From leading Free Practice to a promising qualifying session turned upside down, our Monza weekend was a rollercoaster of pace, potential, and unpredictable outcomes. Richard Verschoor showcased resilience with two points finishes after a tricky Friday, while Oliver Goethe’s speed and racecraft went unrewarded following an unfortunate turn of events in both races. As the championship enters its final stretch, the team leaves Monza with solid learnings and determined momentum ahead of Baku.
Free Practice
The weekend started strong with Richard Verschoor topping the timesheets in Free Practice. Both drivers quickly got up to speed on the high-speed Monza circuit, known for its low-downforce configuration and crucial slipstream opportunities. Goethe looked sharp early on, briefly taking P1 before Richard clocked in an impressive 1:32.547 to go fastest overall.
Final Results:
Qualifying
With a warm track and clear pace from practice, the team headed into qualifying with confidence. Slipstream tactics played a huge role in the session as expected, with Richard and Ollie trading top times throughout. Both drivers looked quick from the outset, Richard sat within the top two for most of the session and Ollie placed himself in P5 after a solid first run.
However, on the final push lap, Verschoor, running without a tow, was on pace for P2 when a snap of oversteer sent him wide, resulting in a spin and contact with the barriers. Though unhurt, the red flag triggered by the crash saw his fastest time deleted, relegating him to P14 for both races. Goethe held his P5 qualifying, putting him in a strong position for the Sprint.
Final Results (Post red flag):
Sprint Race
Starting from P7 and P14 respectively due to the reverse grid format, both drivers got off the line with intent. Ollie quickly gained two positions by Lap 2, pushing into P5 and hunting down Arvid Lindblad.
Meanwhile, Richard made steady progress up to P12 before a safety car interrupted the momentum. On the restart, Richard surged forward and climbed into the points. Ollie, showing confident racecraft, moved up to P4 and was actively fighting for a podium. However, disaster struck on Lap 14 when Goethe ran wide out of Turn 2 and spun, dropping to P15. Richard, capitalized on his position to overtake Roman Stanek in Lap 19 and secure an important P5.
Sprint Race Results:
Feature Race
The Feature Race started with fireworks. Ollie launched brilliantly off the line, sweeping around the outside in Turn 1 to jump from P5 to P2 and, by Lap 3, overtook Browning to claim the race lead. Meanwhile, Richard gained early ground but remained caught in the mid-pack train battling for P8.
Oliver opted for an early pit stop in Lap 7, but laps later, a collision between Lindblad and Dunne triggered a Safety Car. Compromising Ollie’s strategy as rivals pitted under caution. Richard, who had also just boxed, rejoined near the back of the field in P18.
Another Safety Car bunched the field once more, offering a second chance. Richard moved up steadily to P14, then to P12 as more incidents unfolded. Ollie found himself in P7, but tyre degradation began to take its toll. By Lap 23, the two MP drivers were battling for P9, with Richard coming out ahead.
In the closing laps, Goethe’s tyres dropped off dramatically. A flat spot forced him to pit late, dropping him out of contention. Verschoor continued his charge and finished P8, salvaging more points from an otherwise turbulent race.
Feature Race Results:
Looking Ahead
While Monza tested us with circumstances outside our control, our pace and potential were undeniable. Richard delivered another pair of points finishes with clean, calculated racing, and Ollie’s early race leadership showed he’s ready to challenge at the front. With only three rounds remaining, the push to the finish is officially on. Next stop: Baku, where we aim to return to the top step.
