Theo Pourchaire has claimed pole position for the Formula 2 Feature race at Monza following a chaotic qualifying session.
In a session that at times resembled velodrome cycling than motor racing, drivers were more concerned with picking up a tow than setting a time.
That built to an absurd level in the closing minutes when the pack battled as though it were the opening lap of the race just to start their final flying lap.
Most were, predictably, compromised as a result which meant Pourchaire’s lap from earlier in the session proved the benchmark over Oli Bearman and Roman Stanek.
It was a session that once again drew into question the format employed by Formula 2 with the likes of Jack Doohan and Ayumu Iwasa outside of the top 10 – their weekend’s heavily compromised and, in the case of Doohan’s title ambitions, likely now over.
Making matters worse was that the circuit was silent for the opening five minutes, except for Clement Novalak, who completed an installation lap as it began.
The field finally followed suit six minutes later, offering a glimpse of the stupidity that would follow as they returned to the lane in an attempt to gain a tow themselves while simultaneously not offering one to a rival.
As a result, more than 10 minutes of the 30-minute session elapsed before anyone began any meaningful running.
That saw Victor Martins provisionally fastest with a 1:32.423s, Jack Doohan’s initial effort leaving him ninth, 0.5s off the pace.
Following a cool-down lap, the field pushed on again with Theo Pourchaire usurping Martins, whose lap was deleted for track limits, with a 1:32.328s.
A mistake from Zane Maloney at Variante Roggia saw him bounce through the gravel, littering the circuit with stones in the process.
Martins fell to fourth, while Doohan was 12th after the initial runs.
Again, the circuit fell silent as drivers sat in the lane, none prepared to head out alone.
Just three minutes remained when they did, but again trundling around for an installation lap but again unwilling to accelerate away and head the queue.
It left little time for the pack to make it back to the line in time to start a lap, a point they appeared to realise when they got to Lesmos.
Chaos ensued, drivers running four wide into the Parabolica in an attempt to start a timed lap.
Most didn’t make it, with almost all compromised the start of the lap for any who did make the line.
Ralph Boschung was not in the pack, the Swiss driver 15th on the provisional standings but in free air, half a lap clear of the group.
He rose to 10th and reverse grid pole, provisionally, though others remained on a lap.
Doohan was not among them, leaving the Australian languishing in 14th while Pourchaire held on to the pole.
A handful of others improved, though there were no major changes as the field was more preoccupied with gaining a tow than setting a lap time.
That left Pourchaire clear of Bearman on the front row for Sunday, with Stanek third, while Bosching will line up on pole for Saturday’s Sprint race.
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