Hitech F2 squad secures double points finish at Spa
Round 8 - Spa-Francorchamps - Report
Hitech closed out the Spa-Francorchamps weekend with a double points finish in Sunday’s Feature Race, as Colton Herta and Ritomo Miyata fought through a chaotic race of Safety Cars, a red flag, shifting tyre strategies and mid-race drama to secure valuable points in Belgium.
The Spa-Francorchamps weekend brought a mix of challenges for Hitech, with the team having to adapt to changing conditions, tyre management demands and the unpredictable nature of racing at one of Formula 2’s most iconic circuits. Across qualifying and both races, strategy and execution were key, with the Feature Race providing a dramatic finale as both drivers fought back through a constantly changing order.
Qualifying
Qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps proved to be a challenging session with changing conditions and limited opportunities to find a clear lap. With rain threatening throughout the session, the field switched to the supersoft tyres for their flying laps, with the final runs interrupted by two red flags.
Colton Herta qualified P18, while Ritomo Miyata secured P22 in a session where track position and timing proved crucial.
Sprint Race
Starting P15 and P18 respectively, Colton and Ritomo faced a difficult 18-lap Sprint Race around the iconic Belgian circuit.
A Safety Car period interrupted the race early after an incident involving Laurens van Hoepen, with Ritomo also having a moment at the top of Eau Rouge, locking up but recovering well.
The long Spa lap made it difficult to stay connected with the pack, but Colton continued to make progress through the field. By Lap 14, he had moved up to P14, while Ritomo remained P18 before making a late switch to supersoft tyres on Lap 15 in an attempt to gain positions.
As the Safety Car returned late in the race, the field was set for a final charge. Colton finished the Sprint Race P13, while Ritomo crossed the line P16 after the late tyre gamble.
Feature Race
Starting from P15 and P18 respectively, Colton and Ritomo faced immediate drama as chaos unfolded into La Source on the opening lap. Both drivers avoided the worst of the incident but contact in the pack and debris on track brought out the Safety Car.
Racing resumed on Lap 3, with both Hitech drivers starting on the supersoft tyre before switching to the medium. As the supersoft began to lose performance, both drivers faced a difficult stint before making their strategy moves during the Safety Car phases.
The race was interrupted again on Lap 9 when van Hoepen suffered a heavy crash, scattering debris across the circuit. With a major clean-up required, the session was red-flagged and all cars returned to the pit lane.
Following the restart, the race switched to a timed format and the changing strategies created opportunities throughout the field. Colton and Ritomo gained positions as the order reshuffled, with Colton climbing into the top 10 and Ritomo fighting his way back into contention.
The late supersoft runners initially gained the advantage, but as the tyre began to suffer, the balance shifted back towards the medium compound. Ritomo recovered strongly, passing Bennett, Dürksen, Varrone and Boya in the closing stages, while Colton continued his own late push into the top 10.
Rain arrived as the final twist in an already unpredictable Spa race, adding another challenge before the chequered flag. Colton crossed the line in P8 and Ritomo in P9, securing a valuable double points finish for Hitech, worth four and two points respectively.
Jan Sumann, Hitech’s F2 Head of Race Engineering:
“Today’s race was one where we had to stay calm and adapt to every situation thrown at us. The Safety Cars, red flag and tyre performance made it a real challenge, but both drivers kept fighting to make the most of every opportunity. To come away with a double points finish is a strong way to end the weekend, and it’s good to see things moving back in a positive direction.”
On to Round 9, which takes place next weekend at the Hungaroring on 24-26 July.
