The individual who secured first place in the main event of the FIA Formula 2 Championship on Saturday was absent from the starting grid. Eighteen-year-old driver Oliver Bearman was given the opportunity of a lifetime that all aspiring drivers dream of; “On Sunday, you will be making your Formula 1 debut.”
Fate intervened when Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz fell ill with appendicitis, and as a reserve driver for the prestigious Italian team, Bearman “left the F2 scene” to make his first appearance in F1. This meant that other drivers would have the chance to claim victories at his expense.
Here is how the two Formula 2 races unfolded over the weekend in Jeddah.
At the start, both Argentine Franco Colapinto and British Zak O’Sullivan, who belonged to different teams but were both members of the Williams Driver Academy, were stranded on the starting grid.
As they say, misfortune loves company, and within two corners after the start, pre-season favorite Victor Martins was forced to retire after colliding with the wall. The race resumed on the fifth lap.
The top five drivers were Paul Aron, Richard Verschoor, Isack Hadjar, Dennis Hauger, and Kush Maini, all experienced Formula 2 competitors. Zane Maloney, who had won twice in the first round in Bahrain, was in eighth place. On the eighth lap, Verschoor made his move forward by overtaking Aron at turn 1.
At the halfway point of the race, on the tenth lap of twenty, a yellow flag was raised and the Safety Car was deployed after Belgian driver Amaury Cordeel stopped on the track after a spin. Verschoor led the race, followed by Aron, Hauger, and Hadjar. Enzo Fittipaldi completed the top five.
The green flag was waved on the twelfth lap, and Verschoor quickly pulled away from Aron, leaving the DRS zone. On the fifteenth lap, Jak Crawford overtook Maloney and took sixth position, but a lap later, the driver from Barbados regained sixth place from the American driver from Dallas. On the eighteenth lap, Hauger took over second place, overtaking Aron.
Antonelli passed Kush Maini and secured eighth place, the last one that granted points in the Sprint Race. On the penultimate lap, Maloney moved up to the top five, overtaking Hadjar, whose pace had dropped. This allowed Antonelli and Maini to move up to seventh and eighth place, respectively.
Unfortunately, in the final moments before the checkered flag, Maini was pushed out of the points zone by Josep “Pepe” Marti. Verschoor’s victory in this race marked his fourth win in the Formula 2 feeder series, after participating in a total of 77 races.
So that’s how the race ended on the track. However, there was a twist in the story…
Both Verschoor and his Trident teammate were disqualified due to an incorrect throttle pedal progression map that was installed before the race and did not comply with the regulations set by the Techies.
As a result of Verschoor’s disqualification, Hauger seized the opportunity to claim the top spot on the podium, with Aron in second place and Fittipaldi securing third position.
Before Verschoor’s disqualification, Hauger reflected on the race, stating: “Overall, I believe it was a well-fought race. It took me some time to pass Hadjar, as it seemed like I didn’t have the same pace. However, after getting past him, the top three drivers were very close in terms of lap times, and we all had a good pace compared to those behind us. Overall, it was a satisfying race for me, especially after a clean start after lap 1. I am very pleased with my second position and my first podium of the season. I hope this sets the tone for the future,” expressed the 20-year-old Norwegian.
Winner Verschoor Disqualified
Enzo Fittipaldi secured his first victory of the season, closely followed by Kush Maini, who started on pole position, and Jak Crawford in third place.
Maini took the lead as soon as the lights went out in Jeddah, with Crawford right behind him on the front row.
Unfortunately, an incident involving Josep Maria Marti and Roman Stanek on the opening lap led to the deployment of the safety car. The safety car remained on track until the end of lap 3, after which Maini retained the lead.
Crawford was the first driver to pit for new tires at the end of lap 6, while Fittipaldi did the same two laps later.
Argentinian driver Franco Colapinto had climbed up to 11th position before crashing into the barriers, resulting in another safety car period that lasted until the end of lap 18.
Fittipaldi showed impressive skills as he climbed to third position, overtaking Taylor Barnard. The Brazilian driver, who lives in the United States and is the grandson of two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, pulled off a remarkable move by overtaking race leader Amaury Cordeel and Juan Manuel Correa to take the lead. This bold outside pass would surely make his grandfather proud.
Maini, who started in pole position, managed to hold onto second place. The battle for the final spot on the podium was an exciting contest right up to the finish line, with Hauger beating Crawford by just 0.03 seconds. Cordeel finished in fifth place.
Toto Wolff’s promising young driver, Andrea “Kimi” Antonelli, stood out during the first round in Bahrain last week, finishing in sixth place. Victor Martins, who was a pre-season favorite, finally scored his first point of the season with a tenth-place finish. Meanwhile, Maloney, who came in seventh on Saturday, continues to lead the championship with 47 points.
After his victory and fastest lap, Fittipaldi has now moved up to second place in the standings with 32 points. Just one point behind him in third is Hauger.
The 22-year-old Brazilian driver, who is the grandson of F1 legend Emerson, expressed his joy at winning the race, stating: “It’s incredible. I’m full of emotions and extremely happy to come out on top today. Van Amersfoort Racing provided me with an exceptional car, and the team did an outstanding job during the pit stop.”
“We were really flying today. Every lap we completed was very quick, and our pace was exceptional. We had some intense battles on track. Unfortunately, we had a bit of bad luck with the Safety Car, which dropped me to fourth place with some drivers on super-soft tires ahead of me.”
“I had to manage my tires and make overtakes at the same time, and I believe I handled that situation well. We were highly competitive, as evidenced by the fastest lap on the penultimate lap of the race. I am extremely happy and grateful for this victory,” Fittipaldi concluded.
The third round of the FIA Formula 2 Championship will take place at Albert Park during the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
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A new champion emerges in the world of motorsport! Last weekend, Brazilian driver Lucas Silva clinched the title of Formula 1 World Champion. At just 25 years old, Silva became the youngest champion in the history of the category.
The season was full of emotions and twists. From the start, Silva showcased his talent and determination, securing impressive victories and surpassing the favorites. His performance on the track was flawless, demonstrating skill and courage in every turn.
The world champion title is the result of years of dedication and hard work. Silva began his career in karting and quickly stood out, catching the eye of Formula 1 teams. His meteoric rise in the category is an example of perseverance and talent.
Silva’s victory is a source of pride for Brazil and all motorsport fans. He has become an idol for many young drivers, who now dream of following in his footsteps and achieving success on the track.
The Formula 1 season has come to an end, but Lucas Silva’s legacy is just beginning. With his talent and determination, he has everything to become one of the greatest drivers in the history of the sport. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for this young champion.
Congratulations, Lucas Silva, on winning the Formula 1 World Championship title! Brazil is proud of you!
