Maini claims first F2 pole in one-two for renamed Invicta team

Photo: Formula Motorsport Limited

Kush Maini led a one-two for the renamed Invicta Racing squad in the first Formula 2 qualifying session of the year in Bahrain.

Alpine Academy driver Maini already went fastest on the first runs in the opening part of the session, ahead of Dennis Hauger.

Campos Racing put its Red Bull juniors Isack Hadjar and Pepe Marti out on an empty track in the middle of the session and they went one-two.

When the final runs came in the last five minutes, Enzo Fittipaldi was first to the top, followed by Zane Maloney, before Hadjar reclaimed first place.

Formula 3 champion Gabriel Bortoleto then went fastest before team-mate Maini went 0.219 seconds quicker to head a front row lockout for the team formerly known as Virtuosi before a sponsor buy-in over the winter.

Hadjar and Maloney will share row two on the grid for Sunday’s feature race with Hauger to be joined on the third row by Ritomo Miyata, team-mate to Maloney at Rodin.

Victor Martins ended up ninth, two places behind his rookie ART Grand Prix team-mate Zak O’Sullivan, with Fittipaldi finishing up eighth.

Taylor Barnard put in an excellent lap at the chequered flag to take 10th and therefore reversed-grid pole position for his first F2 race.

Prema’s fears after a difficult pre-season test with the new F2 car were realised as its drivers qualified 18th and 19th: debutant Andrea Kimi Antonelli just ahead of Ollie Bearman, who had been slowest of all after the first runs.

Qualifying results