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Qualifying report

Bahrain F2: Zhou takes pole but under investigation

A late effort from Guanyu Zhou topped a truncated FIA Formula 2 qualifying in Bahrain to secure the feature race pole position.

Guanyu Zhou, Uni-Virtuosi Racing

Guanyu Zhou, Uni-Virtuosi Racing

Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

The UNI Virtuosi driver saved his best until the final moments of qualifying to post a 1:42.848 to pip Alpine Academy rival Christian Lundgaard by three thousandths of a second.

Zhou’s effort to edge Lundgaard in a frantic end to the 30 minute session not only secured pole for Race 3, but also ensured he took four valuable championship points.

However, this all remains provisional as there was even more drama at the end of the session, as Zhou triggered an FIA investigation for taking the chequered flag twice in the session. 

As previously reported, the new weekend formats will see the top 10 from this session reversed on the grid for Saturday’s Race 1, while positions 11-22 are locked in as normal.

The full results from today’s qualifying session will form the grid for Sunday’s feature race. 

As a result of this format change, David Beckmann, who finished 10th, is on reverse grid pole position for Race 1.

The session started in a frantic fashion with a flurry of banker laps, quickest of those in the first 10 minutes was the 1:43.315s effort from practice pacesetter Felipe Drugovich which pipped Christian Lundgaard (ART Grand Prix) and Jehan Daruvala (Carlin).

Drugovich remained on top as the session reached its halfway point and teams began to gear up for second runs.

Although late to appear from the garage, Zhou made the most of an off sequence maiden run on a clear track to jump to provisional pole by 0.022s, courtesy of an 1:43.293s lap with 13 minutes remaining. 

It proved to be a disastrous end to the session for Shwartzman as he suddenly lost power and came trundling to a stop at the final corner, while occupying fifth. The stricken Prema brought out the red flag with six minutes remaining.

A frantic final five minutes of the session unfolded following the stoppage and it was Lundgaard who struck first as he jumped to the top of the times by half a second with an impressive effort. 

Although, not to be outdone, Zhou responded with a late effort to take the provisional pole.

Drugovich ended the session in third ahead of Carlin’s Dan Ticktum, while Hitech Grand Prix’s Juri Vips snared fifth.

Another driver to improve late on was MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor, who took sixth in front of Carlin’s Jehan Daruvala.

Prema Racing’s Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson (Hitech Grand Prix) and Beckmann rounded out the top 10, which will be reversed for Race 1. 

Meanwhile title favourite Shwartzman will start Race 1 and 3 from 12th after his mechanical issue in qualifying. 

Trident’s Bent Viscaal, who was 26th fastest, is also facing an FIA investigation for a possible pit lane infringement. 

Saturday’s opening sprint race of the season is due to begin at 1025 GMT. 

Qualifying results:

Cla # Driver Team Time Gap
1 3 China Guanyu Zhou
United Kingdom UNI-Virtuosi 1'42.848
2 9 Denmark Christian Lundgaard
France ART Grand Prix 1'42.851 0.003
3 4 Brazil Felipe Drugovich
United Kingdom UNI-Virtuosi 1'43.211 0.363
4 5 United Kingdom Dan Ticktum
United Kingdom Carlin 1'43.338 0.490
5 8 Estonia Jüri Vips
United Kingdom HitechGP 1'43.441 0.593
6 11 Netherlands Richard Verschoor
Netherlands MP Motorsport 1'43.443 0.595
7 6 India Jehan Daruvala
United Kingdom Carlin 1'43.475 0.627
8 2 Australia Oscar Piastri
Italy Prema Powerteam 1'43.478 0.630
9 7 New Zealand Liam Lawson
United Kingdom HitechGP 1'43.519 0.671
10 14 Germany David Beckmann
Czech Republic Charouz Racing System 1'43.559 0.711
11 10 France Theo Pourchaire
France ART Grand Prix 1'43.585 0.737
12 1 Russian Federation Robert Shwartzman
Italy Prema Powerteam 1'43.694 0.846
13 21 Switzerland Ralph Boschung
Spain Campos Racing 1'43.704 0.856
14 17 New Zealand Marcus Armstrong
France DAMS 1'43.729 0.881
15 16 Israel Roy Nissany
France DAMS 1'43.768 0.920
16 24 Netherlands Bent Viscaal
Italy Trident 1'43.839 0.991
17 12 Germany Lirim Zendeli
Netherlands MP Motorsport 1'43.955 1.107
18 15 Brazil Guilherme Samaia
Czech Republic Charouz Racing System 1'44.227 1.379
19 25 Japan Marino Sato
Italy Trident 1'44.654 1.806
20 22 Italy Matteo Nannini
HWA Racelab 1'44.825 1.977
21 20 Brazil Gianluca Petecof
Spain Campos Racing 1'45.053 2.205
22 23 Italy Alessio Deledda
HWA Racelab 1'46.712 3.864

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