Van Amersfoort Racing’s Enzo Fittipaldi took victory in a thrilling FIA Formula 2 Feature Race in Saudi Arabia.
The Brazilian made a stunning double pass on Juan Manuel Correa and Amaury Cordeel to snatch the lead on Lap 22 and went on to score his first Feature Race win in F2.
The race was twice interrupted by the Safety Car as drivers battled on seemingly every corner to gain positions.
The win moves the 22-year-old, grandson of double F1 World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi, to second in the championship standings.
"Foi uma corrida maravilhosa. Dirigi no limite em cada volta"
Enzo Fittipaldi se emociona e dedica vitória a Wilsinho Fittipaldi#EnzoFittipaldi #F2 #F2noBandsports #Fórmula2 pic.twitter.com/0DRrKsMkIw
— BandSports (@bandsports) March 9, 2024
After the race, an emotional Fittipaldi said: “I gave it my everything out there, and it was an amazing race, just driving on the limit every single lap, and I’m just so happy
“The whole team, they gave me a great car out there, I can’t thank them enough, you know, the car was absolutely on rails every single lap,.
“It’s an amazing feeling.”
Polesitter Kush Maini finished second and Sprint Race winner Dennis Hauger snatched third in a drag-race to the chequered flag with Jak Crawford and Hitech’s Cordeel.
LAP 28 / 28 ?@hauger_dennis snatches the final podium spot on the line! ?#SaudiArabianGP #F2 pic.twitter.com/QACelXQTZc
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 9, 2024
Bahrain double-winner Zane Maloney retains the top spot in the championship after finishing seventh, despite starting 15th.
Fittipaldi dedicates win to ex-F1 driver Wilson Fittipaldi
Fittipaldi took his first F2 victory in Belgium last season in that round’s Sprint Race and was emotional during the post race interviews, fighting back tears.
“It’s a lot of mixed emotions,” he said, dedicating the win to his uncle, Wilson, who passed away ahead of the season starting.
“It was a hard moment for the whole family, [we are] just really happy to be here, and I want to dedicate this win to him.”
The ‘little shark’ pounces to ignite title hopes
It was by no-means an easy win either, as the Brazilian started fourth on the grid.
A slow start by ART’s Victor Martins allowed Fittipaldi to move into third, holding off a fast starting PREMA of Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
The first of two safety cars was called on the opening lap after Pepe Martà spun and collided with Trident’s Roman Stanek.
Most of the field, including Fittipaldi started on the super-soft tyre and DAMS driver Crawford was the first to stop, ditching the tyres that had extremely limited life on Lap 6.
Leader Maini and Fittipaldi responded on the following lap, jumping the American driver, who also fell behind Antonelli’s PREMA.
Maini had built a small lead, but the Indian driver was quickly hunted down by his Brazilian rival, with Fittipaldi passing Maini on Lap 13 for an on-track P4.
This was because DAMS Lucas Oil’s Correa, Belgian driver Cordeel and PHM’s Taylor Barnard had all started on the medium compound Pirelli tyre and had yet to make their mandatory pit stop.
LAP 15 / 28
NO FRANCO! ?
The MP Motorsport driver taps the wall coming out of T27 and gets a rear right puncture, culminating in a spin at T1 bringing out the Safety Car ?#SaudiArabianGP #F2 pic.twitter.com/KKQji3X7R4
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 9, 2024
Fittipaldi would have taken an easy lead when they did stop but on Lap 15, a second safety car was called after MP Motorsport’s Franco Colapinto spun off at Turn 1.
With cars obliged to drive through the pit lane to keep marshal’s recovering the MP car safe, Cordeel and Barnard gambled on taking the fragile super-soft tyre to the end, while Correa opted not to.
This left Fittipaldi with work to do at the restart.
Cordeel made his move for the lead on Lap 21, but a lap later, Fittipaldi pulled off a stunning, race-winning move.
As he and Correa chased leader Cordeel down the start/finish straight with DRS (Drag Reduction System), Fittipaldi darted to the right-hand side of the circuit and bravely passed the pair ahead of him.
Simply put, it was a moment deserving of victory in any motor race.
? That move from Fittipaldi for the race lead!
5 Laps To Go! #F2 #Formula2 #RoadToF1 #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/zJ7T9S16K3
— ?????? F2.COM (@insidef2) March 9, 2024
Fittipaldi eased into a comfortable lead which he would never lose and eventually won by almost eight seconds.
? ENZO FITTIPALDI WINS THE FEATURE RACE IN JEDDAH!
See how the places and points were awarded to which drivers here! ?#F2 #Formula2 #RoadToF1 #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/9BZiOEOXZn
— ?????? F2.COM (@insidef2) March 9, 2024
Image: Formula Motorsport Limited
