After a compromised Free Practice session, where conditions were drying throughout the session, BWT Arden headed into Qualifying with a few unknowns on both one-lap and race pace.
Fukuzumi set the 13th fastest lap of the session, with Günther only able to set the 19th fastest time due to a gearbox issue.
The Feature Race started following Formula 1 Qualifying, Fukuzumi had a difficult start to the race – unusually dropping three places at the start, whilst Günther did the opposite and gained five positions early on to move himself up to 14th.
It became clear early on however that the degradation on the Super Soft compound tyre was much greater than anticipated, meaning those who started on the Medium compounds had a huge tyre and pace advantage.
This led to the BWT Arden pair suffering with extreme tyre degradation and had to pit for a change of tyres as soon as the pit window opened on Lap 6 and 7 for Günther and Fukuzumi respectively.
This gave both drivers’ a lot of work to do in order to gain positions and make their tyres last to the end of the race.
Günther crossed the line as the lead BWT Arden in 13th position, with Fukuzumi in 15th position at the chequered flag.
Sunday morning saw the Sprint Race take place on a ‘green’ and greasy circuit following overnight rain. Günther made a brilliant initial launch off the line to move himself up and into 10th position despite suffering contact from behind going through the first chicane.
Fukuzumi was less fortunate in the melee and dropped two positions to 17th at the end of the opening lap of the 20-lap Sprint.
Günther’s charge was sadly ended early, after he suffered front wing damage on Lap 2 which forced him to pit from the Top 10 and re-joined at the back of the field once the damage was fixed.
At half-distance, Fukuzumi had move up into 14th position to join a train of cars racing for 11th position. Sadly the Honda Junior was unable to make any further progress through the field, finishing the race in 14th and Günther finished in 16th, rounding out a difficult weekend for the team.
The next round of the FIA Formula 2 Championship takes place at Sochi Autodrom in Russia on the 28-30 September, as the championship heads to the final two fly-away races of the season.