Rodin Motorsport’s Zane Maloney set the pace in a thrilling Formula 2 practice session at Monza, overcoming intense competition and technical setbacks for his rivals. The session, which lasted 45 minutes, was marked by a flurry of fast laps, with Maloney emerging as the quickest driver in the closing stages.
The practice began under a virtual safety car, delaying the initial lap times. Joshua Duerksen set the first benchmark with a 1:52.248, but the times quickly tumbled as the track conditions improved. Maloney was among the early pace-setters, posting a 1:50.232, with Prema Racing’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Virtuosi Racing’s Gabriel Bortoleto close behind.
As the session progressed, the times continued to drop, with Prema’s Ollie Bearman setting an early competitive time of 1:44.104. Meanwhile, AIX Racing’s debutant Niels Koolen impressed by briefly holding second place before being overtaken by ART Grand Prix’s Zak O’Sullivan and Victor Martins.
The real battle for supremacy began around the nine-minute mark when Maloney set a 1:35.440, only for Bearman to better it with a 1:34.751. Zak O’Sullivan soon joined the fray, taking the top spot with a 1:34.577, as Roman Stanek of Trident and Campos Racing’s championship leader Isack Hadjar struggled to get their laps in. Stanek, in particular, faced technical issues that kept him in the pits for much of the session.
Maloney wasn’t done yet, though, as he continued to push the limits, recording a 1:34.060 before being narrowly beaten by Richard Verschoor by just 0.048s. The battle for the top spot saw constant changes, with Hitech GP’s Paul Aron and Bortoleto also making their presence felt.
Despite the intense competition, Maloney kept improving, setting a 1:33.381 before finally being outpaced by MP Motorsport’s Dennis Hauger, who posted a 1:33.209. Maloney responded once more, ending the session with an impressive 1:32.385, securing his position at the top.
In the final minutes, Gabriel Bortoleto came close, finishing just 0.149s behind Maloney, while Zak O’Sullivan and Richard Verschoor also showed strong pace. However, the session was brought to a premature end by red flags when Stanek, who had finally returned to the track, pulled off just before the Ascari chicane.
Maloney’s performance in Monza’s practice session sets the stage for an exciting weekend, as he continues to prove himself as a formidable contender in this year’s FIA Formula 2 Championship.
Stay tuned to InsideF2.com for all the latest updates and coverage from the Monza race weekend.
Image: FML
