Amna Al Qubaisi takes second F1 Academy win in Barcelona race two

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

MP Motorsport’s Amna Al Qubaisi took her second reversed-grid F1 Academy win in race two at Barcelona.

Taking advantage of a slow start from polesitter Campos Racing’s Nerea Marti, the Emirati driver jumped into an early lead while further back Prema’s Bianca Bustamente stalled before finally getting underway in last position.

ART Grand Prix’s Lena Buhler was another to make progress on the first lap, gaining two places to go fifth.

Marti was able to hang onto Al Qubaisi as the two extended the gap to third-placed Marta Garcia (Prema), who was over a second clear of Alpine junior, Abbi Pulling.

At the back of the field, Bustamente made quick work of Maita Caceres and Prema team-mate Chloe Chong, before closing on Rodin Carlin’s Jessica Edgar and Megan Gilkes.

Behind the leaders, the battle for fourth began to intensify as MP Motorsport’s Hamda Al Qubaisi closed onto the back of Buhler, who in turn was in the slipstream of Pulling.

On lap 7 Garcia moved up to second, with Marti dropping a further three places on the next tour, though remaining in the wheeltracks of the three-car train headed by Pulling.

Al Qubaisi took a comfortable victory, over four seconds ahead of Garcia at the flag, with Pulling holding onto third, ahead of Buhler, Hamda Al Qubaisi and Marti.

An incident on the final lap saw both Bustamente and Chong stop at Turn 11.

Race result (10 laps)