Nicholas Latifi wins at the end of a lively race in Spain

Nicholas latifi achieves near-perfect start to season in FIA F2 with a third victory in five races contested, after the main event in Barcelona this Saturday.

The DAMS team driver, however, has long left the spotlight to Guanyu-Zhou (Uni-Virtuosi) author of a great start from the second row to gain the advantage over the Canadian at the first corner.

Significantly less success, however, for pole sitter Luca Ghiotto (Uni-Virtuosi), who lost several positions, before being the victim of contact on the track with Dorian Boccolacci (Campos Racing), damaging his front wing.

Returning to the pits, the Italian leaves dead last, but takes advantage of the safety car deployed after Giuliano Alesi (Trident) went off the track at turn 4.

SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED (LAP 2/37)

That was an action-packed first lap to say the least – let’s unpack it, shall we?

Giuliano Alesi spun off into the gravel and is our first retirement#SpanishGP  #F2 pic.twitter.com/DHj9VHyrwo

- Formula 2 (@ FIA_F2) May 11, 2019

No luck also for Mick Schumacher (Prema), victim of a rear puncture, and forced to return to the pitlane to change tires.

Opposing strategies

At the end of the 3rd lap, the safety car faded and allowed Zhou to restart the peloton in front of Latifi and Nyck de Vries (ART Grand Prix). The first stops came shortly after with Zhou and Latifi the first to stop.

The different strategies allow Anthoine Hubert (Arden) to get to the forefront with the leaders' stops. The fight for virtual first place then intensified between Zhou and Latifi, before the latter found the opening.

Zhou will also have to give in to the return of Jack Aitken (Campos Racing), who finally finishes 2nd in front of Zhou, two protégés of the Renault Sports Academy. Luca Ghiotto and Nyck de Vries finished in the top 5, while Anthoine Hubert took a good sixth place.