F1 Academy: Chloe Chambers tops mixed-weather FP2 at Zandvoort

Campos Racing’s Chloe Chambers set the pace in a rain-affected second practice at Zandvoort, becoming the only driver under the 1:37 mark ahead of Maya Weug and Doriane Pin.

Photo credits: F1 Academy Ltd

Campos Racing’s Chloe Chambers, winner of the most recent F1 Academy race in Canada, topped a mixed-weather second practice at Zandvoort. The American racer, currently second in the championship standings, was the only driver to run under the 1:37 mark, finishing ahead of Maya Weug and Doriane Pin before rain arrived halfway through.

After Palmowski, Weug, and Chambers emerged as the fastest drivers in the opening 40-minute practice on Friday morning, the field returned to the track in the afternoon under very different conditions, with sunshine giving way to grey skies. With track evolution playing a big role in FP1 – and several teams choosing to save tyres early on – FP2 was expected to be more representative, although rain was also forecast for later in the weekend.

There was drama before the session, as home hero Nina Gademan was declared unfit to race and forced to sit out FP2. Nicole Havrda was also handed a 10-place grid penalty for both races after overtaking under red flag conditions in the closing minutes of FP1.

The green flag was slightly delayed as light rain began to fall. Once underway, all drivers rushed onto the circuit to set lap times before the track deteriorated. FDA drivers Aurelia Nobels and Maya Weug were first to top the times, with Lia Block briefly moving into second. Chambers quickly joined the frontrunners, dipping under the 1:39s barrier to go third.

Doriane Pin then set the benchmark at 1:37.544, before Chambers responded with a purple third sector to reclaim the top spot in 1:37.342. Pin found another tenth moments later, but Chambers struck back again – becoming the first driver of the weekend to go under the 1:37 mark with a 1:36.873, 30 minutes to the end.

As rain intensified, Weug posted a strong second sector but was unable to complete the lap, while both Alba Larsen and Ella Lloyd ran deep at Turn 1 in the trickier conditions, avoiding the barriers. Most drivers returned to the pits to switch onto wet-weather tyres.

With the track too damp for improvements, teams aimed to use the remainder of the session to gather valuable experience in the wet. Wild card Esmee Kosterman impressed with some good laps, climbing into the top ten and leading the Hitech cars.

With 10 minutes left, the rain stopped and several drivers gambled on slicks again, but conditions remained tricky: session leader Chambers went off at Turn 3 but was able to return to the pits, as also Aiva Anagnostiadis slid deep and rejoined safely.

In the final minutes, Emma Felbermayr managed personal best sectors but remained seventh when the chequered flag fell.

Chambers ended the second and final practice as the only driver under the 1:37 mark, a little over a tenth quicker than Weug and four tenths clear of Pin. FP1 pacesetter Alisha Palmowski was fourth fastest, ahead of Larsen and an impressive Tina Hausmann in sixth. Rodin teammates Felbermayr and Lloyd followed in seventh and eighth, with Kosterman and Nobels rounding out the top ten.

Rafaela Ferreira narrowly missed out on the top ten in P11, just a tenth ahead of Joanne Ciconte, who delivered another positive run after finishing P11 in the morning session. Havrda was P13, showing good progress from FP1, while Block and Chloe Chong – who set competitive sectors in the mixed conditions late on – placed P15. Haas-supported Courtney Crone took P16, ahead of Anagnostiadis. Only 17 drivers participated in the afternoon session.

With unpredictable weather still possible for the Dutch round, the Campos Racing drivers Chambers and Palmowski, and Maya Weug remain the ones to beat heading into Saturday’s qualifying session, which will set the grid for Race 1 (with the top 8 reversed) and Race 2. Qualifying gets underway at 10:25 local time tomorrow.