WHAT WE LEARNED: The main takeaways from Round 4 of the 2024 season in Imola

21 May 2024

After a short break since Melbourne, the 2024 FIA Formula 2 season resumed in Imola, and we were treated to an entertaining weekend as the drivers put on a show in Round 4.

But while some teams have left Italy satisfied with their performances and results, others will be heading to Monte Carlo eager to bounce back.

So, before we hit the streets of Monaco, let us look back at some of the key takeaways from Imola.

HIGHLIGHTS: Hadjar goes back-to-back with second Feature Race win of 2024

CAMPOS TAKE THE LEAD

Campos Racing and Isack Hadjar had a splendid weekend, as the Frenchman won having survived a late attack from Gabriel Bortoleto to win the Feature Race – his second victory of the season after winning in Melbourne.

This put Hadjar up to third in the Drivers’ Championship and with 59 points he sits just nine behind leader Zane Maloney.

It also means that for the first time this year another team apart from Rodin Motorsport top the Teams’ Standings, with Campos having gone from fourth to first.

The Spanish squad are in the midst of a rich vein of form after also setting the fastest times of days two and three at the in-season test in Barcelona last month.

They will be hoping to continue this form in Monte Carlo especially with both Hadjar and Josep María Martí returning to a track where they have had previous success.

Hadjar and Campos have won the last two Feature Races in Melbourne and Imola

AIX TAKE HUGE STRIDES

With a new name came improved performance for the German-based squad as Imola represented their most successful weekend in Formula 2 so far.

Heading into Round 4, AIX were the only team yet to score a point this season but that all changed at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

They looked in top form in Free Practice and transferred that to Qualifying when Joshua Duerksen set the fifth best time.

RACE ANALYSIS: How Colapinto fought his way to maiden F2 victory

AIX continued to catch the eye in the Sprint Race when Taylor Barnard crossed the line in P7 only for a post-race disqualification to leave them without points once again.

However, Duerksen recovered from his unfortunate crash in the Sprint with an eye-catching performance in the Feature, running a superb race to P3, and delivering his and the team’s first points and podium.

It is clear they learned a lot from the in-season test and have taken a step forward. Their performance in Imola will give them a great platform to build from heading into the rest of the season.

Duerksen became the first Paraguayan to score an F2 podium

MORE TO COME FROM DAMS

What started out as a difficult weekend ended positively for DAMS Lucas Oil as for the first time this season, through Jak Crawford and Juan Manuel Correa, they achieved a double point scoring result in the Feature Race.

It was a trying first day of running for the French outfit as Correa and Crawford struggled in Qualifying leaving them starting both races from P20 and P21.

FEATURE RACE: Hadjar holds off Bortoleto to take victory in Imola

However, they showed excellent pace in the Feature and married that with a great strategy to come through the field.

Crawford pulled off some excellent overtakes on the likes of Maloney and Roman Stanek as he made his way up the order to finish in seventh, while Correa followed him across the line in P8.

Of course, they will have eyes on more, but their race pace gives them great reason to be optimistic heading to Monte Carlo and beyond.

DAMS had a good Feature Race and scored points with both cars

CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS WELL AND TRULY ON

After a blistering start to the season, Maloney and his Rodin team had opened up big leads at the top of both Drivers’ and Teams’ Standings.

However, the pack are beginning to fight back and with Paul Aron, who is second in the Championship, and Hadjar having good weekends in Imola, the top three in the Drivers’ Standings are separated by just nine points.

In terms of the Teams’ Title, Campos’ huge weekend sees them head the way with 85 points and they now lead Rodin by just one point.

However, things are tight at the top with Hitech Pulse-Eight in third on 78 points ahead of MP Motorsport on 75 and Invicta Racing on 72. This means the top five teams are covered by just 13 points and it leaves us finely poised heading to Monte Carlo.

What makes this all the more intriguing is that the next five teams have all shown strong pace at some point or another and, as everyone continues to learn more about the new Formula 2 car, the Standings might look much different come the end of the year.