Correa loses comeback F2 podium amid track limits penalties

Photo: Dutch Photo Agency

Juan Manuel Correa has had his first Formula 2 podium finish for five years taken away amid a spate of track limits penalties.

Correa stood on the third step of the podium after the Barcelona sprint race, having passed Gabriel Bortoleto for fourth on the road with second-placed Ritomo Miyata having already been handed two five-second penalties for track limits offences.

However, it later transpired Correa had himself exceeded track limits four times, with his last transgression enough to earn a five-second penalty.

Championship leader Paul Aron therefore picks up third place – his sixth podium of the season so far – with Correa demoted to eighth.

Several other drivers received similar penalties after the race. Dennis Hauger picked up two five-second penalties for exceeding track limits five times, dropping him from ninth to 12th. Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Franco Colapinto, who were originally classified directly behind Hauger, were given five and 10 seconds of penalties respectively.

Zane Maloney was handed his third five-second penalty of the race after a sixth offence.

In all, 60 track limits offences were recorded by the FIA, the vast majority of which took place at the penultimate corner, Turn 13, which was reprofiled last year.

The original top three finishers, including Correa, were asked in the post-race press conference about the challenge of staying within the limits and whether anything could be changed at the track.

“I think the only solution is to put gravel closer to the white line, especially in this track, I believe the last sector, there’s a few places where it’s very difficult to judge from the inside of the car,” said Correa, speaking before he received his penalty.

“Sometimes they put bananas on the exit, but then that brings in another issue of safety. So maybe the solution is just to get rid of track limits in certain corners or put, the gravel closer.”

Race results (26 laps)