Formula 2. Bearman wins from pole in Barcelona

Oliver Bearman produced an outstanding performance at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit, taking his second pole of the season before going on to secure a commanding win in the Feature Race. Arthur Leclerc finished in the points. 

Oliver Bearman was the dominant force in the sixth round of the Formula 2 season in Spain this weekend. Today, the 18 year old Englishman started the Feature Race from pole, winning with a controlled performance from start to finish. Along with the points from seventh place in the Sprint, the Ferrari Driver Academy student moves up from eighth to fourth in the championship on 71 points. His performance was watched by his younger brother Thomas, himself a kart racer. “It was a great weekend,” commented Oliver. It started with an almost perfect qualifying lap to get pole position and ended with the win in the Feature Race. It is down to all the hard work with the FDA and the team and it’s a boost as we continue to push in this positive way heading into the second half of the season.” Arthur Leclerc had a tough weekend, because he was unable to qualify in the top ten. However, the Monegasque still scored points in the Feature Race with an impressive climb up the order to ninth.

Feature Race. Bearman made the most of pole position to lead into the first corner. He carefully managed the Soft tyres for the first ten laps, thus able to delay his tyre change until lap 13, three laps later than his closest rivals Enzo Fittipaldi and Theo Pourchaire. Back on track Oliver found himself ahead of those who were on the same strategy, but he had to wait until those who had started on the Hard tyre pitted to be sure he was still in the lead. Towards the end, he was able to manage a comfortable margin of four seconds over Fittipaldi to take his third win of the season. Leclerc was on the opposite strategy, starting 12th on the hardest tyre, going for a long first stint, pitting on lap 23 of 37. Back on track on the soft tyres he made up three places to finish ninth. 

Sprint Race. Saturday’s race started behind the Safety Car with all cars on full rain tyres as the rain had arrived a few minutes before the start. The reversed grid meant Bearman was tenth and Leclerc was still on the seventh row. Oliver made up three places on the opening lap, while Arthur took a few laps to move up to 11th, doing well in the very slippery conditions and reduced visibility. The rain stopped for the second half of the race and as a dry line gradually developed it was time for slick tyres. The decision to switch to these came on lap 20 when the Safety Car came out after a car had gone off the track. Bearman pitted and maintained seventh place, while Leclerc, delayed by having to wait for team-mate Ayuma Iwasa to change tyres in a double pit stop, rejoined 11th. Racing resumed for the final three laps and Leclerc managed to make up two places, to take the chequered flag in ninth place.