Virtuosi driver Jack Doohan topped the final Formula 2 qualifying session of the season at Yas Marina, while the title contenders struggled.
Having also taken part in Formula 1 free practice on Friday, Doohan lapped 0.2 seconds quicker than fellow Alpine junior Victor Martins to secure his second pole of the year for Sunday’s F2 feature race.
Points leader Theo Pourchaire could only qualify 14th while Frederik Vesti, who needs to overhaul a 25-point deficit to deny the Frenchman the crown, will start from the front row in Saturday’s partially-reversed-grid sprint race after setting the ninth quickest time.
Martins led the way at the beginning of the 30-minute session, the ART GP driver posting an early benchmark of 1m36.692s, with Doohan 0.228 seconds behind and Campos Racing duo Ralph Boschung and Kush Maini third and fourth.
Van Amersfoort Racing’s Richard Verschoor briefly moved into second before Doohan improved to reclaim the position, while Martins cemented his advantage at the top with an even quicker lap of 1m36.351s.
There was brief lull in the action as drivers headed to the pitlane before commencing their second runs.
Needing to take pole to keep his remote title hopes alive, Ayumu Iwasa went quickest with a 1m36.085s. An improved effort from Martins put his 0.008s behind the Red Bull junior.
But the pair were soon upstaged by Doohan, who recorded a new best of 1m35.703s, while Maini moved into second.
Martins reclaimed second with a lap initially 0.088s shy of Doohan, who then improved to a 1m35.567s to secure pole. Maini ended up third, while Rodin Carlin’s Zane Maloney made a late improvement to fourth.
Iwasa slipped to fifth and out of title contention, with Dennis Hauger sixth ahead of Verschoor, Isack Hadjar and Vesti.
Carlin’s Enzo Fittipaldi claimed sprint race pole with the 10th quickest time, with Juan Manuel Correa 11th ahead of Roy Nissany, Arthur Leclerc and Pourchaire.
Featured image credit: Formula Motorsport Ltd
