Camara recovers from impact to claim maiden F2 pole in Monaco

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Rafael Camara bounced back from breaking his suspension on his first lap of qualifying to claim his maiden Formula 2 pole position in Monaco.

Nikola Tsolov’s group-topping time wasn’t enough to topple the Brazilian with the Campos Racing driver to line up alongside the Invicta Racing man for the feature race.

With the field split into two groups, the opening 11 opted for three build laps to ensure their supersoft tyres were in the best window.

Camara led the field onto their fast laps and looked set to be the man to beat up until the Brazilian slammed into the wall at the final corner. He managed to recover back to the pits where his team set to work on his rear-left suspension.

On track, Rodin’s Alex Dunne set the benchmark, a 1m22.427s the time to beat with Prema’s Sebastian Montoya the closest behind.

Having remained in the pitlane while others did build laps, DAMS’ Dino Beganovic went faster, a 1m21.947s putting him 0.084s clear of AIX’s Cian Shields in second.

Championship leader Gabriele Mini posted a 1.22.031, quick enough for second after Shields’ lap time was deleted for a track limits violation.

The Italian set his lap just in time before the first red flag was shown with four minutes remaining after Trident’s John Bennett found the wall heavily at Sainte Devote.

The red flag proved fortuitous for Invicta as Camara returned to the track with the field as the remaining four minutes ticked down.

With just seconds remaining Leon set two purple sectors but clattered the wall at the swimming pool chicane. Despite damage, the Mexican posted a 1m21.595s, enough to claim top spot.

It didn’t last long though as, with repaired suspension, Camara set a 1m20.923s, quick enough for top spot and provisional pole with no other driver able to topple him.

Dunne looked set to snatch provisional pole back but contact at the final corner saw the Irishman miss out by a tenth of a second. Beganovic snatched third away with a last gasp lap, a 1m21.180s enough to beat Mini to the final top three place.

Camara’s time remained the one to beat as the second group took to the track but it wasn’t long before the red flag returned, this time to recover the other Trident car of Laurens Van Hoepen, who had been spun round by ART’s Kush Maini heading out of the tunnel.

When running resumed it was Nico Varrone who was fastest on track. His 1m23.431s became the best time for Group B but it was quickly bettered by Nikola Tsolov who posted a 1m23.096s.

Colton Herta briefly held top spot for Hitech but was demoted by Maini, who set a 1m21.405s which he then improved to a 1m21.338s on his following lap.

Tsolov slotted in just 0.001s behind but the pair still could not find the pace to beat Camara’s earlier time.

As the chequered flag fell Rodin Motorsport’s Martinius Stenshorne found time to improve up to top spot with a 1m21.274s. It wasn’t enough though to hold Tsolov off who put his Campos 0.221s clear with a 1m21.053s.

However, that still wasn’t enough to beat Camara who claimed his first pole position of the season having almost ruined his session on the opening lap.

With Tsolov fastest in group B, it will be the Bulgarian lining up alongside with the Rodin duo of Dunne and Stenshorne occupying the second row.

Qualifying results