FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPIONSHIP Round 2 – 27/28/29 April – Baku, Azerbaijan
After his successful start into his first F2-season with a podium finish in Bahrain, Max Günther had to fight off a string of bad luck during the entire weekend in Azerbaijan. On Friday electronic problems hampered his quali, followed by a penalty on the starting grid applied to both Arden cars. After making his way up the field right from the start, Max was forced to retire from the first race on Saturday after a competitor had hit his left rear wheel. As if that wasn’t enough bad luck, on Sunday he retired from the race because a plastic bag on the track, collected by his air intakes, led to overheating.
In any case, Max wouldn’t be Max if he didn’t put the Baku-weekend behind and look confidentially ahead. After this second F2 race weekend, Max has a total of 16 points and is 10th in the championship.
Max reviews race 2:
“I had to start the sprint race from the back due to the DNF on Saturday. But then I couldn’t get away due to problems with the gearbox electronics. The team did a great job and I was able to start from pitlane. However, it turned out a complete weekend of bad luck in the end: I was able to work my way up the field and gave everything I could, was already 15th when a stupid plastic bag that seemed to be blown around the track was caught in my air intakes. This of course affected the cooling of my engine and I was forced to retire due to overheating.
We now just have to look ahead and hope that we have used up all the season’s bad luck in this past weekend. Again we learned from the weekend and were able to collect some useful data. A big “Thank You” to the crew, they did a great job and worked hard and are at least as disappointed as I am. Together we move ahead – in two weeks’ time we are already in Barcelona, a track that I know, like and look forward to!”
BWT Arden Teammanager Kenny Kirwan:
“A very frustrating weekend for Maxi and the entire BWT Arden team. However, we come away from Baku with the knowledge that we have a very strong package for Barcelona in two weeks’ time. I have been very impressed by Maxi’s work ethic and approach this weekend.“
Max reviews race 1 (Saturday):
“After the penalty for our entire Arden Team, I had to start from P17. I managed a great start and was moving up the ranks, being within the top 10 already in the first corner when a competitor hit my left rear from behind. My tyre was sliced and I had a puncture that forced me to return to the pits.
During the pitstop and tyre change the team realised that my suspension was damaged and I was forced to retire.”