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Megan White

F2 Spa: Doohan beats Drugovich for maiden feature race win

The Virtuosi driver started fourth before a great launch moved him up to second by Turn 1, with an undercut at the pitstops putting him ahead of his MP Motorsport rival.

Despite polesitter Drugovich closing in as Doohan tackled traffic, the Australian held fast to cross the line almost two seconds ahead of the Brazilian.

Drugovich’s second place finish came as title rival Theo Pourchaire had a heartbreaking retirement on lap three, leaving the ART driver unable to score at a crucial juncture in the championship.

Liam Lawson finished in third to take his second podium of the weekend for Carlin, having started in sixth.

Doohan’s stellar weekend, having finished third in Saturday's sprint race, moves him up to fourth in the drivers’ standings behind Logan Sargeant and ahead of Lawson.

Enzo Fittipaldi, starting second on an all-Brazilian front row, missed out off the line as he was passed by Doohan, with David Beckmann moving up into fourth for Van Amersfoort Racing.

Podium: Jack Doohan, Felipe Drugovich, Liam Lawson (Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd)

Beckmann took third from Fittipaldi into Les Combes before the Charouz driver faced fierce competition from Lawson, running wide at the run-off and having to give the place back two laps later.

Richard Verschoor made it past Fittipaldi down the Kemmel Straight, before the latter pitted with Sargeant, Marcus Armstrong and Ralph Boschung at the end of lap seven.

Fittipaldi led those who had stopped back out on track, while Doohan ran one second behind Drugovich before their respective stops.

It was Doohan who pitted first, coming out ninth, with Drugovich following suit a lap later and emerging behind Doohan.

Further back, Fittipaldi and Lawson had a rematch of their earlier battle and an identical outcome but prompting frustration from the New Zealander.

By lap 14, Doohan had pulled a four second gap to Drugovich, but a battle with Amaury Cordeel for seventh on the road slashed his lead, bringing the Brazilian back into contention.

A brief tussle ensued at Les Combes, but Doohan held his lead before rebuilding his advantage to 1.3s by lap 18.

Jack Doohan, Virtuosi Racing (Photo by: Formula Motorsport Ltd)

Fittipaldi cleared Cordeel for sixth at Les Combes, but Verschoor, on an alternate strategy to most of the field, was on the charge, eventually passing Fittipaldi on lap 21 on the Kemmel Straight for fourth place.

Sargeant, who lined up third, settled for sixth, with Beckmann and Ayumu Iwasa (DAMS) in seventh and eighth respectively.

Juri Vips took ninth, having started last after a spin in qualifying, with Drugovich’s team-mate Clement Novalak claiming the final point from reigning FIA Formula 3 champion Dennis Hauger (Prema) on the final lap.

F2 Spa feature race result - 25 laps

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