Richard Verschoor’s strong starting position for the Formula 2 main race in Monza has gone up in smoke. The Dutchman initially qualified second, but received a hefty penalty after causing a red flag. As a result, he will start in fourteenth place on Sunday.
During the qualification in Monza, Verschoor lost control of his MP Motorsport vehicle. He crashed into the wall, causing a red flag and prematurely ending the session. After investigation, the stewards concluded that there were no external factors or technical problems, and that the Dutchman was solely responsible for the interruption. This means he violated Article 33.5 of the F2 regulations. His fastest lap was therefore scrapped, causing Verschoor to fall from the first starting row to the fourteenth position.
The blow has hit Verschoor hard, who is currently third in the championship, nineteen points behind leader Leonardo Fornaroli. The Italian also had a less than perfect qualification and will start from the ninth position on Sunday. With three race weekends left, the title fight is still wide open, but Verschoor will have to attack aggressively in the Temple of Speed to limit the damage.
