Invicta Racing picked up a second podium of 2024 in the FIA Formula 2 Sprint Race at Albert Park with Kush Maini finishing third, while Gabriel Bortoleto was unlucky to have his race ended early.
Kush began the 23-lap race from seventh on the grid and got a decent start. He was able to keep out of trouble and sit in the mix towards the front of the pack.
Gabriel’s race was unfortunately over within seconds. Starting from second, he didn’t get the best launch but the fast-starting Campos Racing pair of Josep María Martí and Isack Hadjar did. The pair swerved against each other while racing polesitter Roman StanÄ›k, and Gabriel was caught up in the incident and was out on the spot.
This brought out the first of two Safety Car periods. On the lap seven restart, Kush gained a position when Rodin Motorsport’s Zane Maloney made a mistake at Turn Six and he than sat in a train of several cars led by StanÄ›k.
On lap 10, it all kicked off as Kush was able to make his way through into third, just ahead of an incident that took place between Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Richard Verschoor and Paul Aron which ruined all of their races. This brought out the second Safety Car.
Sitting in third for the restart on lap 15, Kush kept within the DRS window of Staněk and ahead of the MP Motorsport duo of Dennis Hauger and Franco Colapinto. A late move by Hauger on the penultimate lap meant that Kush lost the DRS to Staněk, which left him unable to defend a second move later on in the lap.
Kush held onto fourth place at the chequered flag, but after the race Hadjar, who crossed the line first, was handed a penalty for the start-line crash. Kush therefore was elevated to the final spot on the podium.
Sunday’s Feature Race is scheduled for 11:35 AEDT (UTC +11) with Kush starting fourth on the grid and Gabriel from ninth.
SPRINT RACE RESULTS:
- Kush Maini: P03, six points
- Gabriel Bortoleto: DNF
KUSH MAINI:
It is not the way I would have liked to get the podium, but we will take the extra point and the trophy. I am looking forward to tomorrow. We will start from fourth for the main race so hopefully we can properly make it to the top three.
GABRIEL BORTOLETO:
After 50 metres into the race I was involved in contact which meant I hit the wall which ended our day very early. It could have been a very nice race without that. We will aim for big points tomorrow in the Feature Race.
