Dennis Hauger has eased to victory in the Formula 2 Sprint race ahead of Ayumu Iwasa and Oliver Bearman.

A strong start was key, Hauger getting the upper hand over polesitter Kush Maini in the opening metres.

From there, he never looked back as he headed fellow Red Bull junior Iwasa to the flag by more than four seconds.

Oliver Bearman rounded out the podium as Maini fell to sixth, Jack Doohan holding on to 10th.

A poor start from Maini saw the pole sitter fall to third, Hauger taking the lead from Iwasa on the opening lap.

Doohan remained 10th in the opening exchanges before moving by championship leader Frederik Vesti on the second lap.

It was a strong move by the Australian, who hung it around the outside of Turn 3 to claim the inside line at Turn 4 after Vesti’s exit from the first corner was compromised after running over the exit kerb.

The race quickly settled down, Hauger opening a small gap over Iwasa who had a queue of cars trailing him – the 20 other cars all within a second of the car in front.

On Lap 12, the Virtual Safety Car was called upon after Ralph Boschung and Clement Novalak came together at the opening corner.

It sidelined the former, though he could pull its car to a marshal post such that it was quickly cleared.

Pourchaire capitalised, scything by Bearman at Turn 2 on Lap 14 to move up to fourth.

Having been a cork in the bottle, Maini finally lost third to Pourchaire at Turn 1 as they began Lap 24.

The Sauber-backed junior moved up the inside, parking on the apex to take the line and, with it, the final podium place.

Bearman too quickly found a way through, the pair sprinting clear of the train behind before engaging in their own private scrap.

The Englishman attacked into the opening corner on Lap 26, skating through under brakes into the right-hander before scampering out of DRS range.

Further back, Doohan lost out to Vesti as the Australian fell to 10th once more.

The pair were part of the train caught behind Maini, who was under attack from Jehan Daruvala in sixth.

Daruvala found a way by on the final lap as Maini struggled for pace; Martins monstered the pole sitter’s gearbox through the final corners, but could not make a move.

In the lead, Hauger won at a canter from Iwasa, with Bearman third, more than two seconds clear of Pourchaire in fourth.

Maini held on to fifth over Martins, while Doohan took the chequered flag 10th – he’ll start Sunday’s Feature race from pole.