Baku, no points despite a very promising start

The FIA Formula 2 Championship kicked off its twelfth round of the season on the fast Baku street circuit, where the junior series drivers’ competed in the Sprint Race today. In qualifying, the Trident Motorsport drivers put in a convincing performance.

Making his debut in the category after a season in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, Martinius Stenshorne posted the eighth fastest time. Meanwhile, rookie Laurens Van Hoepen, was unable to improve beyond the twentieth fastest time after being slowed by a rival at the crucial moment of qualifying.

At the start, Stenshorne got off to a strong kick-off from fourth place, taking advantage of the top ten-reversed grid. However, several collisions occurred in the midfield, forcing the deployment of the safety car. The nineteen-year-old Norwegian not only mastered the delicate restart phase from third place, but immediately attempted to threaten those ahead of him.

Stenshorne, with a clever move, then grabbed second place on lap seven. Unfortunately, on the following lap, the Trident Motorsport driver slowed significantly due to an exhaust issue beyond the team's control, ultimately resulting in his car being parked trackside, without power.

Laurens Van Hoepen also performed well in his FIA Formula 2 Championship debut. The twenty-year-old from Rotterdam, forced to start from the back of the field, quickly made his way through the pack, avoiding the turmoil at the start. The Trident Motorsport driver steadily climbed the standings until reaching sixteenth place. Unfortunately, an additional pit stop to remove dirt kicked up by other cars near the end of the race forced Van Hoepen to finish seventeenth. Given the strong performance in the Sprint Race, the outlook for tomorrow's race is positive.

For the Feature Race, the Trident Motorsport drivers will also be able to take advantage of the mandatory pit stop to try to differentiate their strategy and aim for the points.

Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager: "A real shame. Martinius Stenshorne was having a great race: starting fourth, he managed to make up two positions and was closing in on the leader. After a promising start, an exhaust system broke, a component not under the team's control, forcing him to retire. It's a real shame because Stenshorne's pace was competitive and there was a real chance of fighting for the win. The mechanics will do their utmost to repair the car in preparation for tomorrow's Feature Race. Laurens Van Hoepen's result was influenced by his qualifying result. The Dutch driver gave his all to recover, but had to stop because he picked up dirt and leaves kicked up by the other cars."