Photo: FIA Formula 2
Louis Deletraz and Arthur Leclerc shared the spoils in two frantic Formula 2 Esports race at Monaco, as Juan Manuel Correa was narrowly denied a maiden win.
Trident?s Lirim Zendeli took pole position for the feature race and held the lead at the start. but was running the alternate strategy by starting on harder tyres.
Charouz Racing System?s Deletraz, meanwhile, held fourth at the start before working his way through Prema?s Leclerc and Campos Racing?s Jack Aitken into second. He tried to pass the slower Zendeli on-track, but to no avail.
Once the mandatory pitstop sequence had concluded, Zendeli had become the chaser. He tried to work his way past Deletraz and was close despite making numerous mistakes. No damage was sustained, as it was not being simulated on the F1 2019 game being used.
However, with just two of the 21 laps remaining, Zendeli disconnected from the session.
This left Deletraz to take a comfortable victory, more-so when a large number of penalties were applied to almost every other driver.
ART Grand Prix?s Theo Pourchaire and HWA Racelab newcomer Enzo Fittipaldi, the latter working his way from a lowly 16th on the grid, were in the scrap over the final podium position ? that became positions when Zendeli had his issues.
Leclerc spun at the harbourfront chicane while battling with Aitken, who was making very aggressive moves to hold the position. Pourchaire eventually got track position late on but had more penalties than his nearest rivals.
This gave Aitken second, ahead of Pourchaire, Fittipaldi, the computer-controlled Zendeli and the recovering Leclerc. Carlin?s Callan Williams and Charouz?s Juan Manuel Correa eventually emerged as the end of the top eight once the penalties had all been applied.
Among the most-penalised drivers for track limits was DAMS’ game debutant Dan Ticktum, who picked six penalties.
Correa and Williams started had the front row for the five-lap sprint race, and jumped safely away at the start.
Leclerc then worked his way past Williams, while Zendeli disconnected again ? this time after a single lap, and the ART pair of Pourchaire and Marcus Armstrong hit issues of their own.
Correa resisted the pressure from Leclerc for much of the race, before two critical time penalties with just a few corners to go effectively gave the win to Leclerc.
The 20-year-old, still recovering from the leg injuries he sustained at Spa-Francorchamps last year, won on the road but fell to third after his penalties were applied.
Leclerc emerged as the victor, while Deletraz worked his way from eighth to finish second.