Vips Takes Sprint Race Victory, Drugovich Champion Despite Retirement

Jüri Vips took victory in the Sprint race at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on Saturday, while Felipe Drugovich became the 2022 FIA Formula 2 champion despite retiring on the opening lap.

With Théo Pourchaire failing to score a top six finish, MP Motorsport’s Drugovich was declared the champion, even though a broken suspension following a first lap, second chicane tangle with Amaury Cordeel ended his afternoon.

Frederik Vesti led the way at the start for ART Grand Prix but contact between Charouz Racing System’s Tatiana Calderón and Campos Racing’s Olli Caldwell brought out the safety car, while Drugovich managed to get his damaged car back to the pit lane.

On the restart, Hitech Grand Prix’s Vips managed to get the jump on Vesti and took over the lead heading into turn one, while DAMS’ Ayuma Iwasa ran third, although the Japanese racer’s afternoon was about to start unravelling.

MP Motorsport’s afternoon ended with retirement for their second driver, Clément Novalak on lap nine, the Frenchman retiring in the pits with a broken front wing, caused after contact at the same place Drugovich suffered, at the second chicane.

Iwasa found himself relegated to fourth by Prema Racing’s Jehan Daruvala on lap ten, before Carlin’s Logan Sargeant moved into fourth just a lap later.  A few laps further on, Richard Verschoor attempted to pass Iwasa for fifth only for the Japanese racer to stay ahead by cutting the chicane, a move that would have consequences later on.

Pourchaire was trying his best to get into the top ten, but a trip through the gravel on lap fifteen as he battled with Liam Lawson saw him fall to the back of the field, and with him unable to better it ended the Frenchman’s title challenge.

Verschoor did find a way ahead of Iwasa, albeit by cutting the chicane, while Jack Doohan, Lawson and David Beckmann also followed suit.  A five-second time penalty for cutting the chicane and gaining an advantage then ended Iwasa’s chance of points, the penalty relegating him to sixteenth.

But up front Vips was in total control, with Vesti closing in on the Estonian in the final laps only to come up around a second short at the chequered flag. Daruvala completed the podium.

But the title now is wrapped up for Drugovich with three races to spare.  He would not have wanted to do it by watching the race from the pit wall, but he has been amazing all year long and really deserves the title.  He can now go into the rest of the season able to enjoy his racing as champion.

Autodromo Nazionale Monza Sprint Race Result