All images ©: Dutch Photo Agency
Invicta Racing secured a points finish with Gabriel Bortoleto in the FIA Formula 2 Qatar Sprint at Lusail, while Kush Maini’s race ended early after contact.
The 23-lap race began with Gabriel in eighth and Kush 12th following the Qualifying session and subsequent penalties. A couple of starters, including Isack Hadjar and Victor Martins, opted for the Medium tyre, while the majority of the field, including both Invicta Racing drivers, were on the Hard compound.
Gabriel held position at the start, while Kush dropped a couple of positions after a difficult start. Initially, the Medium runners were showing well but it did not take long before they started to show signs of struggling.
Martins worked up to third to head a train which included Gabriel, while Kush was in the mix just outside of the top 10. Both drivers gained a place when Oliver Goethe had an issue, which led to a Virtual Safety Car.
Kush then had a battle with Luke Browning, and eventually got ahead and started to work on getting by Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Gabriel was forced wide by Paul Aron in the battle over fifth once Martins’ tyres had dropped off. The championship leader held on to finish sixth, narrowly holding onto the points lead after Hadjar led early on but spun and dropped out of the top three.
For Kush, his race came to an early end after contact with Antonelli after the Italian driver made contact while trying to avoid the struggling Martins.
The race finished behind the Safety Car as a result of the contact, which eliminated both drivers. After the race, Aron was penalised for contact with Martins. This means that the Brazilian driver was classified fifth.
GABRIEL BORTOLETO
"Today was more about damage limitation more than anything and I think we did that well. There were a couple of tricky moments out there while battling but to come home with these points could prove crucial at the end of the year. Our focus now shifts right away to the Feature Race, where there are many more points on offer and we start from a good position."
SPRINT RACE RESULTS
- Started: 8th
- Finished: 5th
- Points: 4
KUSH MAINI
"It was a tricky one. The penalties we carried over, plus a poor start, really set the tone of our race. We were able to make some good moves out on the track and the pace was solid, but unfortunately our race ended early after the contact with Antonelli. It is a shame, but we start from a better position tomorrow and there is a lot for us to understand overnight to take into the Feature Race to pick some points up."
SPRINT RACE RESULTS
- Started: 12th
- Finished: DNF
- Points: 0
ANDY ROCHE, TEAM PRINCIPAL
"Overall, today was a bit of a mixed day. Gabriel put in a very mature drive to pick up some useful points in both championships. He was aggressive at times, but he did not do anything too risky in his battles. Kush was unfortunate today, with a tricky start from a compromised grid position making it difficult for him to score points around this twisty circuit. With a mix of tyres being used in this race, we have a lot to look at ahead of tomorrow’s all-important Feature Race."
