Hadjar heads Bortoleto in free practice for F2 title decider in Abu Dhabi

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Title rivals Isack Hadjar and Gabriel Bortoleto set the pace in free practice for Formula 2’s final round at Yas Marina, with the Red Bull junior pipping his rival to the top spot with his final lap of the session.

The final title contender, Hitech GP’s Paul Aron ran near the front throughout the session, finishing fourth, just behind ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins.

The slippery track surface caused difficulties, with the final corner in particular producing several moments as drivers fought for grip.

AIX Racing’s Joshua Duerksen was the first to set a flying lap with a time of 1m39.314s, putting him top of the ten drivers who ventured out in the opening minutes.

With all the cars out on track, Aron moved to the front despite encountering heavy traffic in the final sector, before being demoted first by Campos Racing’s Pepe Marti and then Duerksen with an improvement to go top by 0.3s.

The three continued to swap places at the head of the timesheets. Aron was still flying, setting best times in the first two sectors, although lost out slightly in the final part of the lap to leave him second, before in turn Marti regained the top spot.

As the leaders began to head to the pits, Aron grabbed the top spot back, although ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins immediately beat his time with a 1m38.082s, with Hadjar slotting into second, just 0.008s adrift.

With 19 minutes on the clock, Invicta Racing’s Bortoleto jumped to the front, posting a time of 1m38.046s, as his title rivals sat in the pits ahead of their second stints.

Bortoleto took advantage of an almost clear track to improve again in the first sector, but his run had to be aborted after AIX Racing’s Cian Shields hit the barriers in Turn 14, bringing out a red flag.

The session resumed with nine minutes remaining, with all 22 drivers except Shields immediately taking to the track.

Hadjar was one of those to improve in the final seconds, taking the flag with a time of 1m37.817s to go fastest, as others struggled to make their medium-compound tyres hold on for a full lap.

Aron and Duerksen improved their times to finish fourth and fifth with Rodin Motorsport’s Ritomo Miyata moving up to sixth.

Formula 3 champion Leonardo Fornaroli built up slowly on his series debut replacing Zane Maloney at Rodin, finishing the session in 20th place, 1.4s off Hadjar’s time.

Free practice results