The 2024 Formula 2 Championship is set to go down to the wire with two rounds to go.
This season has seen some tight competition at the front for much of the year. But with only Qatar and Abu Dhabi remaining, some drivers have perhaps fallen too far away from challenging for the top spot.
Paul Aron had been a title contender for much of the start of the year as he got his Hitech consistently on the podium. However, after a string of bad results at Spa and Monza, the Estonian finds himself 36.5 points behind, which leaves him with it all to do with two rounds to go.
Zane Maloney was also in with a chance of winning the championship. However, the Barbadian has taken himself out of contention as Maloney will join ABT-Lola for the 2024/25 Formula E season and will miss the final round in Abu Dhabi due to his new commitments.
While Aron stands a mathematical chance of winning the title, it is most likely going to be between Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar who claims the Formula 2 crown in 2024.
Adrian Campos Jr says Gabriel Bortoleto was ‘extremely lucky’ in Monza
Hadjar has won more races than any other driver in F2 this year with four and had been leading the championship for some time. But the Frenchman has found himself on a poor run of form, with one points finish in the last seven races.
Meanwhile, Bortoleto has made up ground with some brilliant performances. In Monza, he and Dennis Hauger were awarded half a point as they crossed the line in eighth in the Sprint Race at the exact same time and subsequently shared the point.
READ MORE: Franco Colapinto shares what’s impressed him about Gabriel Bortoleto amid Formula 2 title battle
In the Feature Race, Bortoleto started last but benefitted from a safety car to make a pit stop and went on to win the race. In Baku, the Brazilian finished fifth and fourth and took the lead of the championship by four and a half points over Hadjar.
Speaking with the F2 website, Campos Racing team principal Adrian Campos Jr assessed his team’s approach going into the final two rounds and labelled Bortoleto as ‘extremely lucky’ for his Monza results.
“I don’t think we need to change something crazy,” added Campos Jr. “In Monza we had an issue in the pit lane and Bortoleto was extremely lucky, pitting when the Safety Car came starting last and winning the race.
“So, then later in Baku we had the issue in Qualifying and with the penalty also we had to start from the last few spots with both the cars. But as I say, if nothing strange happens, we will be at the front and we will be fighting at the front in both rounds.
“The Teams’ Championship is something that we need to do our best for, both drivers need to do their best, but we are not only focused on this. We also really want Isack to win the Championship, and we will fight for that.”
Who will win the Formula 2 title in 2024?
With little time left and such a slim margin between the drivers, it will be a nail-biting end to the season for Bortoleto and Hadjar.
The former will be looking to continue the momentum he has built and bridge a bigger gap at the top, while the former will be desperate to find some form and beat his rival to re-take the lead.
READ MORE: F2 star Isack Hadjar now looking at two new championships if 2025 F1 promotion doesn’t happen
It is not just the Drivers’ Championship that is at stake, as Invicta Racing and Campos find themselves in the fight for the Teams’ Championship.
Bortoleto’s Invicta lead the way by 35.5 points over Campos, as the Brazilian and Kush Maini have registered more consistent points finishes than Hadjar and the struggling Pepe Marti.