Podium In Imola For Jehan
IMOLA, April 24, 2022:
India’s racing champion Jehan Daruvala narrowly missed out on victory on 23rd April, 2022, with the Red Bull-backed racer coming away with a second-placed finish in the Sprint race of the Formula 2 championship’s Imola round.
23-year-old Jehan started third and rocketed off the line to slot into second behind Marcus Armstrong, who took the lead. Jehan kept the position through an early safety car and then a subsequent Virtual Safety Car period before unleashing his pace. Overtaking proved to be tricky on the narrow Imola track, Jehan crossed the line 1.4 seconds behind the Hitech driver. His Prema team mate Dennis Hauger was third, completing a double podium for the Italian team on home soil.
His second-place in Imola was Jehan’s third podium from as many rounds this season and 10th overall in Formula 2. It also lifted him to third in the overall drivers’ standings. Jehan followed up his podium with a points-paying finish in the Feature race, with the Red Bull-backed racer showing blistering pace to bounce back from an ill-timed safety car. Despite the safety car misfortune, Jehan remained unfazed and proved he had the pace to win.
Having started eighth, Jehan moved into the lead on lap 9, reeling off a series of consecutive fastest laps. He stayed in the lead for more than half the race and charged back up to ninth, after his pitstop had dropped him down to 14th. He also had the fastest lap of the race.
Jehan is the only driver to have to have finished on the podium in every round this season, and is also the lead Red Bull Junior in the standings. The fourth round of the Formula 2 championship will be held at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from May 20th to May 22nd, alongside the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix.
