Maloney wins first F2 race of 2024 season

Zane Maloney won the first Formula 2 race of 2024 this evening, held in support of this year’s Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Rodin Motorsport driver from Barbados took the chequered flag after a thrilling 23-lap sprint.

Following a quick getaway, Maloney gradually fought his way to the front and then built a comfortable gap towards the chequered flag.

Maloney took the lead on lap eight and was more than two seconds clear heading into the home stretch. He added to his advantage, going four seconds in front with five laps to go, and finished with a winning time of 42 minutes 13.726 seconds.

Maloney was 5.490 seconds ahead of runner-up and reverse grid pole-sitter Jak Crawford of DAMS Lucas Oil, while Josep Maria Marti of Campos Racing took the final podium place 7.057s behind.

Isack Hadjar of Campos Racing was fourth, Paul Aron of Hitech Pulse-Eight fifth, Gabriel Bortoleto of Invicta Racing sixth, Zak O’Sullivan of ART Grand Prix seventh, and Dennis Hauger of MP Motorsport in eighth as the final points winner.

The stage is now set for the F2 Feature Race, scheduled for 1.30pm Saturday, with Bortoleto on pole. His Invicta Racing teammate Kush Maini was originally in the leading grid spot for the 32-lap event, but he was disqualified from Thursday’s qualifying, promoting Bortoleto.