2024F2Bahrain

F2: Maloney completes Bahrain double after claiming Feature Race victory

73 maloney celebs.jpgBAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - MARCH 02: Race winner Zane Maloney of Barbados and Rodin Motorsport (5) celebrates in parc ferme during the Round 1 Sakhir Feature race of the Formula 2 Championship at Bahrain International Circuit on March 02, 2024 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Joe Portlock - Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images)

Zane Maloney took his second victory of the weekend after coming through from third to take a dominant win in the first Feature Race of the season at the Bahrain International Circuit.

The Sauber Academy driver rarely looked troubled on his way to victory as Josep María Martí finished second for Campos Racing. His fellow rookie Paul Aron scored his first Formula 2 podium after coming through from 12th to finish third for Hitech Pulse-Eight.

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It was an action-packed opening lap that saw the front row starters Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar collide at Turn 1. Hadjar was spun around and left stranded in the middle of the road leaving Enzo Fittipaldi with nowhere else to go but into the Frenchman, knocking both out of the race.

But once the action got going Maloney put his strong pace to use to cross the line four and a half seconds ahead of his nearest rival. ART Grand Prix and Williams Academy Driver Zak O’Sullivan dropped out of the podium positions late on as he finished fourth.

He beat Bortoleto – who was handed a 10-second penalty for his part in the incident with Hadjar – in a drag race across the line with the Invicta Racing driver finishing fifth.

The second Williams-backed driver in the field, Franco Colapinto, finished sixth for MP Motorsport, ahead of the Alpine Academy prospect Kush Maini.

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Dennis Hauger finished in eighth place in the second MP car, ahead of Rodin Motorsport rookie Ritomo Miyata. Mercedes protégé and PREMA Racing newcomer Andrea Kimi Antonelli ended up 10th to score his first Formula 2 point.

For a full in-depth report of the FIA Formula 2 Feature Race, visit the F2 website here.