Written by Ellie Nicholls
After 254 days, 14 race weekends and 28 races, the 2024 Formula Two season has finally reached its conclusion - with Gabriel Bortoleto bringing home the championship for himself and Invicta Racing.
The podium from the final race of the 2024 Formula Two season | Image credit: Formula 2 via X
Despite the drama heading into the race weekend - with championship contenders Isack Hadjar and Gabriel Bortoleto separated by just half a point - it was a slightly anticlimactic end to the 2024 season, as the start of the feature race saw contrasting fortunes for the two title rivals.
While Gabriel Bortoleto rocketed to the lead thanks to a mega start, it was a disaster for Isack Hadjar, after a stall on the grid put him over a lap down and ultimately out of championship contention.
Speaking after the race, Bortoleto shared his thoughts on Hadjar’s difficult moment: “It took two laps for my engineer to tell me he (Hadjar) was not there anymore. And I was a bit surprised about it obviously, and a bit confused.
“I think I was just so focused on pulling the gap to P2 at the time because I was leading, and I didn’t realise Isack [Hadjar] was out until the two last laps when I asked my engineer: where is Isack? Am I safe to attack Victor [Martins] and these guys?
“It was a very fun race. It was a shame I couldn’t fight with him on track for the title, but obviously it was good for me!”
Having stalled at lights-out, Hadjar found himself out of contention for the title. | Image credit: Formula 2 via X
Third-placed Joshua Dürksen, after a strong start to the race, and polesitter Victor Martins, after a difficult start to the race, were the first drivers to pit, swapping their supersofts for the mediums on lap 10.
Race leader Bortoleto then pitted on the following lap - but was quickly overtaken by both Dürksen and Martins as he struggled to get his tyres up to temperature in time.
Holding on to the net race lead despite a moment coming out of the pits, Dürksen began to build up a gap from Martins and Bortoleto behind him. His lead fell to just two seconds at one point as the Paraguayan driver found himself stuck behind several slower cars.
However, when he got back into clean air, Dürksen broke away from the pair once more - sealing his second Formula Two victory and rising up to tenth in the standings.
“It’s the best feeling you can have - to finish the season with a victory, especially if it is your first feature race victory,” shared Dürksen, “I’m extremely happy, and the team did a great job!
“I didn’t really know what position I was in until I saw the chequered flag and my engineer told me I was P1. I just couldn’t believe it, you know? Like, wow! Just big emotions, and really happy to see the progress [throughout the season].”
Bortoleto claimed the F2 championship in his rookie season, having won the F3 championship in 2023. | Image credit: Formula 2 via X
Although he was unable to overtake Dürksen for the win, Bortoleto managed to pass Martins for second place, claiming his second podium of the weekend alongside his championship title.
“It wasn’t easy today. After the pit stop, I had my rear brakes switch off completely, so I had two or three lockups that completely flatspotted my front tyres, and it was tough to deal with that.
“But we got back on rhythm and I managed to overtake Victor [Martins], and I got closer to Joshua [Dürksen] too, but he had very good pace as well. He took care of his tyres really well, and I wasn’t able to overtake him in the laps we had.
“But yeah, super proud of the race and everything. This is the best second place of my life ever. It feels very good, and I’m super happy right now.”
Meanwhile MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor, having started from 12th on the grid, rejoined the race in sixth place after finally making his mandatory pitstop on lap 27.
Verschoor overtook Martins for the final podium position on the final lap. | Image credit: Formula 2 via X
On the superior supersoft tyres, Verschoor quickly began to pick his way through the pack, ultimately overtaking Martins for third place in the final stages of the race.
“Our main target for this weekend was to claim third in the teams’ championship, and I’m very happy to help the team with that,” explained Verschoor, “but of course, for me as well to finish on the podium in the last round is always nice!
“To make the tyres last was not easy, especially at the beginning of the race. All of the people around me were on the option [tyres] and I had to hang on with the medium tyre. So I already destroyed them a bit in the beginning, but somehow managed to keep them alive until the end.
“It was good to work together [with MP Motorsport, in the final two rounds of the season]. I’m really looking forward to working with them in 2025.”
With the final race weekend of the 2024 season over and both championships having been decided, it’s going to be a long time before Formula Two goes racing again in Melbourne next year.
But if next season is anywhere near as exciting as this year’s championship has been, it will certainly be worth the wait…
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