FORMULA 2: Ilott takes maiden pole in Italy

Ferrari F1 junior Callum Ilott took an emotional first ever pole positon in Formula 2 at Monza in the absence of his team mate Juan Manuel Correa, who was injured in last week’s Feature Race at Spa.

The Sauber Junior Team by Charouz racer was the sole representative for his team, and fittingly found an extra gear, to put in his best ever qualifying performance, which he later dedicated to Correa.

The Brit becomes just the second rookie to achieve a pole position this season, as Guanyu Zhou – the other rookie poleman – and Nikita Mazepin also made the top three.

Ilott mastered the wet conditions in a rain-hampered session in Italy, snatching P1 from the clutches of early pace setter and home hero Luca Ghiotto, who had previously topped Free Practice. The conditions got worse and much of the field struggled with the greasy track, which forced both Nobuharu Matsushita and Tatiana Calderon into session-ending spins.

Ilott will now be aiming for his maiden victory in the series when he tackles tomorrow’s Feature Race.

For full results and more news, visit the official F2 website.