Joy for Barbados as Zane Maloney claims first F2 career pole

30th August 2024

Bajan ace delivers a clutch performance amid chaos in Italy

Bajan Zane Maloney claimed his first F2 career pole after a chaotic session at the Italian Grand Prix with a time of 1:32.160, reports Damian Hall.

With just a minute to go and his previous flying laps repeatedly interrupted, Maloney, affectionately dubbed ‘The Boy From Barbados,’ dug deep and delivered an incredible final push, etching his name into the F2 record books.

The session, initially scheduled for 30 minutes, was heavily truncated due to two red flag incidents. Unlike typical circumstances, the clock continued to run during these stoppages, as

F1 practice, which was up next, took priority on the schedule, adding to the tension.

Maloney’s final timed lap was nothing short of spectacular; however, it didn’t come easily. 

With just 16 minutes left in the session, ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins triggered a red flag after an error in the first Lesmo corner, bringing Maloney’s momentum to a grinding halt.

As the clock kept ticking, Prema Racing’s Kimi Antonelli, fresh off a crash in Formula 1’s first free practice, held the fastest time, intensifying the pressure on Maloney and the rest of the field.

After the session resumed, with about 12 minutes remaining, chaos struck again when Gabriel Bortoleto of Invicta Racing ran wide into the first Lesmo, burying his car in the gravel and triggering another red flag. The stoppage lasted just over 4 minutes, leaving only 7 minutes on the clock and 10 drivers, including Maloney, still without a recorded lap time.

As Maloney lines up at the front of the grid on Sunday [Sep 1], all eyes will be on him as he seeks to convert this pole into a third career victory.

Starting the race behind him, will be Campos Racing’s Isack Hadjar starting in 2nd, with Hi-tech Pulse-Eight’s Paul Aron in 3rd.

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