Laurens van Hoepen fought his way to an impressive third place on the new Madring. The Dutchman started the Formula 2 sprint race from P4, engaged in thrilling battles with Noel León, and ultimately benefited from a spin by Tsolov to secure the podium.
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Laurens van Hoepen’s F2 qualifying on the new Madring in Madrid actually went quite well, but due to the chaotic session, which was interrupted several times by red flags, there might have been even more potential. For Saturday’s Sprint, the top ten are reversed, giving Van Hoepen a good starting position from P4.
Spin Tsolov
At the start of the sprint race, Laurens van Hoepen maintains his position and gets through the opening lap without damage. In lap nine, he is involved in a thrilling battle for the last podium spot. The Dutchman puts Noel León under great pressure and sees his chance at the chicane of turns 5 and 6. With a daring move, Van Hoepen dives on the inside and manages to pass the Mexican.
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But León does not give up easily. Coming out of the chicane, he stays alongside Van Hoepen’s Trident for a long time and strikes back. With a strong exit, León regains the position, putting Van Hoepen behind the Mexican again.
A few laps later, Van Hoepen gets a ‘free’ position when Tsolov spins. The safety car then bunches the field back together. In the final laps, Van Hoepen presses on Fittipaldi, but he cannot get close enough to attempt an overtaking move. Ultimately, the Dutchman drives to an impressive third place and can look back on the first of two races with satisfaction.
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