Isack Hadjar stormed to victory in the Formula 2 Feature Race in Belgium, boosting his title bid as chief rival Paul Aron retired on the final lap whilst running in the top three.
The Red Bull Junior utilised strategy perfectly to take a superb win, followed by Gabriel Bortoleto in second. Third would go to Jak Crawford, capitalising on Aron’s retirement.
At the start, Aron got away into the lead, with Bearman and Pepe Marti immediate retirements, the pair colliding on the outside line into La Source, bringing out yellow flags in sectors one. Hadjar made a fantastic overtake on Bortoleto for second place, gaining the tow up the Kemmel straight before taking the place on the outside on the approach to Les Combes.
Franco Colapinto was also an early retirement, the Argentinian’s MP grinding to a halt at the exit of Les Combes, causing cars to spray around him. With yellow flags now waving in sector two, race control quickly made the decision to deploy the safety car.
Aron decided to put his foot down early as the safety car dived into the pits at the start of lap four. The Estonian’s choice to resume racing speed before the final chicane paid off, as he gained enough of a gap to keep his lead into Les Combes with Hadjar breathing down his neck.
The Safety Car, however, was immediately back out, with Victor Martins’ ART and Rafael Villagomez both off and out on the exit of Les Combes. Replays showed the Mexican’s Van Amersfoort was squeezed by Taylor Barnard in the mid-point of the corner, pitching it into a spin and into the path of the helpless ART.
With the safety car phase set to end, Hadjar got himself closer to Aron this time, but the Hitech got another good getaway and would lead into La Source. Hadjar got closer up the hill on this occasion but still wasn’t close enough to overhaul Aron.
Setting the fastest lap and with DRS enabled at the start of lap nine, it would be inevitable that Hadjar would take the lead, and he did so on the Kemmel straight, repeating the move he made on Bortoleto. Hadjar immediately pulled an eight-tenths lead, with Aron deciding to pit at the end of the lap.
Verschoor dived past Crawford for third, with Hadjar pitting, the Campos pit crew unable to match the swiftness of Hitech in their stop, but he would rejoin just ahead of Aron, the gap set to close with Aron’s tyres up to temperature.
Bortoleto pitted on lap 11, followed by Enzo Fittipaldi, whose Van Amersfoort stalled, sending the Brazilian into an early retirement.
Aron was now on Hadjar’s tail up the hill, with Aron making the move that had been made on him, moving past into eighth place, with others ahead still yet to pit. The Frenchman quickly took to his radio, informing the team of his displeasure at the way his stop was conducted.
The run up the Les Combes was becoming the firm favourite overtaking spot, with Hadjar taking Aron back for seventh on lap 13. Ahead of them, Aron’s team-mate Cordeel and the Invicta of Kush Maini jostled for third place, the Frenchman brilliantly taking the Indian around the outside of the Bruxelles right-hander going down the hill.
Aron set the fastest lap on lap 14, with Verschoor and Antonelli running in first and second, the pair yet to pit, but the young Italian would at the end of lap 15, leaving Verschoor to lead by nine seconds from Juan Manuel Correa. A poor stop would leave Antonelli stranded behind Cordeel, rendering his chances of winning the race unlikely.
On lap 17, Bortoleto took Aron for fourth, with Correa now leading with Barnard hot on his heels, both men on the alternative strategy. They would, however, be holding up Hadjar, with Bortoleto gaining. Knowing he would need to get himself to clean air quickly, Hadjar took Barnard for second in sector three, with Correa pitting.
Bortoleto would now give chase, the Brazilian and Hadjar beginning to leave Aron behind, with the Hitech’s tyres starting to wear off quickly, with Crawford’s DAMS now filling his mirrors.
Hadjar was now creating a gap between himself and Bortoleto, over a second ahead by lap 20. Further back, Vershoor was able to take Zane Maloney for sixth, with Cordeel moving up to ninth ahead of Antonelli.
With now just two laps remaining, Bortoleto was able to keep the gap down to just over a second with Hadjar in firm control of proceedings. Aron was able to maintain third, albeit over six seconds adrift, with Crawford’s challenge for the final podium spot fading.
Heading into the final lap, Hadjar was now two seconds ahead of Bortoleto, in what had been a controlled and brilliantly executed performance by him and his team, but the drama was not done yet. Aron, looking certain for third, slowed along the Kemmel straight, a problem ending his race and denting his title aspirations in one big moment.
Hadjar’s day was made even better, as he crossed the line to take a brilliant win. Bortoleto would stay in second, with Crawford taking third. The title pendulum was now swinging towards the Red Bull Junior.
Zak O’Sullivan was fourth, with Richard Verschoor fifth.
Zane Maloney finished sixth, with Ritomo Miyata seventh. Hitech was able to score some points through Amaury Cordial’s eighth spot.
Kimi Antonelli had a busy morning’s work and ultimately finished in ninth, with Joshua Durksen rounding-up the top 10.
