Formula 2: Ilott victorious at Silverstone and leads the championship

Pole position, win and fastest race lap all contributed to Callum Ilott now leading the championship, after the fifth round of the Formula 2 championship got off to the best possible start today in the Feature Race. The 21-year-old Englishman and Ferrari Driver Academy student, went straight into the lead when the lights went out and kept it until his tyre change on lap 7, switching from Options to the Primes. Once back on track, his pace was excellent and he retook the lead with six laps remaining, when those around him on different strategies made their pit stops. In the closing laps, Callum had everything in hand, winning by eight seconds from Christian Lundgaard. 

Championship leader. “What can I say, it was a perfect day,” began Ilott. “Last week there were a few glitches and I made a few mistakes. But I knew I could fight for the win and this weekend it all went to plan. I am very happy and I see this result as an important step in what is still a long season.” The result means Callum now leads the championship on 102 points, 15 more than Lundgaard and 17 ahead of Robert Shwartzman. 

Prema. Shwartzman finished eighth, having started 11th. It was an important result as it means he starts tomorrow’s Sprint Race from pole at 10.10 local time (11.10 CET). Alongside him will be his Prema team-mate, Mick Schumacher, seventh past the flag today after a tough race. The German led for a long time having started on the Prime tyre and making his stop just 10 laps from the end. He rejoined eleventh and stormed through to a final seventh. 

Marcus and Giuliano. Marcus Armstrong and Giuliano Alesi had a tough afternoon, starting from 19th and 20th respectively, which is a particular handicap at Silverstone, given the difficulties of tyre management when one is in traffic for much of the race. Armstrong finished 14th and Alesi was 16th.