F2: Latifi controls DAMS dominated Free Practice

Nicholas Latifi
Nicholas Latifi

DAMS duo Nicholas Latifi and Sergio Sette Camara dominated the penultimate Free Practice session of the FIA Formula 2 season, as the pair attempt to keep their Championship hopes alive in Sochi. The Canadian came out on top of their battle for first, as both drivers finished ahead of Championship leader Nyck de Vries, in third.

The sun was bearing down onto the Sochi Autodrom circuit, as Mahaveer Raghunathan unleashed his MP Motorsport machine onto the track first, setting the initial time at just under 2 minutes. Having warmed up his tires, Sette Camara immediately slashed this to 1m 50s.

The Brazilian racer was backed up by Trident pair Giuliano Alesi and Ralph Boschung, as Nicholas Latifi got blocked on his first flying lap. The Canadian’s second attempt was more successful and he claimed first from his teammate.

Sette Camara reacted with another searing lap and took the time down to 1:49.215, as the rivals engaged in a battle of their own at the top. Meanwhile, Carlin look to have carried over their pace from Monza, as Nobuharu Matsushita and Louis Deletraz nipped in at fourth and fifth.

De Vries joined his Championship rivals at the top, but his time of 1:49.410 fell short of the in-form DAMS’ cars ahead of him and he was forced to settle for third. Fellow title contender Luca Ghiotto was able to fly around for fourth fastest, before Latifi put his foot down to topple his teammate and steal P1.

It remained that way at the checkered flag, as Latifi led Sette Camara and De Vries. Ghiotto and Matsushita completed the top five, followed by Deletraz, Jack Aitken, Callum Ilott, Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher.

DAMS will hope to carry their pace advantage into Qualifying this evening, when action resumes at 5pm (local time).

Free Practice provisional classification

POS

DRIVER

TEAM

TIME

LAPS

1

Nicholas Latifi

DAMS

1:48.885

17

2

Sergio Sette Camara

DAMS

1:49.215

17

3

Nyck De Vries

ART Grand Prix

1:49.410

16

4

Luca Ghiotto

UNI-Virtuosi Racing

1:49.574

16

5

Nobuharu Matsushita

Carlin

1:49.587

20

6

Louis Deletraz

Carlin

1:49.775

20

7

Jack Aitken

Campos Racing

1:49.833

18

8

Callum Ilott

Sauber Junior Team by Charouz

1:50.011

17

9

Nikita Mazepin

ART Grand Prix

1:50.090

15

10

Mick Schumacher

PREMA Racing

1:50.126

19

11

Jordan King

MP Motorsport

1:50.307

15

12

Ralph Boschung

Trident

1:50.481

19

13

Sean Gelael

PREMA Racing

1:50.497

18

14

Guanyu Zhou

UNI-Virtuosi Racing

1:50.652

17

15

Giuliano Alesi

Trident

1:50.676

18

16

Matevos Isaakyan

Sauber Junior Team by Charouz

1:51.244

15

17

Tatiana Calderon

BWT Arden

1:51.758

13

18

Marino Sato

Campos Racing

1:52.164

18

19

Mahaveer Raghunathan

MP Motorsport

1:52.988

19

20

Artem Markelov

BWT Arden

1:53.244

10