PREMA, Bearman capture first win of 2024
Ollie Bearman handed PREMA Racing its first win of the year today at Spielberg in the Sprint Race for the FIA Formula 2 Championship at the Austrian circuit. The Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy member started from the front row of the reverse grid and drove away from the field early.
As he managed his tyres during the race, Bearman kept competitors at bay to lead every single lap in extremely hot conditions. It was his fifth FIA F2 career win and a positive result for the whole team, hoping to build momentum ahead of tomorrow's Feature Race.
On the other hand, Kimi Antonelli faced a tough race in the middle of the pack. The Italian was stuck with little chance of improvement due to an engine power issue. In addition, running in dirty air and in a DRS train also prevented him from making gains.
#3 - Ollie Bearman
"We got the Sprint Race victory here in Spielberg. Of course, it's just a Sprint Race but I'm happy to be back on the top step of the podium as it's been a while, and it's the first podium of the year for the team as well. It's great to get a good result for them, hopefully, it's a boost for morale and we can start some momentum from here. The car felt really good compared to yesterday, so I think we made a good step. Let's keep pushing and start a good momentum in the championship."
#4 - Kimi Antonelli
"It's a shame that we had engine issues since lap 1, with quite a big loss of power in the straights. That made my life very difficult as I wasn't really able to attack. Still, the car was feeling much better to drive and that's the positive thing. Without the issue, I think we could have come back inside the top 10, so we'll see what we can do tomorrow, as with strategy we can also gain some places."