After the summer break, the excitement of Formula 2 roared back to life at the legendary Monza circuit - the iconic home of Ferrari.
With the ever present Tifosi, passionate fans in the stands brought the sort of energy you only see in Italy, as eyes were on last year’s Feature Race winner, our very own Ollie Bearman, to deliver for Italian based Prema Racing.
Qualifying
Qualifying at Monza is always a spectacle and this session was no exception, with two red flags causing chaos and setting the scene for a dramatic final few minutes as the majority of drivers battled to put their best times on the table.
While pole position at this particular track does not necessarily mean a win - as history has shown, with only one Feature Race winner from pole, back in 2021 - the long straights and extended run into the first turn promise overtaking opportunities and almost inevitable Monza drama. Ollie, in the thick of the action, managed to secure P8 on the grid.
Sprint Race
With a P8 qualification, the reverse grid system for the Sprint meant Ollie was due to start in P3. However, after being handed a five place grid penalty from the Belgian Grand Prix before the summer break, Ollie started the Sprint in P8.
Undeterred by the setback, Ollie remained composed as a master of racecraft to climb through the field to the front of the grid. Right off the bat, Ollie showed pace, climbing to P5 by the end of the first lap. Meanwhile, towards the back of the pack, Oliver Goethe and Zak O’Sullivan collided, sending Goethe’s car into the barriers and prompting a Safety Car.
When the race resumed, Ollie wasn’t waiting around, capitalising on a mistake from Fittipaldi, who slipped from P1 to P4, enabling Ollie to snatch P3 and putting him on an epic charge.
His prominent pace meant he was able to execute a daring move on Victor Martins at the Roggia chicane, claiming P2 and setting the fastest lap of the race in the process. With his sights set on the leader, Ollie’s persistence paid off as Josep Maria Marti went wide under the pressure of the Prema as Ollie expertly manoeuvred by into P1.
From there, he never looked back, extending his lead to over two seconds by Lap 10. The final laps were a test of nerves (probably more so for fans than Ollie himself), as he showcased his defensive driving skills, holding off all challengers and taking the chequered flag in first place.
After the race, Ollie said, “I was just trying to risk everything in the early laps. I am in the position where I can take a bit more of a risk and it paid off today so I’m happy for that.”
Feature Race
Building on momentum from his Sprint Race victory, Ollie started the Feature Race with determination. Quickly moving from P8 to P2, Ollie took advantage of a chaotic start when Marti and Aron collided, triggering an early Safety Car.
As the race progressed, strategic pit stops came into play and Ollie swapped to the medium compound tyres, rejoining the race just before another Safety Car was deployed.
Racing resumed on Lap 11 but an unfortunate collision with Juan Manuel Correa on Lap 15 led to damage that hindered his pace. In a battle towards the end of the race, Ollie found himself in a wheel-to-wheel scrap with his teammate, as Antonelli got ahead on the exit of Turn 2, before Ollie put a tyre into the gravel, giving Durksen the opportunity to pass. Ollie finished the Feature Race in P7, collecting six championship points.
Looking Ahead
Monza delivered a weekend thrilling action, with Ollie’s spectacular Sprint victory proving his talent once more as anticipation builds for his much awaited step into Formula 1 next year. All eyes are now on Azerbaijan, as he heads to the streets of Baku on 13-15 September.
