F2: Alonso-backed Bortoletto clinches F2 title, Duerksen wins final race

F1 Grand Prix, GP Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina Circuit

AIX Racing’s Joshua Duerksen came out on top in the final F2 race of the 2024 season, but it was Gabriel Bortoleto to secure the Formula 2 Drivers’ Championship. F1Technical's lead writer Balazs Szabo reports on the final FIA Formula 2 race.

Gabriel Bortoleto was favourite heading into the season finale at Abu Dhabi, but his closest rival Isack Hadjar had a real chance, having only been 4.5 points adrift of the Brazilian. However, his chances were wiped away immediately as the Campos Racing driver stalled at lights out, leaving him out of the reckoning.

With pole-sitter Alpine junior VIctor Martins also having endured a tough start to his race, Bortoleto jumped into the lead, and led comfortably in the opening stint. However, he dropped behind Joshua Duerksen and Martins, who both undercut the Brazilian driver in the pitstop phase.

The pit stops saw the drivers, who were on an alternative strategy, jump forward, with Josep Maria Marti having found himself atop the field.
MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor followed the 19-year-old Spaniard, and he was closing on the Red Bull-backed racer rapidly.

Further behind, Oliver Geothe had to defend hard from Ferrari-backed Oliver Bearman, with the Haas-bound managing to make it past the German following a series of attempts.

In the meantime, Duerksen still had the net lead, but he lost time by overtaking the drivers on the alternative strategy, which enabled Martins and Bortoleto close in on him.

On Lap 28, race leader Marti elected to pit, and was followed by Amaury Cordeel and Luke Browning. By contrast, Verschoor stayed out and displayed impressive pace despite being on heavily-worn tyres.

Verschoor also made his mandatory pit stop, and came back in P6 after his tyre service. The Dutchman was literally flying, making It past Bearman with two laps to go to move into P4.

Further behind, Marti was also moving up the order, overtaking Goethe and Ferrari-backed Beganovic on the final two lap to end the race in P6.

Verschoor closed in on Martins on the penultimate lap, with the Frenchman running wide at Turn 1. The Dutch driver used his chance to dive down the inside at Turn 1.