ART’S Victor Martins secured pole position for the Feature Race at Yas Marina Circuit, edging out F1-bound Gabriel Bortoleto in the F2 Qualifying session at the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP. The ART Grand Prix driver clocked a best lap of 1:35.745, just 0.035 seconds ahead of the championship leader.
The battle for pole was a hard-fought battle, with neither Martins nor Bortoleto able to improve on their final runs. Paul Aron and Isack Hadjar, both in contention for the Championship, rounded out the top four, finishing third and fourth, respectively.
Early Drama Sets the Stage
The session began with Martins setting an initial benchmark of 1:36.245. This time put him two-tenths clear of Bortoleto, his closest challenger at the time. However, as the track conditions improved, the drivers on Supersoft tires began to post faster times.
Martins briefly extended his advantage with a 1:36.191, only for Bortoleto to strike back moments later with a lap 0.141 seconds quicker. Meanwhile, Bortoleto’s teammate, Kush Maini, moved into third in the final Quali of a strong season for Invicta.
Championship Contenders Battle
Isack Hadjar, who had posted a lap good enough for only 14th in his initial attempt, climbed to fifth on his second push lap, narrowly ahead of Aron, who sat sixth. As the clock ticked down, Martins regained the top spot with his fastest lap of the session, a 1:35.745. Bortoleto followed closely, just 0.035 seconds adrift, before a red flag interrupted proceedings when Rafael Villagómez stopped on track.
When the session resumed, the drivers had one last opportunity to improve their times. Despite their efforts, neither Martins nor Bortoleto managed to go quicker in the F2 Qualifying session of the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP. Aron, however, delivered a late surge to secure third, while Hadjar held onto fourth place.
Top Ten Shake-Up
Dino Beganovic put in a strong performance for DAMS Lucas Oil, finishing fifth, with Maini slipping to sixth. Josep María Martí claimed seventh for Campos Racing, followed by Ritomo Miyata of Rodin Motorsport in eighth. AIX Racing’s Joshua Duerksen and Amaury Cordeel completed the top ten. Cordeel’s late effort earned him reverse-grid pole for the Sprint Race.
The stage is now set for an exhilarating Feature Race, with the championship contenders poised for another intense battle under the Yas Marina lights.
Featured image credit: Formula Motorsport Ltd