SAUDI ARABIA: India’s Jehan Daruvala narrowly missed out on his first win of the season in the Formula 2 Sprint race of the championship’s Saudi Arabian round, settling for a hard-fought third-place finish.
The 24-year-old MP Motorsport driver started fifth on the grid and aggressively pursued the eventual winner, Ayumu Iwasa, before dropping to third place in the final three laps after a daring bid for the lead.
The podium at the Sprint race was Jehan Daruvala’s second consecutive podium finish and his 16th overall in F2.
Jehan Daruvala was disappointed not to have won, but he had no regrets about the risks he took during the race.
He made a lightning start, but Ralph Boschung and fellow Indian Kush Maini’s cars boxed him in.
After a safety car period on the second lap, Daruvala overtook Maini and Jak Crawford to chase Boschung, whom he overtook to secure second place.
In the second half of the sprint race, Jehan Daruvala battled Iwasa and Victor Martins but could not clinch the win after his gamble at Turn 1 for a fifth F2 victory failed to pay off.
Despite his disappointment, Jehan Daruvala remained upbeat, declaring that he was pleased with his performance and adding that he could fight for the win in the feature race the following day.
Daruvala’s podium finish moves him to fourth place on the grid for the feature race.
With his sights set on the top spot, the Indian driver will be looking to capitalize on his strong form and take his first win of the season.
This season’s F2 championship is fiercely competitive, with several young drivers vying for the top spot.
With his impressive performance in the Saudi Arabian round, Daruvala has established himself as a contender for the championship title.
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