In an impressive display of skill and strategy, Jack Doohan secured his first victory of the season in a thrilling race at the Hungaroring. The Invicta Virtuosi Driver led every lap of the race, successfully fending off championship leader Frederik Vesti, while rookie sensation Victor Martins claimed the third spot on the podium, marking his sixth podium finish of the season.
The race commenced with a flawless start from pole-sitter Jack Doohan, who held onto his lead through Turn 1. Meanwhile, Frederik Vesti engaged in a fierce battle with Victor Martins as they navigated Turn 2, ultimately securing second place. This intense wheel-to-wheel duel between Vesti and Martins showcased the talent of the Alpine Academy drivers.
However, not all drivers had an equally fortunate start. Oliver Bearman, representing PREMA, faced a series of setbacks in the opening laps. He slipped from seventh to ninth place as Red Bull Juniors Enzo Fittipaldi and Dennis Hauger passed him. Another challenging contest was witnessed as Ferrari Academy Junior Juan Manuel Correa, racing for Van Amersfoort Racing, impressively gained five positions over multiple laps.
The first driver to make the mandatory pit stop was Zane Maloney, setting off a chain reaction of pit stops among the competitors. Maloney, driving for Rodin Carlin, also found himself engaged in an intense battle with fellow Red Bull Academy Junior Jak Crawford. This battle led to Maloney briefly running wide after being forced off the track, only to engage Crawford again in a thrilling showdown a few laps later.
Vesti’s pit stop placed him less than half a second ahead of Theo Pourchaire, his ART teammate. However, Victor Martins emerged from the pits ahead of Pourchaire, setting the stage for an intense intra-team battle. The championship fight transformed into a fierce duel between the teammates, with Martins defending his position aggressively, forcing Pourchaire wide off the track and collecting tire marbles. This maneuver left Pourchaire vulnerable to a charge from Isack Hadjar, who seized fifth place.
The final laps of the race at the Hungaroring witnessed multiple exciting battles for advantageous positions. One of the standout moments was the duel between Iwasa and Hadjar, with Iwasa executing a late lunge to claim fourth place. In a dramatic turn of events, Kush Maini spun out in the very last moments of the race following a hard-fought battle.
Jack Doohan delivered a race for the ages, commanding the track from start to finish, and even securing the fastest lap of the race. He opened up an impressive 9-second gap between himself and Vesti, clinching the Feature race victory in Hungary.
Frederik Vesti crossed the finish line in second place, followed closely by Victor Martins, Iwasa, and championship contender Theo Pourchaire, who had a challenging race at the Hungaroring, ultimately finishing in sixth position. Hauger finished ahead of Fittipaldi, Correa, and Verschoor, rounding off the top 10.
With this victory, Vesti extended his lead in the championship standings, now boasting an 11-point lead over Pourchaire, with 153 and 142 points, respectively. Ayumu Iwasa maintained his third-place position with 132 points, while Victor Martins overtook Oliver Bearman to secure fourth place and the top rookie title with 105 points. Jack Doohan’s impressive performance catapulted him to fifth place in the championship with 100 points, pushing Ollie Bearman down to sixth place.
In the Constructors’ Championship, PREMA Racing still leads the way, but ART Grand Prix has now equaled their points, both teams sitting at 247 points. Dams occupies the third spot with 171 points.
Race winner Jack Doohan expressed his satisfaction, saying, “Everything went according to plan today, with an amazing pit stop and a fantastic car. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Invicta Virtuosi, and I’m eagerly looking forward to the next race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps.”
These changes aim to provide a clearer and more engaging narrative of the race while offering a better structure for the article. Additionally, minor grammar and style improvements have been made for readability and flow.
