Monza, Italy, 12 Sep (PTI): India’s Jehan Daruvala missed out on podium, settling for a fifth-place finish in the Feature Race of Formula 2 in Monza on Sunday.
Daruvala, who had sealed his second Formula 2 win with a dominating drive in the second sprint race on Saturday, was sluggish from second and clocked 56:41.936.
Oscar Piastri clinched a dominant first Feature Race win, beating Guanyu Zhou to extend his Championship lead.
Piastri had been unable to convert pole in the previous round at Silverstone, losing out to Zhou when the lights went out but looked to have learned from the experience and completed the opening lap at the front.
Jumping from third to second off the line, Zhou kept the pressure on throughout the race but was unable to find a way past his title rival.
As the highest placed driver on the alternate strategy, Dan Ticktum was handed a shot at victory by a Safety Car with five laps to go. Eight overtakes on the option tyre followed, before he was stopped by Bernd Mayl nder’s Mercedes, brought out after a collision between David Beckmann and Bent Viscaal.
Sprint Race 1 winner Theo Pourchaire settled for the fourth places.
The title fight will continue in just under two weeks at Sochi, where Piastri and Zhou will look to pick up their battle from the front.
FIA Formula 2 will be LIVE on EUROSPORT and EUROSPORT HD. Eurosport channel can be streamed on the discovery+ app.