Practice-
MP Motorsport’s Oliver Goethe was fastest in the Spielberg Free Practice, completing a 1:16.978 to lead the way by 0.07s to Nikola Tsolov, with Alexander Dunne a further tenth behind in third.
After the early installation laps, the fast time began as Gabriele Mini set the pace on a 1:17.384 – 0.080s ahead of Kush Maini in second.
On the next set of push laps, it was Mini’s MP teammate Goethe that led the way. The German’s 1:16.978 put him on top by 0.250s to Tsolov.
Tsolov improved on his next lap but remained in second. However, the Campos Racing driver had closed to within 0.070s of P1.
Rafael Camara then set the fastest first sector but he, like the rest of his rivals was forced to abandon his lap and return to the pitlane with the Red Flags being waved.
Cian Shields had run wide through the gravel at the exit of Turn 6 before spinning into a stoppage, with the marshals needing to clear his AIX Racing car from the track.
The green light was on with less than 25 minutes to go, but the teams waited a little longer before sending their cars out.
The drivers started to return to the track with just under 20 minutes to go although there were no instant improvements.
Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak jumped up from P11 to sixth but was demoted to seventh once Noel Leon moved up to P4 later on.
Long run pace was the focus for several meaning there was no changes to the timesheets, with Goethe leading the way ahead of Tsolov and Dunne.
Qualifying-
Campos Racing’s Noel Leon took his first ever Aramco Pole Position Award in the afternoon’s Spielberg Qualifying, beating Alexander Dunne and teammate Nikola Tsolov to P1.
The Mexican rookie used an empty track to his advantage to complete a 1:15.544, beating Dunne by over a tenth to take pole.
It was a great start for Campos with Leon leading Tsolov by just 0.015s in an early 1-2 for the team thanks to a 1:16.283.
The drivers were able to push on for second laps on their Supersoft tyres and Leon improved to put 0.179s between him and Tsolov.
But he was soon demoted to P2 by Rafael Camara, who went P1 with a 1:16.062.
The Invicta Racing driver led a small group of cars at the top of the timesheets than returned to the pitlane after their second lap, with a few drivers down the order choosing to do one more.
While the rest of his rivals waited in the pitlane, Leon returned to the track on a new set of Supersofts to complete a 1:15.544 – 0.508s quicker than Camara.
The Campos driver returned to the pitlane after that lap, while the other 21 cars came out on track, watching on as his rivals set personal best sector times.
But nobody could match Leon, with Dunne going the closest, 0.129s behind in P2.
They pushed on for second laps but Leon’s time went unbeaten giving him his maiden FIA Formula 2 pole position.
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