With everything coming down to the wire in the F2 drivers and constructor’s championship the feature race at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi proved to be a race of the season with overtaking and last lap battles. In the end Jack Doohan won converting from his pole position for his last Formula 2 Race in his career however it wasn’t so straight forward.
Jack Doohan held the record for the most feature race wins coming past the chequered flag at the Abu Dhabi GP for round 24. Alongside Doohan ART Victor Martins was able to finish second, winning the rookie title of the year and support in ART in winning the constructors title. In the last lap, Frederik Vesti was able to overtake Zane Maloney which led to contact but a trip to the podium. However it was not enough for the championship as he needed 3rd and fastest lap and for Theo to finish 10th or lower.
At Lights Out
Doohan had the best start off the line he mentioned in the press conference he was fearful that he would get flagged for a jump start as it was right on the line when lights went out. Kush Maini who has been one of the consistent drivers of this season was able to make past Martins to take second. There was various strategies taking place across with the grid with some starting on softs to finish on mediums and vice versa. Theo opted for the soft-medium strategy while Vesti started on the mediums to finish on softs to attempt to take the fastest lap which was a key need for him to win the championship.
In the lap race, many drivers pitting as soon as possible including the champion around laps 7/8 joining towards the bottom of the grid. With drivers coming in and out on an usual pitlane where drivers have to go under the track to rejoin the circuit it led a lot of opportunities for drivers to overtake their competitors while those leaving the pits trying to get the tyres up to temperature especially as tyre blankets are not allowed in the F2 championship.
Leading from the start Doohan pitted on lap 10 to fit the mediums, coming back out on the track into P12.
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Halfway Through
With drivers on the soft all pitting and going down the grid Vesti had clear air to close the gap with Martins, pushing lap after lap closing in to the Alpine junior drivers lead. However Vesti teammate Oliver Bearman who was unlucky with having to retire and closing the pitlane briefly due to engine failure; he was able to get into the pits but not to the team and veered off at the start of the pit lane before jumping out of the car and relying on the marshals to move the Prema car to safety.
On lap 23 Vesti pit to use the soft tyres for the last 10 laps, he joined the track just behind his title rival Pourchaire in ninth place. Martins pitted from the lead in response to Vesti’s stop, and he was back out in third in the standings.
Battling between the two champion contenders going back and forth Vesti was close to the rear wing of Pourchaire and with DRS, he went down the inside of his title rival to take the place. However Theo didn’t back down and fought back immediately at Turn 9 to retake sixth. Theo was able to then attack onto Maini in the final sector to improve to fifth, alongside Vesti to overtake Maini as well to be in closing distance to Theo.
Lap 26 Vesti was able to overtake Pourchaire however like laps before Pourchaire was not allowing it to be an easy overtake, he was able to slipstream his way by turn 9. But third time lucky for Vesti as with the power of DRS out of turn 8 was able to clear and claim fifth hunting down the cars in front.
Iwasa continuing to battle with Maloney for the last spot of the podium going back and forth between the two red bull junior drivers. Maloney was able to take third on lap 28 by jumping to the inside at turn 9 to past the DAMs driver in his last F2 season. Vesti was able to past Iwasa to take fourth and Pourchaire in 6th; Vesti needed the win to secure the championship.
Coming into the last lap Doohan ahead of the rest of the grid by over 3 seconds, however Maloney and Vesti battling for the final podium spot with being in DRS range, the Bajan driver went defensive into Turn 6, opening up the chance for Vesti on the run to Turn 9. The
pair banged wheels on corner exit, sending Maloney into a spin and leaving the PREMA driver in third.
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Doohan crossed the line to take his last F2 win and to finish his season 3rd in the standings, Victor Martins came second with fastest lap finishing as the top rookie in F2 and support ART in the constructors, Vesti P3 11 points off from Theo in the end. Iwasa finished fourth, Pourchaire the Formula 2 Champion crossing fifth, Arthur Leclerc claimed sixth, and Hauger, Hadjar, Maini and Crawford rounding out the top 10.
So what’s next?
While the F2 season is over there is still post season testing taking place for Formula 2 and well as some of the drivers involved in the F1 testing both taking place in Abu Dhabi. We go back to testing and racing in February, however we still have seats available for grabs stay tune for all news of the 2024 Formula 2 season!