After a start that saw Isack Hadjar’s title dreams slip away, Gabriel Bortoleto was crowned the 2024 Formula 2 champion, while Joshua Duerksen took home his first feature race win.
The time came for the grand finale for the FIA Formula 2 2024 season, where championship contenders Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar battled it out to take the title.
Yesterday’s sprint race saw Pepe Martí win, followed by Bortoleto, who extended his championship lead by 4.5 points. Although the race saw Paul Aron finish third, he was unfortunately disqualified from Qualifying and the Sprint, after the DRS actuator of his car was found in breach of technical regulations.
Aron’s disqualification was not the only unfortunate event this weekend because Andrea Kimi Antonelli, was notably missing from the Sprint and Feature Race grid. Antonelli was feeling ill and the doctors have advised him not to race. A sad end to the junior career of the Mercedes bound driver.
For a final time in 2024, it was lights out
Bortoleto got a brilliant head start, while pole setter Martins struggled, starting slow. Bortoleto’s teammate Kush Maini mirrored Bortoleto and was able to move ahead of whom many thought was Hadjar.
However, disaster struck for Hadjar, who did not get off the line and was wheeled away into the pit lane. What a heartbreaking moment for the French driver, who had to watch his championship dreams slip away, as he made his way back on to the track. Hadjar was now a lap down.
LIGHTS OUT FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP DECIDER!!!⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) December 8, 2024
DRAMA AT THE START! 😱😱😱
Gabriel Bortoleto takes the race lead into the first turn!
But disaster for Isack Hadjar as he stalls and doesn't get away!#F2 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/pMhsa6Bwbu
Martí, who was in third, was starting to struggle for pace as Joshua Duerksen, took the position from him.
Bortoleto now had a second and a half lead off Maini, who had a DRS train behind him that included, Duerksen, Martí, Beganovic and Martins.
Martí had the advantage on Lap 6, as he started with the Prime tyre and was able to overtake Duerksen back for third.
The first drivers pit
The first drivers were called in for their mandatory pit stops ans Duerksen, Maini, Goethe, Bearman, Mansell and Fornaroli have swapped their Supersofts for Mediums.
Bortoleto went in on Lap 7 and kept the virtual race lead, coming out ahead of Martins and Duerksen.
The Brazilian driver went wide at Turn 6, ultimately giving Duerksen the advantage to take the lead at Turn 9, before Martins followed him through.
LAP 8 / 33
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) December 8, 2024
Bortoleto runs wide at turn 7 allowing Duerksen a run through turn 8, before taking the net race lead around the outside of the Brazilian at turn 9
Victor Martins also follows the AIX driver through at turn 10 and is now in a net P2#F2 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/bLp4O5GeuF
Hadjar also went for his pit stop and came out at the back of the field.
There seemed to be some trouble for Bortoleto, who complained about his brakes.
Martí was now in the lead, followed by Richard Verschoor, but both drivers were yet to make their stop. Martí’s lead closed down to 2.1s, with Verschoor flying on track.
Further behind the pack, Ollie Goethe and Ollie Bearman were battling it out for twelfth, with the PREMA driver, getting ahead in Turn 6, but lost pace when he reached Turn 9.
Verschoor was now behind Martí, while Martins and Duerksen had overtaken Cian Shields.
Battle for P4
Among the drivers that were still yet to pit, a battle for fourth broke out. Max Esterson was overtaken by Luke Browning and Paul Aron. Aron was on the attack and dove to the inside of the Williams driver at Turn 9, taking the spot.
By lap 23, Duerksen still had the race lead, but being stuck behind Esterson allowed Bortoleto and Martins to catch up.
Verschoor was showing incredible pace at the front and was slowly matching Duerksen.
Martí finally pitted, followed by Amaury Cordeel and Browning. The Spanish driver came back out in tenth and Aron was now in the lead.
The final stages
Verschoor went to pit on lap 28 and came back out in sixth, while Pepe Martí takes the fastest lap of the session with a 1:39.714.
Bortoleto was tailing Martins and went around the outside at Turn 9 to take second. He was a man on a mission to take the lead from Duerksen.
LAP 29 / 33
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) December 8, 2024
GABI GETS IT DONE!
He's up to P2 👏
Can he do anything about race leader, Duerksen? 👀#F2 #AbuDhabiGP pic.twitter.com/l2ulZRXO5Z
Verschoor was fflying,taking the fastest lap from Martí. The MP Motorsport driver overtook Bearman for fourth, while Martí got past Ritomo Miyata for eighth.
Joshua Duerksen was able to stop Bortoletos’ momentum, keeping the gap at 2.1s in the exciting battle for the win.
Martí was now seventh, overtaking Goethe, while Beganovic was just 1.7s ahead.
On the penultimate lap, Verschoor was now within DRS range of Martins. The Frenchman ran wide at the final corner, giving Verschoor the opportunity to dive to the inside at Turn 1. Having more grip, Verschoor took third.
Gabriel Bortoleto is the 2024 Formula 2 champion
The cars were nearing the finish line and Joshua Duerksen was holding on to the lead. With Bortoleto behind him, Duerksen crosses first and took home his first feature race win, while Gabriel Bortoleto was crowned the Formula 2 2024 champion!
It’s back to back titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2 for the Brazilian driver, an amazing end to his junior career.
Richard Verschoor finished in third, ahead of Ollie Bearman and Martí just behind. Dino Beganovic, Amaury Cordeel and Oliver Goethe round out the top ten.
What a season finale that was!
