The Formula to success - Demonstrated by Zak O'Sullivan

The Williams junior, Zak O'Sullivan, took a stunning maiden feature race podium and win at the Principality of Monaco; finally kick starting his rookie campaign. But this wasn't you're average Monaco victory. Zak O'Sullivan lined up P15 on the grid, on a track not exactly being famous for it's overtakes in modern Motorsport.

Strategies down the grid were split. Some, Like Gabriel Bortoleto and Oliver Bearman, began the race on the Supersoft tyres, with the majority of runners on the softs. This of course meant that they could gain positions early on with the extra grip and purchase offered to them; proven when Bearman jumped from P12 on the grid to P7 in the early laps. Being on the softer rubber also meant that they'd would have to enter the pits for a change of rubber much sooner than their competitors. However, this wasn't the disadvantage that it seemed it would be; with multiple soft runners leaping into the pit lane early on to cover off a loss of track position to said Supersoft runners.

After these pit stops, Richard Verschoor dropped through the pack after leading the Feature race up until that point, suffering from a Mechanical issue which inevitably forced him to retire. This put Isack Hadjar in prime position to take the Feature race win, exercising his superior pace to those behind, building an 8 second gap to Paul Aron by the end of the race. However, not all soft runners pit early for track position.

Juan Manuel Correa was one of these drivers, who started P16 for DAMS, extended his first stint, coming out of the pitlane and slotting just behind Oliver Bearman; who at that point of the race was on for a podium finish. Another man on the same strategy was Zak O'Sullivan, who started P15, who was left out right up until the final few laps by his ART team, hoping for a form of intervention that could secure them their first podium of the season, and possibly race win.

And just as they had hoped, on lap 40 of 42, Joshua Duerkson caused a collision with Zane Maloney while exiting the pit lane; causing a VSC. Yet, in Formula 2, you cannot make your mandatory pit stop under a VSC. So how did Zak O'Sullivan get away with it? ART foresaw the VSC happening, and thankfully being in the final part of the third sector, were able to bring O'Sullivan into the pit lane moments before a VSC was called, allowing him to not only make his mandatory pit stop, but to also gain from the effects of the VSC; resulting in him filtering out still in the race lead and in front of a distraught Isack Hadjar.

This result rocketed O'Sullivan to seventh in the Drivers standings, on 40 points. The rest of the grid also saw a change in championship leader, that being Paul Aron replacing the prior championship leader of Zane Maloney, who dropped down to third; succeeded by Isack Hadjar , just 2 points behind Paul Aron.

F2 Drivers Standings after Monaco