest on his final lap, despite losing much of practice due to an alternator problem.
Norman Nato finished fourth for Arden ahead of Luca Ghiotto and Nobuharu Matsushita, who were fifth and sixth for Russian Time and ART Grand Prix.
Artem Markelov ended up qualifying in seventh place ahead of Oliver Rowland in eighth place who complained of brake locking problems during the session.
Alexander Albon, who had been slowest in practice for ART finished in ninth place and Sergio Sette Câmara rounded out the top 10 finishers of the session.
The classification of Practice 1 for the Bahrain GP F2 race is as follows:-
1. Charles Leclerc, Prema Racing, 1.38.907
2. Antonio Fuoco, Prema Racing, 0.678s
3. Nyck de Vyres, Rapax, 0.758s
4. Norman Nato, Pertamina Arden, 0.789s
5. Luca Ghiotto, RUSSIAN TIME, 1.041s
6. Nobuharo Matsushita, ART Grand Prix, 1.104s
7. Artem Markelov, RUSSIAN TIME, 1.111s
8. Oliver Rowland, DAMS, 1.146s
9. Alexander Albion, ART Grand Prix, 1.233s
10. Sergio Cette Camara, MP Motorsport, 1.261s
11. Jordan King, MP Motorsport, 1.294s
12. Johnny Cecotto Jr, Rapax, 1.355s
13. Nicholas Latifi, DAMS, 1.373s
14. Louis Deletraz, Racing Engineering, 1.546s
15. Gustav Malja, Racing Engineering, 1.566s
16. Ralph Boschung, Campos Racing, 1.594s
17. Sean Gelael, Pertamina Arden, 1.871s
18. Sergio Canamasas, Trident, 1.903s
19. Stefano Coletti, Campos Racing, 2.509s
20. Nabil Jaffri, Trident, 2.697s
Driving for Pleasure will be covering the Bahrain F2 weekend with our race reports alongside the latest news.
Picture supplied by the FIA Formula 2 World Championship
Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa
