F2: Pourchaire dominates Feature Race in Sakhir

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Theo Pourchaire claimed a comfortable victory to cap off his impressive start to the 2023 Formula 2 season. The ART Grand Prix and Sauber Academy driver converted pole to win by 19 seconds by the chequered flag.

Ralph Boschung scored his second podium finish of the weekend after winning Saturday’s Sprint Race. Red Bull Junior Team driver Zane Maloney pulled off a great comeback drive to secure third position after starting 18th for Rodin Carlin.

F2: Boschung takes maiden series win in eventful Sakhir Sprint Race

From lights out, Pourchaire was clear out in front while Campos’s Boschung trailed the Frenchman up to the pit stops. Kush Maini was running third in the early stages having made a great start from sixth on the grid.

Arthur Leclerc triggered the pit stop phase on Lap 11, stopping from 10th and changing the course of the race. Those ahead had to respond to avoid being undercut, meaning tyre degradation became critical as the race wore on. It provided a thrilling fight for points inside the top 10 in the closing stages.

With Pourchaire up the road from Boschung and Maini, PREMA Racing’s Oliver Bearman tried to remain at the head of the queue from fourth down to 10th, but a sizeable lock-up allowed those behind through on Lap 29 of 32.

Maloney was one of those to gain places and a late-race charge through the top 10 netted him third after clearing Maini on the final lap of the race.

F3: Marti takes maiden victory in hectic Bahrain Sprint

Richard Verschoor, who had been last at the end of Lap 1 after contact left him facing backwards, scythed through to fifth position by the end. Leclerc rebounded from a mid-race blip to secure sixth, ahead of Hitech Pulse-Eight and Red Bull Junior prospect Isack Hadjar in seventh.

Leclerc’s teammate Ayumu Iwasa held onto eighth ahead of Enzo Fittipaldi, while Juan Manuel Correa scored points on his full-time F2 return for Van Amersfoort Racing.

For an in-depth report from the F2 Feature Race in Sakhir, visit the official website here.

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