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2024 F2 Highlights Part 3: Top moments from the triple header
After the flyaway rounds that kicked off the season and the return to old-school tracks in Imola and Monte Carlo, the triple header shaped the 2024 campaign and the title fights.
With Barcelona, Spielberg and Silverstone providing plenty of moments of excitement, here are two that stand out in the memory.
Crawford and Correa on the Barcelona podium
The first triple header of the season got off to an incredible start with the new Championship leader Paul Aron taking Pole Position in Barcelona by the tiniest of margins.
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The Hitech Pulse-Eight driver beat Jak Crawford to the top spot by 0.002s with MP Motorsport’s Franco Colapinto also 0.006s behind the Estonian in third.
Aron held the early lead of the Feature Race but lost out to Crawford through the pit stop phase. Looking to retake the position, he ran wide through the gravel at the final corner dropping him down the order.
This handed Crawford the chance to claim his first victory of the season and he obliged crossing the line 1.4s ahead of Colapinto, who continued his impressive form following his win in Imola.
Joining them on the podium was Crawford’s DAMS Lucas Oil teammate Juan Manuel Correa, who made the alternate strategy work having started in P8.
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His use of the Soft tyre in the final stint was eye-catching as he battled his way through the field late on before overtaking Aron with four laps to go to seal his first F2 podium finish since 2019.
Bortoleto’s Spielberg statement victory
From third position on the grid and after original Pole man Dennis Hauger stalled on the formation lap, Bortoleto quickly swarmed de-facto polesitter Joshua Duerksen in the opening laps.
The Invicta Racing driver followed in the AIX Racing car’s wheel tracks in the opening laps but made his move on Lap 4, diving to the inside of Duerksen at Turn 4 for the lead.
He had Colapinto for close company though as the first stint wore on, and the Brazilian was called into the pits on Lap 8 to fit the Soft compound Pirelli tyres to run to the end.
An early stop for Josep María Martí put him ahead on the road on the same strategy, but the Invicta driver’s rapid pace quickly closed down the gap to the Spaniard by the halfway mark. With DRS into Turn 3, Bortoleto was through without issue, and he resumed his charge.
The MP driver eventually stopped and came across the Campos Racing pair of Isack Hadjar and Martí, but nobody was able to get close to the 2025 Kick Sauber driver, who claimed his maiden F2 Feature Race victory four seconds clear of anybody.
Antonelli shines in Silverstone rain
Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s first experience of Silverstone took place in typical summer conditions in Britain, as a deluge of rain arrived in time for the Sprint Race on Saturday.
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The PREMA Racing driver took it in his stride though, putting in his most accomplished performance up to that point of the season.
Leading the field at the rolling start, the Italian was masterful in the torrential conditions. As heavier rain began to pour down, Antonelli surged ahead, putting pursuer Zane Maloney in his mirrors by 3.4s before a Safety Car and eventual Red Flag neutralised the race.
The short pause gave way to more racing action, but the break didn’t change things out in front as Antonelli just continued from where he left off. He built up a two second lead before another Safety Car was deployed for stationary cars which wiped out that advantage.
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Another restart and another impressive showing by the PREMA driver had him well clear of the chasing pack in short order, lapping over a second quicker than anyone else heading into the final third of the Sprint Race.
By the chequered flag, the Mercedes-bound driver was over 8.5s clear of Maloney in P2, earning his first F2 victory in dominant style.