Verschoor says his Sprint Race 2 getaway was ‘by far the fastest” he’s ever done

Richard Verschoor enjoyed a new experience in the second Sprint Race at Silverstone, as the MP Motorsport rookie led from start to finish for the first time in Formula 2, and he said it’s a feeling he could get used to.

Hailing his Sprint Race 2 getaway as “by far the fastest” of his career so far, Verschoor had actually spent the period between the two Saturday races searching for ways to be quicker off the line, after a difficult start in the opening Sprint Race cost him three positions.

So naturally, he was delighted to see an improvement in that area when the lights went out in Sprint Race 2, with the Dutchman bolting into the distance ahead of Marcus Armstrong.

Although he was forced to do it all over again at two Safety Car restarts.

Verschoor said: “It has been a while since I’ve won a race, so to be starting from P1, being P1 at the Safety Car restarts, leading the pack, and getting hunted all of the way down to the last lap, it felt a bit different to what I have been used to recently, but I hope that I can have these feelings a lot more in the coming races.

“The Safety Car restarts were a bit annoying because every time after a start, I built a good gap. We put quite a lot of effort into getting out of the DRS zone, but then there was a Safety Car. That wasn’t ideal but I think that we managed it really well.

“In the first race the start was not great – it was a complete disaster if I am honest, so I am happy to have gotten a good start in Race 2. It was by far the quickest that I have ever done, so it was good, and I hope to repeat it.”

After a promising first two rounds in Formula 2, Verschoor’s confidence took a knock in the third, as the Dutchman failed to score a single point at Baku.

But his response could hardly have been better. The 20-year-old looked confident from the off in Silverstone, punching in his best Free Practice and Qualifying results at this level, with fourth and third. Those performances were then followed up by his first win and then P4 in the Feature Race.

“I think from the first lap I did here, I could feel that I had a car that was handling really well and from there you build up your confidence,” said Verschoor. “We were really good in the high-speed corners and from the first moment here it felt a lot better than in Baku, and Monaco as well.

“(Formula 2 racer winner) couldn't sound better in my ears. I was not really happy with Race 1, but after the results in practice and Quali, as well as my first win, I couldn't be happier.”