F2: Schumacher Ecstatic after first F2 win in Hungary

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Mick Schumacher waves to the crowd after claiming his first Formula 2 win in the Sprint Race at Hungary. © Getty Images

Prema’s Mick Schumacher claims his maiden Formula 2 victory in the Sprint Race in Hungary.

A consistent drive saw him hold off Carlin’s Nobuharu Matsushita and the DAMS of Sergio Sette Camara.

After finishing yesterday’s Feature Race in eighth place, Mick Schumacher lined-up on reverse grid pole for the second time this season.

Behind him followed Nobuharu Matsushita and Jordan King, with yesterday’s Feature Race winner Nicholas Latifi alongside championship rival Nyck de Vries on row four.

Schumacher Resists Matsushita at the Start

When the lights went out, Schumacher got a good start, but instantly moved to the right hand side to cover off a fast-starting Matsushita. Schumacher defended the inside line into Turn 1 as Matsushita tried to go round the outside.

However, Schumacher got his elbows out and held onto the lead, as Matsushita took to the run-off, leaving him vulnerable to an attack from Sergio Sette Camara into turn 2. Despite this, the Japanese driver managed to retain the position.

Behind them, King was in fourth, ahead of Jack Aitken, De Vries and Latifi, while Luca Ghiotto’s slow start saw him drop to ninth.

On Lap 5, Matsushita started to pile on the pressure on Schumacher and had gotten the gap to around a second, after setting the fastest lap. Three laps later, BWT’s Tatiana Calderon retired with broken suspension after contact with Campos’s Arjun Maini at Turn 1.

The field then settled down with minimal changes in the race, as the drivers conserved their tyres for the end of the race.

Camara Sends a Warning to Matsushita

On Lap 16, Camara began to hassle Matsushita and made a late DRS-assisted move down the inside of Turn 1.

The Brazilian seemed to have inherited second place, only for Matsushita fight back straight away and reclaim the position.

Onto Lap 18, and Ghiotto tried once again to overtake Nikita Mazepin for 8th, with both drivers running alongside each other on the run down to Turn 2.

Ghiotto squeezed Mazepin to the side of the track, who was forced onto the grass. As a result, now had track position, and more importantly, eighth place.

Callum Ilott then fancied his chances on a vulnerable Mazepin. A brilliant manoeuvre round the outside of Turn 2 gave the Briton ninth position.

Matsushita Hassles Schumacher for Victory

With 10 laps to go, Matsushita once again pressurised Schumacher for the lead. The Honda protege had closed the gap to around eight tenths of a second.

Mazepin started to struggle with tyre wear and continued to lose ground, as he was passed by Guanyu Zhou for tenth place.

Five laps from the finish, Matsushita was still within striking distance of Schumacher, as Camara dropped back. Regardless, the trio were still close together.

Elsewhere, De Vries was holding onto sixth ahead of Latifi and Ghiotto.

Schumacher Wins in Hungary

Mick Schumacher celebrates with the Prema Team after his breakthrough victory at the Hungaroring. Image sourced from @SchumacherMick via Twitter.

At the start of the final lap, Matsushita had DRS, but couldn’t get close enough to Schumacher at Turn 1. As a result, the German was able to manage the gap and win his first race in Formula 2.

The victory was welcomed, as his father Michael Schumacher won the Hungarian Grand Prix four times.

Nobuharu Matsushita and Sergio Sette Camara rounded out the podium. Meanwhile Jordan King held off fellow compatriot Jack Aitken for fourth.

Nyck de Vries extended his championship lead over Nicholas Latifi after beating the Canadian to sixth. Luca Ghiotto also claimed the last championship point in eighth.

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