Bahrain – The double for Maloney, misfortunes for the French

• This first round of the 2024 season Formula 2 was that of Zane Maloney (Rodin) and no one else. Very comfortable with the new car, the Barbadian demonstrated that his victory in the Sprint Race the day before was not due to chance.
• Shifted strategically on the grid with soft tires while the drivers in front of him started on hard tires, the new Sauber protégé quickly reaped the rewards of his choice. Helped by better grip, he made a great start which allowed him to immediately take the lead and attack the first turn with the track clear in front of him.
• In the process, his series of fast laps gave him a lot of air over the group of pursuers, thus being able to better preserve his soft rubber. The intervention of the safety car in the first moments also worked in his favor as he was able to keep his tires fresh for the end of his first stint. His pit stop perfectly negotiated, Zane Maloney was not bothered by the hard rubber facing the soft drivers for the second part of the race.
• Untouchable from start to finish, Maloney achieved a very rare performance, that of winning both races of the weekend. Rookies Josep María Martí (Campos) and Paul Aron (Hitech GP) completed the podium. The first mentioned also completed a great first outing in F2 this year since he got on the box during the Sprint and the Main.

Hadjar harpooned, Martins broken down

• For the French, this Main Race turned sour. Claiming victory with a 2nd place on the grid, Isack Hadjar (Campos) was unable to go further than the first corner. Author of a good flight, the member of Red Bull Junior Team was unable to do anything when Gabriel Bortoleto (Invicta Racing), in distress under braking, sent him into a spin. Blocked in the middle of the track, he was then hit laterally by Enzo Fittipaldi (VAR) definitively ending his day.
• For Victor Martins (ART Grand Prix), the difficult weekend continued until the end. In the tough sporting event, the Habs were then unable to do anything when they suffered an electronic failure which forced them to stop at the side of the track and retire.

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