What to Watch For: The key storylines to look out for at the final round at Yas Marina

The drivers and their teams have arrived in Abu Dhabi for the 14th and final round of this captivating 2024 FIA Formula 2 season, with both titles still up for grabs.

In the Drivers' Championship, Gabriel Bortoleto leads the way, but he is only half a point clear of Isack Hadjar while Paul Aron also has an outside chance of being Champion.

READ MORE: Delighted Hatton says Aron’s Qatar victory has been a ‘long time coming’

In the Teams’ battle, Invicta Racing look to be closing in on the title but can Campos Racing or MP Motorsport do anything about that?

These are just a few of the key storylines you should have your eye on this weekend…

THE TWO AT THE FRONT

Bortoleto comes into the weekend on 188.5 points but, as previously mentioned, he is just half a point clear of Hadjar at the front.

This means whoever finishes ahead of the other in Abu Dhabi will be crowned Champion, and as we saw in Qatar anything can happen.

The Brazilian driver had looked the quicker throughout the Lusail weekend, qualifying second ahead of Hadjar in ninth, but actually wound up being outscored by his Campos rival.

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Hadjar’s bold strategy call in the Sprint, a timely pit stop under the Safety Car in the Feature along with Bortoleto’s five-second penalty meant he finished one place ahead of his rival on Saturday and Sunday.

He will obviously hope to be quicker and closer to Bortoleto this weekend, but he has shown that he can fight back from difficult positions, though as has the Invicta Racing driver.

It was not too long ago at Monza where he spun out of Qualifying and started at the back in the Feature Race, while Hadjar was in third, and yet still he found a way to win the race.

So, if we have learned anything from the two of them this year is that they cannot be counted out and that anything can happen in Abu Dhabi.

ARON WATCHING AND WAITING

But there is a third member of the party to keep your eyes on as Hitech Pulse-Eight’s Paul Aron will be hoping to pull off a huge surprise this weekend.

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The Estonian has shown tremendous pace throughout the year, having a season-leading four Pole Positions. He heads to Yas Marina confident after achieving his first F2 victory in Lusail and fresh from the announcement he will be Alpine F1 Reserve Driver in 2025.

He made a bright start to the year, finishing on the podium in each of the opening seven rounds, but a mid-season dip in results put him on the back foot.

However, his performance in Qatar was one of a driver in form. He was quick from the minute they put the car on track and the one thing he willneed to be this weekend is fast if he is to overturn that 25.5-point deficit to Bortoleto.

He will also need plenty to go in his favour at the Yas Marina Circuit but as we all know in motorsport and especially Formula 2, anything is possible.

THE TEAMS’ TITLE

The battle for the Teams’ Championship is not as tight as the Drivers’ but it is still close with Invicta on 262.5 points, leading Campos by 31.5, while MP are third, 62.5 points behind.

READ MORE: Trident confirm the signing of Max Esterson for the 2025 Formula 2 season

This gives Invicta a bit of a cushion to play coming into the weekend, with their rivals not only needing to score, but having to score big points in both races.

For Campos, they will be hoping to have both Hadjar and Josep María Martí at or near the top in both races and taking advantage of any slip ups from their Norfolk-based rivals.

On the other hand, if they do not, Invicta could theoretically wrap up the title in the Sprint Race if both Bortoleto and Kush Maini outscore Campos by 14.5 points.

MP’s hopes are slight with 65 points the maximum they can score this weekend, and they would need plenty to go their way. But who knows what could happen especially if Oliver Goethe and Richard Verschoor continue their good form.

THE END OF THEIR JUNIOR CAREERS

This weekend is set to be Bortoleto’s final one in the junior formulas following the announcement last month that he will be graduating to Formula 1 with Kick Sauber.

He will be joined on next year’s F1 grid by the PREMA Racing pair of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman, with the former replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, while the latter goes to Haas.

LUSAIL ANALYSIS: How Aron surged to Pole Position over Bortoleto

So, for the trio, Abu Dhabi will mark the end of their time in Formula 2 but it will also be the start of their new chapter in the top tier of the pyramid.

They will no doubt be hoping to end their time in the Championship on a high and in the best possible manner and for Bortoleto that could mean the title.

So, if you hear or see them being slightly emotional at the end of the Feature, you know why.