FIA F.2 Championship, Monte Carlo, Sprint Race Report

Trident Motorsport away from the points zone in Monaco
 
The FIA Formula 2 Championship started its fifth round of the season on the scenic Monte Carlo street circuit with the running of the Sprint Race. In the qualifying session, Trident Motorsport took P22 with Roman Staněk, who was penalized three positions for contact with a contender, and P16 with Clément Novalak, who showed better chemistry with the track, having raced there one year ago. Both Trident Motorsport cars got off to a good start as the lights went out.
 
On the opening lap, while attacking another driver, Novalak overshot the braking at the Chicane, hitting the car in front of him. He was thus assessed a ten-second penalty. Speeding in the pit-lane, where the Frenchman got his front wing replaced, cost Novalak another five seconds penalty that definitely compromised his race, which ended in P17. Stanek, who started last, finished on the verge of the top 10 in P13, in a comeback run in which he showed a convincing race pace. The Feature Race, which will conclude the fourth round of the FIA Formula 2 Championship season, is scheduled tomorrow at 9:40 a.m. local time.
 
Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager, Sprint Race quote
 
"Our drivers finished today's race outside the points zone. Novalak, who had shown promising chemistry for the track in qualifying, had contact during the first lap and a violation in the pit lane when he boxed to change the front wing.  The two incidents cost him a 15-second penalty, which ruined his race. After contact in qualifying with a competitor, Staněk started from the last position on the grid with minimal chances to move up on this circuit. I think 13th place is the best he could have aspired to. However, his pace was solid and definitely promising for tomorrow's Feature Race. We will now evaluate different strategies with the goal of allowing our drivers to move up in tomorrow's race."