Formula 2 returns to Azerbaijan for round three of the Championship

After a week’s break, F2 returns with Baku in Azerbaijan the next destination for the drivers.

Last time out in Monaco, we saw tears of joy from Theo Pourchaire as the 17-year-old Frenchman became the youngest winner in F2.

Only living 30 minutes away from the circuit, the Feature Race victory meant a lot to the teenager who was able to fulfil his dreams and win at his home Grand Prix.

He was also able to secure his first Formula 2 pole position, breaking yet another record in the process. Pourchaire qualified ahead of the two Prema’s of Robert Shwartzman and Oscar Piastri, with the trio starting back in eighth, ninth and tenth for the first Sprint Race.

Taking full advantage of reverse grid pole, Guanyu Zhou was able to get maximum points from the race as he finished ahead of UNI-Virtuosi teammate Felipe Drugovich with Roy Nissany in third.

Marcus Armstrong finished tenth which allowed the DAMS driver to line up on pole position for the second Sprint Race, but a problem with his car saw him start from the pit lane.

An intense battle between Liam Lawson and Piastri originally saw the former take the win, however, Lawson used a different throttle map which saw him stripped of his victory.

This promoted Dan Ticktrum to first, Piastri to second and Lawson’s Hitech teammate, Juri Vips, up to third. All eyes were on the final race of the weekend, as youngster Theo Pourchaire started from pole.

The ART driver controlled the race very well and was able to hold onto the win until the very end. Piastri secured another P2 finish with Felipe Drugovich finishing a fantastic third.

Azerbaijan did not feature on the Formula 2 calendar in 2020, but returns after a two-year absence and will see drivers navigate their way through a variety of challenges that the track offers.

In 2019, Nobuharu Matsushita lined up on pole position for the Feature Race, however, the Japanese driver failed to even finish in the top 10 as the Carlin drove over the line in 13th.

Jack Aitken was the victor in the first race of the weekend after starting eighth. The Campos driver was joined on the podium by Nyck de Vries who finished second and Jordan King who finished third.

The Sprint Race was more normal as Nicholas Latifi, who started from fourth on the grid went onto win the race by a second with Juan Manuel Correa not far behind in second and Jack Aitken in third.

A new track for some and a familiar one for others but it is set to be an exciting race weekend ahead of the drivers as another chapter in the 2021 F2 Championship unfolds.

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