Gabriel Bortoleto is crowned the 2024 Formula 2 Champion after coming second in the Feature Race

Image credit: REUTERS PIC

Gabriel Bortoleto is the 2024 Formula 2 Champion after he secured P2 in the final race of the season.
 
He becomes the first driver since Oscar Piastri to win FIA F3 and F2 championships back-to-back in rookie seasons.

The Brazilian driver was denied P1 by AIX Racing's Joshua Duerksen took his first Feature race win in Formula 2 and his second win of the season. 

Devastation for title rival Isack Hadjar who stalled on the grid at lights out, leaving him out of contention and a lap behind after the race start. 

Invicta Racing clinched the Constructor's title following Bortoleto and Maini's incredible efforts this season and were celebrating in the pit lane once the chequered flag was flown.

How the Feature Race happened

21 cars lined up on the grid ahead of the Feature Race as Kimi Antonelli withdrew from the race (no shock after yesterday's Sprint race).

Lights out and Bortoleto charged into the lead, capitalising on Pole sitter Victor Martins' bad start. Meanwhile, Hadjar who lined up in third stalled on the starting grid and watched his title dreams be snatched away. 

Up the road on the opening lap, yesterday's Sprint race winner Pepe Marti was in a close battle with Invicta Racing driver Kush Maini through Turns 1-5 but it was Maini who was able to get ahead coming out of Turn 6 and move up into P2.

No sooner had Marti lost out to Maini, Joshua Duerksen swooped around the outside of the Campos driver to slot into the podium positions, leaving the Spaniard in fourth. 

Lap 7 saw the first pitstops of the race with Maini, Duerksen, and Marti being the first from the top 10 runners to take the opportunity to change tyres. 

Duerksen ran wide in Turn 3 after exiting the pit lane which allowed Victor Martins to take the opportunity to retake the place into Turn 5. 

Whilst Bortoleto was flying in the lead, his teammate suffered a slow pitstop and Maini fell down the order as a result. 

It was the Brazilian's turn to visit the Invicta pit box on Lap 8, swapping onto the medium tyre and making his way back out onto the track just ahead of Joshua Duerksen. 

The championship leader had a tough out lap, with two lock ups in the space of three corners allowing the AIX Racing car of Duerksen to take the effective lead of the race. 

Marti, who was yet to pit due to a different strategy, was able to take up the race lead and created a comfortable gap between him and his closest competitor on track, Richard Verschoor. 

The MP Motorsport driver was on the hunt, slowly closing down the gap between himself and P1 of the race. The hard work paid off, and Verschoor was able to make the pass on Marti going into Turn 6 on Lap 18. 

Joshua Duerksen found himself getting stuck behind the drivers that had yet to visit the pits which allowed those behind him to eat into the gap that he had created. 

Duerksen was able to clear the American Trident driver Max Eterson on Lap 23 who made his way into the pits at the end of the lap, releasing the effective race top 3. 

With 10 laps to go, the gap between the top 3 was tight and the win was anyone's to play for. 

Getting stuck behind another car on the alternative strategy, the gap between the three effective lead drivers closed down to just 2 seconds between them. 

Duerksen was able to break away and put distance between himself and the others behind him, going on to take the race lead not long after. 

On Lap 29/33, Bortoleto was able to get his car back up into second place and set his sights on the AIX Racing driver who was 2.3s up the road and performing well. 

Verschoor managed to bag himself a podium spot on the final lap as an error from Victor Martin left the door open for the MP Motorsport car to take the final podium place. 

However, as much as today was Duerksen's day as he crossed the line to take his first Feature Race win and his second win in Formula 2, all eyes were on the yellow Invicta Racing car of Gabriel Bortoleto.

Bortoleto becomes the Drivers' champion alongside his team who took the win in the Constructor's championship. He will now be looking ahead to his move up into Formula 1 next season where he will be racing for Kick Sauber. 

Well that brings us to the end of an enthralling Formula 2 season, but fear not, the drivers aren't quite finished there as they all return to Yas Marina for post-season testing from 11-13th December. 

The countdown to the 2025 season is on!

2024 Drivers' Championship Top 10
1. Gabriel Bortoleto (214.5)
2. Isack Hadjar (192)
3. Paul Aron (163)
4. Zane Maloney (140)
5. Jak Crawford (125)
6. Andrea 'Kimi' Antonelli (113)
7. Victor Martins (107)
8. Richard Verschoor (106)
9. Franco Colapinto (96)
10. Joshua Duerksen (87)

Katie Shepherd
Writer - F1 Journal