R01 Melbourne – FIA Formula 2 Race 1 Report – PREMA drivers cap powerful recovery with points finishes

Sebastian Montoya and Gabriele Minì handed PREMA Racing two valuable points finishes today in Melbourne, as the FIA Formula 2 Championship kicked off at the Albert Park circuit in southern Australia.

Montoya started from the 8th spot and maximized his position throughout the race, which featured two safety-car situations and challenging re-starts. The Colombian stayed out of trouble and made steady gains, eventually sealing off his maiden Formula 2 race with sixth place.

Minì delivered an exceptional run. After taking pole position yesterday, the Italian was penalized three positions on the starting grids of both races for impeding. Starting from P13, he put up a remarkable pace, overtaking several cars on track despite the lack of passing opportunities and securing the fastest lap, which comes with an extra point.

#9 SEBASTIAN MONTOYA
“We had a good sprint race. It’s a little nerve-wrecking when you start and see the big cars in front and not the F3s, but I followed the procedures for the start and it was good. I think the pace was there. I made a few small mistakes along the way and learned small things that I could change, so we really showed our speed at the end. I’m quite happy, and I’m looking to learn and understand a bit more for tomorrow.”

#10 GABRIELE MINÌ
“I got a pretty good start and overtook a few cars and it was quite a strong lap 1. We had a really really good pace straight away and tried to attack the cars in front. I then managed to catch the leading group, but I was a bit stuck in a DRS train. However, the pace was extremely strong and I also got the fastest lap, which comes with an extra point that never hurts. Let’s see what happens tomorrow.”