Wet tyres come out in Formula 2 while GP3 uses soft slicks at Monza 04.09.2017: FORMULA 2 Feature Race, the winner: For the second consecutive weekend, the first driver past the chequered flag wasn’t the race winner, with Prema’s Antonio Fuoco being handed

FORMULA 2


Feature Race, the winner: For the second consecutive weekend, the first driver past the chequered flag wasn’t the race winner, with Prema’s Antonio Fuoco being handed victory after Russian Time’s Luca Ghiotto was penalised. The race was extremely lively with a safety car and several changes of lead in the slippery and wet conditions, which led to all the drivers using the full wet tyre from start to finish.



Luca Ghiotto: “In these conditions, also with the safety car, it wasn’t easy: it was a crazy race as is often the case when it’s wet and you really need to have the tyres and the brakes ready. In the end though I was still able to overtake.”



Feature Race, alternative strategy: Although there was no variation in the compounds used because of the wet conditions – with everyone staying on the wet tyres from lights to flag – there was still a lot of different thinking on the timings of the obligatory pit stop, in order to maximise track position and minimise traffic. Russian Time’s Artem Markelov was the first to make a scheduled stop on lap six, as soon as the pit stop window opened, while the leaders left it until lap 18.



Sprint Race, the winner: In dry conditions, Ghiotto made up for Saturday’s disappointment by winning the sprint race after charging through the field in a brilliantly controlled drive using the medium tyre. There were a variety of different strategies, with two drivers also changing to the soft tyre late in the 21-lap race.




GP3


Feature Race, the winner: The weather caused massive disruption to the GP3 schedule with both the qualifying session and Saturday’s race cancelled, because of the day running behind schedule. This meant that the only GP3 race of the weekend was on Sunday, using the times set in free practice on Friday to form the grid.



Feature Race, the winner: ART claimed a one-two-three to take the teams’ title at Monza, after a dramatic postponed feature race in the absence of polesitter Nirei Fukuzimi, who failed to start due to an electrical problem. The race was run exclusively on the soft tyre, with George Russell managing the compound perfectly to fight his way into the lead, after a race that was also interrupted by a safety car.



PIRELLI QUOTE


Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola: “It was a difficult weekend at Monza, with mixed conditions on Friday, wet weather on Saturday and a totally dry track on Sunday, leading to the cancellation of several sessions. This meant that the drivers often had to race with extremely limited information on tyre behaviour, and adapt race strategies and driving styles accordingly.



While the Formula 2 race on Saturday was dominated by the wet tyre, there were some interesting strategies on Sunday with both the medium and soft tyre seen in the sprint race. Finally, it was a great privilege to help unveil the new 2018 Formula 2 car in our fitting area on Thursday. Formula 2’s reputation for great racing and solid preparation for Formula 1 is assured again for the future. I’d also like to congratulate ART for winning the GP3 teams’ title this weekend at Monza.”




NEXT RACES


Formula 2 and GP3 now enjoy a stand-alone race, away from Formula 1 for the only time all year, at the Jerez circuit in Spain from October 6-8.



Anthony Peacock - photos Pirelli