Talking points from Monza

With the dust settled at the end of another enthralling FIA Formula 2 race weekend, at Monza in Italy, we take a look at five talking points from the track.

Pour Anthoine

Round 10 was an extremely difficult one for the Formula 2 family. Filled with the raw emotion of the horrific events in Spa, they came together and united as one. The unique bond of the F2 paddock was on full display. Tributes adorned each of the F2 cars, both for the late Anthoine Hubert, and for Juan Manuel Correa.

At the drivers’ request, the French national anthem was played on the podium following the Feature Race, in honour of their friend and, following its completion, winner Nobuharu Matsushita lifted up the Frenchman’s Renault cap, displaying the red, white and blue of the French flag beneath its peak.

Fellow Renault Academy driver Jack Aitken fittingly went on to win the Sprint Race and held the French flag aloft on the podium afterwards. Both men dedicated their wins to Hubert and will continue to race on his spirit.

Need some storage space, Nyck?

Nyck de Vries just continues to look more and more like a champion in waiting. Having been cruelly – but correctly – disqualified from Qualifying, the Dutchman’s drive from last to third in the Feature Race was magical. If there is ever a circuit where that type of run is possible it’s Monza, and the ART Grand Prix driver barely put a foot wrong on the day.

At the race start, a podium placing would have seemed utterly unrealistic, and yet he roared to the front of the pack with hunger, determination, and the full extent of his undeniable racing powers.

If this wasn’t impressive enough, he then went and notched another podium placing on the Sunday, with third again in the Sprint Race. That makes it 10 podiums from 18 races – truly phenomenal. Question is, where is he storing all of these trophies?

A now 59-point strong lead over Nicholas Latifi means that the potential is there for him to wrap up the title as early as Sochi – not that the Canadian will make it easy for him.

10 lap Qualifying

Luca Ghiotto looked like he was having fun, didn’t he? The Italian admitted as such in his post-race Guest Column, labelling the latter part of his drive in the Feature Race as a “10 lap qualifying.”

Lifted by a buoyant home crowd in Monza, the Italian began on the alternate strategy and proved to be the best of those who had opted to begin on the option tyre, emerging in first when those on the prime stint pitted. He quickly collected a 30s lead ahead of his change, but his hopes of a race win were dashed by a slow stop.

Undeterred, he seared around the track from seventh and made his way back to second, which was completed by an incredible, penultimate lap overtake of Championship leader De Vries.

Matsushita masters the Pirelli’s

The in-form Japanese driver may well have a lingering sense of “What could have been,” following his second win of the season, in the Feature Race. The Honda Dream driver returned to the F2 Championship this season, following a year out in Japanese Super Formula, and he initially struggled to become reacquainted with the notoriously tricky Pirelli rubber.

This resulted in just three points’ finishes from the opening 10 races, an ultimately disappointing return from a man determined to challenge at the top end. His form has firmly turned around now though - his Feature Race win on Saturday and his P5 placing on the Sunday marked his seventh and eighth consecutive finishes in the points.

It has lifted him to sixth in the standings, a position that would have been significantly higher, had he began the season in such exciting form.

Good things come in threes

What a season it has been for Campos Racing. Prior to 2019, the Spanish outfit had never won a race in the Formula 2 Championship, but thanks to Jack Aitken, they now have three to their name.

The Renault F1 junior has handed out plenty of praise to his team throughout the season, for giving him one of the more competitive cars on the grid. Combined with his ability, this has finally handed the team a race-winning package, which has placed the British racer in fourth, just two points off Ghiotto in third. While, the team themselves also sit fourth and are on course for their highest ever finish.