Upping the Pace: What to Watch for ahead of round two in Jeddah

The 2024 FIA Formula 2 season got off to an action-packed start in Sakhir as Zane Maloney and Rodin Motorsport scored victories in both the Sprint and Feature Races.

They, along with their rivals in the paddock, now make the short trip to Jeddah as they get set for round two at the fastest street circuit on the calendar.

So, can Maloney and Rodin continue their fine form in Jeddah or will one of their rivals take their turn in the 2024 winner’s circle? Here’s what to watch for this weekend.

Jeddah Preview: The high-speed streets await

RODIN LOOKING TO CONTINUE THE WINNING FEELING

Rodin and Maloney’s form in Sakhir was simply outstanding but given the pace they had showcased at the same venue for pre-season testing weeks prior, it did not surprise many.

The challenge for them now is to try and replicate their race-winning performance at a circuit where they have not previously tested and one that also requires an altered car setup due to its different characteristics.

This was something they could not do last year as Maloney went from P18 to third in the Bahrain Feature Race but did not score points at the next round in Jeddah.

If they translate their form to Saudi Arabia this weekend, however, it would be a great sign for their title ambitions, as it would show that they have a car that will be competitive at a number of different circuits.

CAN CAMPOS CONTINUE THEIR FORM

Campos Racing like Rodin also enjoyed a strong start to the 2023 season in Bahrain. Ralph Boschung won the Sprint Race before finishing on the podium in the Feature – with Kush Maini also finishing fourth in the second race.

Boschung and Maini followed that up by taking fourth and fifth respectively in the Sprint dash before going without points in the Feature Race.

However, their performance the rest of the year dipped - although Maini finished on the podium in Melbourne – as they finished ninth in the Teams’ Standings. They have made a similar start to the season this year with Josep María Martí finishing on the podium twice in Bahrain.

READ MORE: Josep María Martí’s Sakhir Weekend in His Words

Isack Hadjar also showed strong form as he took the chequered flag in the Sprint Race in P4. He qualified on the front row also but was knocked out of the Feature encounter on the opening lap.

But the pace is there, and the Spanish team will be hoping to carry that form over to Jeddah and to the tracks coming up on the calendar. If they can, an assault on the title could be on their horizon.

PREMA LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK

PREMA endured a difficult weekend in Bahrain, one that saw them qualify with both drivers out of the top-10, although Andrea Kimi Antonelli came through the field in the Feature Race to finish 10th.

But it is no secret that the Italian giants have in recent years struggled in Sakhir as they even went without scoring a point over the two races last season.

So, how they perform in Jeddah will be of keen interest to many, to see whether they are truly struggling to adapt to the brand-new F2 car or whether their issues are Bahrain-specific.

Rookies make their mark: Sakhir, What We Learned

Last year, they were able to bounce back from that season-opener with Fredrik Vesti securing victory in the Jeddah Feature Race after Ollie Bearman had qualified on the front row.

There is no doubt they will be working hard to have a repeat comeback performance this year as they look to restore themselves to the front of the competitive order.

ROOKIE ADAPTATION TO JEDDAH

Of the top five points scorers from Bahrain, four of them happened to be rookies. The current Drivers’ Championship show Martí in second ahead of Paul Aron, Gabriel Bortoleto and Zak O’Sullivan.

Martí and Aron’s points tallies were also aided by their runs to the podium in the Sakhir Feature Race, with the former also taking his pace on the rostrum in the Sprint.

Bortoleto also enjoyed a strong weekend of his own as he qualified second only to gain Pole Position when his Invicta Racing teammate Kush Maini was disqualified for a technical infringement on his car.

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Additionally, Ritomo Miyata, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Franco Colapinto also scored the first points of their careers in the second tier.

However, while they all made good starts, Jeddah will represent a different test for the rookies considering that none of them have ever competed at the circuit previously.

It’s the entire opposite situation to Bahrain where plenty had competed in Sakhir in Formula 3, while all of them had done pre-season testing at the same venue weeks prior in F2 machinery.

Therefore, how they adapt to the narrow, high-speed street circuit will be their first big test and will be intriguing to watch. It could prove pivotal particularly when it comes to their confidence to push the boundaries of the track in a bid to nail their Qualifying lap.