Chloe Chambers took her first F1 Academy victory with a superb drive in race two at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Sunday.
American Chambers started from second place, but a superb launch off the line saw her pass Britain’s Abbi Pulling on the descent to Turn One.
From there, the Haas-affiliated driver took victory and prevailed 6.6 seconds ahead of Pulling, who held off a late challenge from Hamda Al Qubaisi.
“It’s amazing,” Chambers said. “I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve been working on this all year and we’re only halfway through the season, so to get it this early is a big boost for my confidence.
“I think the rest of this season has more wins in store for us and I can’t wait to see what happens.
“Yesterday my start wasn’t great, but today I focused on the start. I was able to take the lead, which was the best case scenario for me, so I’m really happy with that .
“It made my life easier to be at the front with the tire degradation and I managed the tires as best I could and set the fastest lap at the start of the race and then I managed from there and I continually built a gap with Abbi behind.
“It looked like an entertaining race, watching the TV screens around the track. I learned that trick from Fernando (Alonso)!”
Pulling, who won the first race in Spain, initially put Chambers under pressure from the start but began to struggle with tire degradation when Nerea Marti, Al Qubaisi and Dorianne Pin converged in the fight for second place.
Al Qubaisi made an excellent move to pass Marti on lap 12 as overtaking proved difficult at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and went on to take his first F1 Academy podium.
Mercedes junior Pin started third, but another poor start for a second consecutive day saw her fall to sixth place on the first lap and she could only climb back to fifth place.
Lia Block achieved her best result of the season with a sixth place after Bianca Bustamante received a five-second penalty for an early start.
Tina Hausmann finished eighth, Lola Lovinfosse ninth and Emely de Heus completed the top 10.
Result of the second race of the F1 Academy Barcelona
Sky Spanish GP schedule live from Sports F1
Sunday June 23
9 a.m.: F3 featured race
10:30 a.m.: F2 featured race
12:30 p.m.: Grand Prix Sunday: preparation for the Spanish GP
2:00 p.m.: The SPANISH GRAND PRIX
4 p.m.: Checkered flag: reaction from the Spanish GP
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen start on the front row for Sunday’s Formula 1 race at the Spanish Grand Prix. Watch every moment of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya live on Sky Sports F1, with lights off at 2 p.m. and power up from 12:30 p.m. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month subscription – No contracts, cancel anytime
