QUALIFYING: Hauger comes through Red Flags for maiden F2 pole

Dennis Hauger made it a Friday sweep for MP Motorsport, taking pole position in Melbourne after topping Practice earlier in the day.

The Norwegian beat PREMA Racing’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli to the top spot with his final flying lap to record a 1:28.694, earning him his first Formula 2 pole. Richard Verschoor made a late improvement for Trident to end up third overall.

Before any laps were on the board, the Red Flags were waving after ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins came to a halt at Turn 7 after a spin on corner exit. He managed to avoid the barriers, but his session was over, and his car was recovered.

The action resumed with 24 minutes to go, and Kush Maini set the initial benchmark with a 1:30.359.

Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Paul Aron then took over P1 with a 1:29.984, while Hauger was just 0.031s down on that effort in second.

Maini retook the top spot before Antonelli deposed him at the top in his PREMA #4 car. Gabriel Bortoleto then took his time at the top until Aron restored his advantage, just 0.003s ahead of Hauger after the Norwegian’s latest lap.

Isack Hadjar’s personal best time moved the Campos Racing driver up to third and ensured there was just 0.085s between the top three.

With 14 minutes left, cars returned to the pits for fresh supersoft tyres heading into the final runs of the session.

Back out on track, Maloney took to the top spot with a 1:29.374 just prior to the second Red Flag of the session. Jak Crawford lost his DAMS Lucas Oil car and hit the barriers at Turn 12. He was out of the cockpit and alright, but it curtailed several drivers’ efforts with the timing of the stoppage.

Qualifying got back underway with 4:14 on the clock and the top four separated by less than a tenth of a second.

Bortoleto was set to make an improvement but ran off the road at Turn 12. Teammate Maini was close behind and managed to avoid his follow Invicta to take provisional pole.

Antonelli then recorded a 1:29.038 but Hauger snatched pole away at the end, going onto a 1:28.694 for pole.

Verschoor moved his Trident up to third in all of the late drama, while Maini and Maloney rounded out the top five.

Aron was sixth in the end ahead of the Campos pair of Josep María Martí and Hadjar, while Bortoleto and Roman Stanek rounded out the top 10.

The Formula 2 Sprint Race is scheduled for lights out at 14:15 local time on Saturday.