Isack Hadjar wins back to back features after a great launch at the start and defending throughout the 2024 Imola F2 Feature Race.
With qualifying times reinstated with PREMA in 2nd and 4th on the starting the grid. Gabriel Bortoleto, who has never had podium in F2, was hoping to convert pole to a win. With pit stops coming into play for the F2 Feature race, most started on the option tyre first.
Similar to the F3 Feature race, there was a long wait for the front of the grid while drivers slowly drove into their grid positions.
Lights Out at the 2024 Imola F2 Feature Race
Bortoleto did not start off well at lights out, with Bearman and Hadjar coming past leaving the pole sitter down to P4. Josh Duerksen had a good push off the line, putting the AIX driver in P3 on the opening lap.
Drivers kept it clean for the most part of the race besides Dennis Hauger who went off a few laps in. He then rejoined unsafely, which made the Rodin driver Ritomo Miyata go off track into the gravel. There was an investigation, but no further penalty following that.
On Lap 6, Bearman and Hadjar were able to create a gap outside of DRS from Dursken. Shortly afterwards Hadjar, Dursken, Maloney and Stanek were the first drivers coming into the pits to change out the softs for the hard tyres.
One lap later, Bearman and Bortoleto were told are come in for their mandatory pitstops. However it wasn’t the best pit stop for Bearman as he stalled not once but twice in the pit lane dropping down to the bottom of the grid.
Bearman and Bortoleto told to come in after the lap from the first round of drivers into the pit, Hadjar inherits the net lead ahead of Bortoleto and Kimi on Lap 9.
A good overtake from Zak O’Sullivan over Hauger with cold tyres diving at the last minute into the corner to take 17th but will move up once the hard tyre drivers pit.
Kush Maini received a five second penalty for false start but later on in the race was cancelled.
Few laps later, Maloney inched closer to Stanek to take position, but unsuccessfully, thus allowing American of Crawford to make it a three car battle for 13th currently on Lap 17.
Halfway through
The battle for 13th turned into a five car battle with Verschoor and Hauger joining into a DRS train with Stanek leading it. Crawford moving past Maloney to gave him a chance to overtake Stanek on the following laps.
Cordeel was leading the race on the hard tyre strategy and was pushing hard to create a good gap between himself and the grid on Lap 22 currently 4.5 seconds ahead of the grid. This was crucial as this track has the longest time in the pit lane on the Formula 2 Calendar.
Crawford on Lap 25 was able to overtake Stanek after being held behind for over 5 laps of the race. He was able to overtake with the help of DRS along the main straight.
The top six prepared for pitstops on Lap 28 for the final lap sprint push on the soft tyres.
Unfortunate pitstops for Cordeel and Martí
Leading the race on the alternate strategy, Cordeel and Martí came into the pit; however, Cordeel’s rear left tyre was not put on properly which led to the tyre come off hitting a Campos mechanic during Martí’s pit stop, delaying his pit stop.
Martí’s own rear left tyre came off in the pit lane meaning both drivers races were over.
Final Laps
Bortoleto put some pressure on Hadjar on lap 32 with DRS on the main straight. It was close, but he was not able to take the position.
Final lap Bortoleto trying to get past Hadjar to take the lead but not quite close enough with good defending by the Campos driver.
Dursken made history first driver from Paraguay to get points, a podium and AIX’s first points.
Finishing just out of the points, Zane Maloney still leads the championship with 68 points followed by Paul Aron in P2 with 63 and with back to back feature races Hadjar moves to P3 with 59 points.
We go back to racing next weekend at the historic race around the streets of Monaco.
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