A week after a mixed weekend in England, Théo Pourchaire had another opportunity to close the gap in the championship. And he seized it, taking advantage of many twists and turns.
Having had races that were sometimes complicated due to tire degradation, Théo Pourchaire arrived motivated in Belgium. “The approach shouldn’t change too much, just try not to think too much about the championship and give my best. Every race is like a final,” he explained at the start of the weekend to Canal +.
On Saturday during the 18-lap sprint race, Théo put his words into action. Starting sixth in the sprint race ahead of his main championship rivals, the Frenchman had an excellent first lap. Capitalizing on Daruvala’s retirement while leading the race, he found himself 3rd, battling with Dennis Hauger right behind him. The Grassois held his position until the finish. Thanks to his eighth podium of the season, he regained 4 points on Frederik Vesti.
Vesti in the wall before the start of the main race
But it wasn’t over. While the drivers did not spare each other on the track, Frederik Vesti made a big mistake to the benefit of his opponents. To his detriment… As he exited the pit lane to join the starting grid, the Prema driver was caught off-guard on a wet track. As a result, he hit the wall and had to retire even before the start. A boon for Théo Pourchaire who capitalized on the opportunity. With an excellent start, the ART driver gained three positions and quickly found himself in second place. Behind, Ayumu Iwasa was involved in a collision further back in the pack and had to retire.
In this situation, Théo Pourchaire took no risks. Quicker than Oliver Baermann ahead of him, he was content to follow the pace of the Briton in front. By pitting at the same time as the leader, the mechanics also engaged in a fierce battle. And it was the French team that prevailed. Pourchaire took the lead upon exiting. However, this advantage was nullified a few laps later when the Safety Car entered the track. It was a lucky break for Jack Doohan who hadn’t pitted yet and emerged in second place. On soft tires, Théo Pourchaire was unable to resist.
The Grassois finally finished in second place and left as the championship leader at Spa with a 12-point lead. Enough to head into the holidays with peace of mind.
The next F2 appointment is at Zandvoort on August 27. There will only be three race weekends left…
