Hadjar wins F2’s Melbourne feature race, Hauger crashes out

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Isack Hadjar bounced back from a sprint race penalty to win Formula 2’s feature race in Melbourne, as poleman Dennis Hauger crashed out in a race marked by drivers’ mistakes.

A seemingly low-grip track surface paved the way for several drivers to run off-track. Hitech GP’s Paul Aron and Rodin Motorsport’s Zane Maloney joined Hadjar on the podium, in Campos Racing’s first feature race victory since Jack Aitken’s at Baku in 2019.

A good getaway allowed MP Motorsport’s Hauger to comfortably hold the lead into the first corner. Prema’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli quickly got in his tail and benefited from the slipstream to take first place at turn 11. However, Hauger retaliated the following lap heading into turn nine.

Further down the order, Prema’s Ollie Bearman and ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins closed the opening lap in ninth and 13th after starting 16th and 22nd respectively.

The virtual safety car was deployed on lap seven of 33. ART Grand Prix’s Zak O’Sullivan and PHM Racing’s Joshua Duerksen had come together at turn 13, with the latter spinning and stopping at the grass run-off. O’Sullivan also retired into the pitlane as a consequence. The Williams junior had previously been involved in a lap one incident, where he hit the rear of Roman Stanek at turn three and sent him into a spin.

The track went green again on lap nine and most drivers starting on the supersoft compound tyres pitted, as they were already struggling.

On the outlap, Hauger locked up his front tyres under braking at turn six and a snap at the apex sent him into the barrier at the left-hand side of the track. The safety car returned as a result.

Racing resumed at the end of lap 15. Kush Maini led the pack, while Hadjar in seventh was first of those who had already pitted.

The Red Bull junior set the pace as the race progressed, overtaking slower cars on the alternate strategy. On lap 20, Aron overtook Antonelli to be second of the drivers on the main tyre strategy. Five laps later, Maloney also drove past Antonelli at turn nine to be third at the finish.

DAMS’ Jak Crawford took the lead of the race from Maini in a late charge before they both completed their mandatory pitstops at the end of lap 31. They rejoined the track in 11th and 12th place and finished without points.

Race result (33 laps)