Paul Aron has secured his first F2 victory in an action-packed Feature Race at the 2024 Qatar GP.
The F2 Feature Race at the 2024 Qatar GP was an event filled with drama, penalties, and strategic plays, set against challenging windy conditions. A delayed start due to barrier repairs from the Porsche Carrera Cup earlier in the day added to the anticipation, and the cancellation of the F1 Academy race further shifted attention to this thrilling contest.
The Start and Early Laps
Pole-sitter Paul Aron, freshly announced as Alpine’s 2025 reserve driver, led the field at lights out. However, Gabriel Bortoleto had a phenomenal start, overtaking Aron into Turn 1. Chaos ensued behind them, with a daring three-wide battle into Turn 1 that miraculously avoided major incidents. Dino Beganovic surged into P3, showcasing an aggressive start.
PREMA teammates Oliver Bearman and Andrea Kimi Antonelli made contact on Lap 1 but escaped unscathed, while a near-collision between Isack Hadjar and Bearman added to the tension. By the end of Lap 1, the top five stood as Bortoleto, Aron, Dino Beganovic, Victor Martins, and Richard Verschoor.
Mid-Race Drama:
The frontrunners pitted around Lap 7, with Bortoleto emerging in the net lead – crucial for his Championship campaign. However, a collision during the pit stops caused by Verschoor being released unsafely and hitting Kimi Antonelli, ended up leaving Antonelli in the gravel with no steering and retiring from the race.
Bortoleto’s race took a turn when he received a five-second penalty for crossing the pit lane’s white line in a last-minute decision fuelled by a Safety Car, forcing him to build a gap to maintain his position. The Safety Car was deployed following Antonelli’s incident, bunching up the pack and intensifying the stakes.
Chaotic Restarts:
The restart saw drivers on alternate strategies clash, with those on hard tyres like Bearman, Dürksen, and Kush Maini momentarily leading. Dürksen briefly took the lead from Bearman but yielded back after overtaking under Safety Car conditions. Meanwhile, Pepe Martí pushed Bortoleto wide, adding to the chaotic midfield battles.
Verschoor’s earlier unsafe release earned him a 10-second penalty, and further incidents, including a collision involving Victor Martins, saw the French driver retire. Martí spun but managed to continue, while Maloney and Esterson had minor contact but avoided significant damage.
The Closing Stages:
The race switched to timed, as a result of the delays and the various Safety Cars. With under ten minutes remaining, Bortoleto began a charge, overtaking Dürksen and Maini to clear the field. His pace was electric, setting the fastest lap as he aimed to build the critical five-second gap over Hadjar. Despite valiant efforts, his lead only extended to around 4.5 seconds by the penultimate lap.
Paul Aron capitalised on Dürksen’s defensive driving to pass him late in the race, setting his sights on Bortoleto. As the final lap unfolded, the gap between Bortoleto and Hadjar was agonisingly close to the needed margin.
The Finish:
Paul Aron, in a stunning turn of events, secured his first victory of the 2024 season, showcasing resilience and skill. Gabriel Bortoleto, was demoted to 3rd on the final standings despite his brilliant drive. He unfortunately fell short of nullifying his 5-second-penalty. Isack Hadjar managed to claim the championship lead by claiming 2nd place.
Championship Update:
Isack Hadjar now leads the championship by just 0.5 points, setting up a nail-biting battle as the series heads to the final round in Abu Dhabi next week.
Formula 2 will be back in action in a week’s time during the Abu DhabI Grand prix.
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Featured image credit: Formula Motorsport Ltd