Barnard bags first Formula 2 win after red flag and restart · RaceFans

Taylor Barnard converted reverse-grid pole to victory for AIX in Monaco despite a late restart after a crash at Rascasse partially blocked the track.

He held onto the lead at the start of the race ahead of McLaren junior Gabriel Bortoleto and remained there throughout.

The AIX driver secured his first win in the series and first podium, having never previously finished higher than 13th. Dennis Hauger took the final podium position in third, ahead of Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Championship leader Zane Maloney triggered a red flag in the closing stages when he ran into the back of Zak O’Sullivan at Sainte Devote, causing a chain reaction that left Maloney and Kush Maini blocking the circuit. With no room for cars to navigate through the scene, the race was stopped and restarted with six laps remaining. Barnard held onto the lead at the rolling restart and pulled away to win by just over five seconds from Bortoleto in second.

Hauger claimed the final podium position in third ahead of Antonelli and Franco Colapinto in fifth. Roman Stanek took sixth with Paul Aron gaining to within three points of Maloney in the championship thanks to seventh. Isack Hadjar, Enzo Fittipaldi and Williams junior O’Sullivan completed the points positions.

Victor Martins was an unfortunate retirement at the start after getting caught between two cars on the run to Sainte Devote, losing his front wing and crashing into the barriers. After a brief Safety Car period, Red Bull junior Pepe Marti crashed out at the Swimming Pool, triggering a second Safety Car interruption in the opening ten laps.

Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman clattered the wall at Anthony Noghes midway through the race, appearing to suffer damage, but was able to continue. He lost several places when his power unit cut out at Portier later on in the race but finished just outside of the points in 11th.

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Formula 2 Monaco race one results