ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins delivered a standout performance to secure pole position for Sunday’s Formula 2 Feature Race at the Yas Marina Circuit. As the final round of the 2024 season looms, Gabriel Bortoleto gained a slight edge over his championship rival Isack Hadjar, securing second on the grid and leaving the title battle on a knife-edge.
Martins set the early benchmark with a 1:36.245, with Paul Aron close behind at 0.317s. Bortoleto quickly inserted himself between the pair with a 1:36.479, showcasing strong pace early on. In contrast, Hadjar’s initial lap left him in 14th, struggling with traffic on his outlap due to slow-moving cars in the final sector.
The session’s first runs saw incremental improvements, with Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli moving into second before Martins bettered his time to 1:36.191. Aron briefly claimed second, only for Bortoleto to leapfrog him with a 1:36.050 to take provisional pole. Meanwhile, Hadjar clawed his way back into contention, moving up to fifth with a lap four-tenths off Bortoleto’s time.
Kush Maini, driving the second Invicta Racing car, impressed with a lap good enough for third, briefly splitting the top runners as the session reached its halfway mark.
As the drivers headed out for their final laps, Martins shattered his earlier benchmark with a stunning 1:35.745 to cement provisional pole. Hadjar jumped to second, just 0.128s off Martins, but was audibly frustrated over team radio, feeling his lap could have been better. Bortoleto responded, crucially reclaiming second place and outqualifying his rival by just 0.035s, although he voiced dissatisfaction with his final corner performance.
A red flag with four minutes remaining, caused by Rafael Villagomez, halted proceedings and added a layer of strategic complexity. Bortoleto’s frustration over his team’s timing was evident, but they reacted promptly, sending him out ahead of Hadjar when the session resumed.
In the dying moments, most drivers, including Bortoleto and Hadjar, failed to improve, while Aron capitalised to move into third, splitting the championship contenders.
All to Play For In The Championship
Sunday’s Feature Race will see Martins lead the field from pole, with Bortoleto starting second and Hadjar fourth. The title fight between Bortoleto and Hadjar is finely poised, with Bortoleto holding a slim points advantage heading into the weekends Sprint and Feature races.
The pressure remains high as Hadjar will start ahead of his rival in Saturday’s Sprint Race, providing an opportunity to claw back valuable points before the Feature Race showdown. With just two races left in the season, every move on track could prove decisive in crowning the 2024 Formula 2 champion.
Image: FML
