It is the final round of this pulsating 2024 FIA Formula 2 season, and the entire paddock is descending upon Abu Dhabi with both titles still very much on the line.
Gabriel Bortoleto leads the way in the Drivers’ Championship but only by half a point, with Isack Hadjar able to close the gap last time out in Lusail, while Invicta Racing will be hoping to close out the Teams’ title ahead of rivals Campos Racing.
So, before we hit the ground running at the Yas Marina Circuit here’s all you need to know…
FORM BOOK
Invicta Racing’s Gabriel Bortoleto continues to lead the way in the Drivers’ Championship on 188.5 points, but he is now just half a point ahead of Campos Racing’s Isack Hadjar heading to the season finale.
Paul Aron goes to Yas Marina with 163 points following his first Formula 2 victory in Qatar, meaning the Hitech Pulse-Eight driver has an outside chance of winning the title this weekend.
Behind the trio, Zane Maloney is fourth in the Standings but is set to be replaced by Formula 3 Champion Leonardo Fornaroli at Rodin Motorsport for the final round.
DAMS Lucas Oil driver Jak Crawford is currently fifth on 124 points, although he will have to serve a five-place grid penalty for causing a collision in Qatar at the next race he competes. He is just ahead of PREMA Racing’s Andrea Kimi Antonelli who has 113 points in sixth.
In the Teams’ Standings, Invicta Racing are closing in on the Formula 2 Teams’ title as they currently sit at the top of the table on 262.5 points, with Campos Racing second, trailing by 31.5 points.
MP Motorsport are still third on 200.5 points but are now just two and a half points clear of Hitech, while PREMA Racing round out the top five on 179 points.
FROM THE GRID – Paul Aron, Hitech Pulse-Eight
“It’s a very cool track and it’s one of the best kept circuits in the world so it’s always a pleasure to go there and it’s a circuit I have a bit of experience on, doing the races last year and doing the post-season test there, so it’s a place I’ve been to and I think it’s a cool track.
“On that track you need a bit of everything, there are low speed, medium speed and high-speed corners, so you need a well-balanced car. I think it will be quite tight there because it’s a track that the teams have a lot of experience from previous years, doing the post-season test there, but nevertheless it’s a new car this year so it might be a bit more mixed up than usual.
“The overtaking opportunities are definitely into Turn 5, and then with DRS into Turn 6, and Turn 9 so there are quite a few opportunities. That creates good racing, because if you cannot make the move into one of the corners you can prepare the exit and make it at the other one, so there are lot of opportunities to make moves.
“There will be a new compound this year, it is going to be the Supersoft and the Mediums, last year it was the Soft and Medium. It will be interesting to see how the Supersoft works in the races but for sure we can expect more degradation than previous years. Strategy wise it will depend on where you start but getting the crossover on the two tyres right will be the key.
“This is a pretty nice race weekend for me, I’ve got third place in the Championship secured and I’ve only got to win basically. I cannot lose anything, I can only gain second or win the Championship, so not a lot of pressure on my shoulders. Just about going out there, having fun and doing the best I can. As long as I enjoy the weekend, I will be happy leaving on Sunday.”
TECHNICAL PREVIEW
The Yas Marina Circuit provides one of the more intriguing tests for the drivers and their teams in several ways, the first one being in terms of the setup of the car. The first two sectors need good top end speed as most of it is spent on throttle with two long straights.
The final sector however is a tight and twisty section where downforce is required, so the drivers and teams must make sure they find the perfect balance in their setup.
On top of that, brake wear will be slightly high due to the heavy braking zones at the end of the straights, especially Turn 6, but they are not as demanding as other circuits on the calendar.
The long straights also mean that fuel consumption is relatively high, while the long left-hand corner Turn 9 will put a heavy demand on the front right tyre. Wear on the tyres will not be as high as last weekend in Lusail but protecting them will still be key for the drivers.
RACE STRATEGY
Three drivers and three teams are still in contention for their respective 2024 titles at this the final round. The two compounds available are different to last year’s choice which will therefore present an additional challenge for the drivers and engineers to deal with as they try and get the most out of the Supersoft and the Medium over the various stages of the weekend. Along with the organisers, the decision was taken to create this bigger gap between the two compounds, compared to last year’s Soft and Medium selection in order to make the choice of specification for the start of the Feature Race even more of a factor. Although the Supersoft will be subject to significant degradation, it will offer a considerable performance advantage over the opening laps. On paper, the fastest strategy involves lining up on the grid with the Medium to go for the longest possible first stint, but any possible Safety Car period in the early stages would put those who have gone with the opposite choice a good chance.
STAT PACK
- Gabriel Bortoleto’s 0.5 points lead over Isack Hadjar is the closest gap between the top two in the Championship heading to the final round in Formula 2 history.
- Paul Aron pole in Lusail was his fourth of the year, the most of any driver on the grid, and his Feature Race victory makes him the 17th winner of the season.
- Hadjar and Aron’s podiums in Lusail puts then on eight for the season, meaning they are tied for the most trips to the rostrum on the grid.
- Dino Beganovic and John Bennett’s points finish in Lusail means that 12 drivers have scored points on their debut weekend’s this season.
- In six previous visits to Yas Marina, the Feature Race winner has come from Pole.
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