Spectators at the Losail Circuit witnessed a completely wild Formula 2 weekend. Between penalties, collisions, and constant changes in the lead, it was Paul Aron who ultimately claimed victory in the feature race, marking his first win of the season.
Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar capitalized on Gabriel Bortoleto’s troubles to completely reignite the battle for the FIA F2 championship title.
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A chaotic start and strategic headaches
The F2 feature race started in dramatic fashion: Paul Aron, on pole, botched his getaway, allowing Gabriel Bortoleto to take the lead. Behind them, the field quickly erupted into chaos as Dino Beganovic and Victor Martins fought for third, while Isack Hadjar dropped several positions in the opening corners. What was expected to be a strategic battle quickly turned into a puzzle for teams, especially as the medium tires began to fall apart by the sixth lap. Pit stops came in rapid succession in an organized frenzy. While Aron and Martins tried to regain ground by switching to hard tires, Bortoleto and Hadjar stayed out, gambling on bold strategies. A collision between Kimi Antonelli and Richard Verschoor then triggered a Virtual Safety Car, shaking up the field. Hadjar used the neutralization to pit and emerged ahead of several rivals, while Bortoleto found himself under investigation for a risky pit lane exit.
How a HUGELY dramatic Lusail Feature Race unfolded 🗞️
Paul Aron came through to win, whilst there were mixed fortunes for the championship protagonists 👀👇#F2 #QatarGP https://t.co/ithXEjLkmP
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) December 1, 2024
Penalties, collisions, and a safety cars in Qatar
As if the initial chaos wasn’t enough, the rest of the race was riddled with incidents and penalties. Although Bortoleto held the lead, he received a five-second penalty for crossing the pit lane exit line. This allowed his challengers, particularly Hadjar and Aron, to close in on the virtual standings. The safety car was deployed multiple times, including after a collision between Jak Crawford and Rafael Villagomez. Each restart brought high tension, with daring overtakes and costly mistakes, such as one from temporary leader Oliver Bearman, who was caught out during a restart. Meanwhile, Victor Martins saw his hopes crushed after a collision forced him to retire.
Aron triumphs, Hadjar reignites the F2 Championship battle
With the race clock replacing the lap counter due to extended safety car periods, the final minutes were decisive. Paul Aron managed to overtake Bortoleto in the closing stages, taking advantage of the Brazilian’s penalty to secure a well-deserved win. Hadjar, finishing third, also used his rivals’ setbacks to close the gap to just 0.5 points behind Bortoleto in the standings. This result sets up a thrilling F2 championship showdown at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, where every point will count. With such a narrow margin, the title is still anyone’s to claim.
This article explores how the F2 feature race in Qatar shook up the championship standings, with Paul Aron taking his first victory and Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar now separated by just 0.5 points. Marked by penalties, bold strategies, and safety car chaos, this chaotic weekend promises an explosive finale in Abu Dhabi. Don’t miss what could be a defining moment of the season!
Images: Red Bull Content pool
