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Piastri on verge of F2 title after crashes

Ian ChadbandAAP
Australian racing prodigy Oscar Piastri has moved closer to the F2 title after a crash-hit race.
Camera IconAustralian racing prodigy Oscar Piastri has moved closer to the F2 title after a crash-hit race. Credit: AAP

Australia's young motor racing star Oscar Piastri is on the verge of lifting the Formula Two title after winning a dramatically shortened, crash-hit race in Saudi Arabia - but he's been left relieved that none of his rivals were badly injured.

Two of the Melbourne driver's competitors, Theo Pourchaire and Enzo Fittipaldi, had to be airlifted to hospital on Sunday after a worrying shunt at the startline in the penultimate race of the Formula One feeder series on the tight Jeddah circuit.

But both Frenchman Pourchaire and Fittipaldi, grandson of Brazilian Formula One double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, had been conscious and extricated from their cars by medical crews, the governing body FIA said in a statement later.

Piastri then went on to claim victory when the feature race was restarted, only for proceedings to be red-flagged again and the race called off following another crash.

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The 20-year-old was ultimately declared winner on countback and was awarded half-points because the race had only been going for five laps.

It meant his chance of winning the title on Sunday had gone but he's now in a practically unassailable position as he goes into the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

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Piastri, who was recently announced as the Alpine F1 team's reserve driver for 2022, is on the verge of sealing an astonishing third straight junior championship following his F3 title last year and the Formula Renault Eurocup from 2019.

"We won the race, if you want to call it a race," said Piastri afterwards.

"The points are nice and I am glad that everybody is going to be okay, from the crash. I hope Theo and Enzo are okay and everyone makes a speedy recovery.

"That is the most important thing today and we will see you next week for the final round."

Piastri, who had started on pole for the fourth successive time, has now increased his championship lead to 51.5 points as he's accumulated 213.5 points compared to his Russian teammate Robert Shwartzman's 162, with China's Guanyu Zhou on 149.

Piastri's Prema Racing outfit have also sealed the team title.

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