Formula Regional Asia Race 2 as it happened 13.02.2022: Formula Regional Asian Championship Certified by FIA Dubai Autodrome - round 4 The drama began off the start in Race 2, when Dilano van’t Hoff stalled on the grid but the field behind expertly avoided contact. Seventeen-year-old pole-

Formula Regional Asian Championship Certified by FIA
Dubai Autodrome - round 4




The drama began off the start in Race 2, when Dilano van’t Hoff stalled on the grid but the field behind expertly avoided contact. Seventeen-year-old pole-sitter Rookie Francesco Braschi’s advantage was short-lived though as he, Patrik Pasma and Ollie Bearman blasted three-abreast into Turn 1. Pasma emerged in the lead chased by Bearman, with Braschi already coming under fire from Jak Crawford, Gabriele Minì and Pepe Marti.



Just five minutes in, the safety car was called out when Rookie Hamda Al Qubaisi’s car stopped on the main straight. At the restart, Pasma immediately pulled clear of the chasing pack and soared untroubled to the flag to become the eighth driver to win a race in the 2022 season, crossing the line with a more than seven second margin.



Behind the Finn, however, the battle was on for the remaining podium places and precious championship points. As the field was released, Braschi came under immediate fire from Crawford, the battling pair allowing Minì to close right up. The fight for second continued until the American finally found a way past Braschi, with Marti also getting by and up to fourth and Minì dropping to seventh behind Braschi and Arthur Leclerc.



With 12 minutes remaining and with fire in his belly, Crawford set the fastest lap of the race in his pursuit of Bearman up ahead, closing down the gap and determined to find a way past. Bearman resisted though, with lap after lap of defensive driving to keep the Red Bull Junior at bay, with a watchful Marti ready for his chance to pounce should either make an error.




In the thrilling final metres to the flag, Bearman and Crawford stormed towards the finish line side-by-side, the Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema driver inching ahead at the flag to take second from the 16-year-old Ferrari Driver Academy Briton. Fourth overall and second Rookie was Marti, ahead of Leclerc, Michael Belov, Minì, Paul Aron, Lorenzo Fluxá and Pierre Louis Chovet taking the final points. In what was a remarkable recovery after stalling on the grid and dropping to the back of the field, Hoff was the third of the Rookie Cup finishers, 13th overall.



In the Master Cup, BlackArts Racing’s Thomas Luedi took his second win of the season after Salih Yoluç was handed a post-race 10 second time penalty. That also promoted Khaled Al Qubaisi to second, with Yoluç third.




 Nikki Kemp - photo FRAC