After Zandvoort last weekend, Formula 2 returned for another action packed weekend, this time for Round 11 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. There was a ricochet of replacements of drivers after it was announced that Logan Sargeant and Williams Racing had parted way mid-way through the 2024 Formula 1 season.

Williams later announced that Formula 2 driver Franco Colapinto will race for the team for the rest of the 2024 season, starting at the Italian Grand Prix. Colapinto was previously running in sixth in the Formula 2 Drivers’ Championship for MP Motorsport after winning one race and achieving a further two podium finishes. 

It was announced that Colapinto will be replaced by Oliver Goethe who graduates from Formula 3 following two seasons in the series with Trident in 2023 and Campos Racing in 2024.

AIX  Racing also confirmed a new driver to their line-up, with Indy NXT Series racer Niels Koolen replacing Taylor Barnard for the next two rounds in Monza and Baku. This came into effect as a result of Taylor Barnard announcing his signing with NEOM McLaren for 2024/25 season in Formula E.

Qualifying:

Zane Maloney set the fastest qualifying lap around the Monza Circuit to take Pole Position after a dramatic session with a time of 1:32.160 ahead of fellow title contenders Isack Hadjar and Paul Aron.

The session started slowly with the entire grid opting to stay in the pit lane as green flags were waved, except Roman Stanek who underwent a solo escapade around the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. After locking in a lap time of 1:34.992, it triggered the rest of the field to make their way out on track to complete their own first flying lap.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli was the next driver to cross the line after his flying lap, setting the new benchmark time of 1:32.941 – a successful trip around the circuit after his debut appearance in Formula 1’s FP1 session ended with a hard crash in the barriers at the Parabolica corner some 10 minutes into the session – with Enzo Fittipaldi narrowly missing out on topping this time in second, some 0.256s off the top spot.

Zane Maloney, who topped the timing screens at the conclusion of the Practice Session was set for a good lap, being just moments away from crossing the line, however the lap had to be aborted due to the Red Flags being waved in order for the marshals to clear the track after the ART Grand Prix of Victor Martins went into the gravel and a large piece of polystyrene board being left in the middle of the track.

With the session being resumed with 16 minutes left on the clock, drivers began to pour back out onto the track for another attempt at flying laps, although it was not long before the second set of Red Flags made their appearance.

Another car had taken a trip into the gravel, although this time it was the Invicta Racing driver Gabriel Bortoleto who had beached his car at the second Lesmo. After failing to set a lap time in the opening stages of the session, the Brazilian title contender was set to start both races from the back of the grid.

Hadjar topped the timesheets after the second restart of the session with a 1:32.249, with Aron following him across the line into second. Maloney however, was on a charge and again went the fastest in the middle sector before taking the spot by a margin of 0.089s.

Whilst there was enough time for a second set of laps and there were some improvements, no one could beat Maloney’s time and he took his first Formula 2 Pole Position at Monza.

Hadjar finished in second ahead of Aron, Hauger, Martins and Antonelli. Josep Maria Marti took seventh on the grid for Campos, ahead of Oliver Bearman and Amaury Cordeel. Fittipaldi finished the session in 10th place for Van Amersfoort Racing meaning he would line up on the reverse grid pole for the Sprint Race.

Sprint Race:

With the 5 lights out and the start of the Sprint Race on Saturday, reverse grid pole-sitter Enzo Fittpaldi got off to a fast start in comparison to fellow front row starter Amaury Cordeel who dropped down to fourth before reaching Turn 1.

Fittipaldi soon went wide at Turn 1, handing the chance to Josep Maria Marti to take lead at the Curva Grande, followed closely by Martins in third.

Drama was also quick off the line at the start of the race with Zak O’Sullivan making contact with F2 debutant Oliver Goethe on the run up to Turn 1, which sent the MP Motorsport driver into a spin before meeting the barriers. O’Sullivan didn’t stop there, being involved in another incident only moments later, making contact with Andrea Kimi Antonelli heading in the first chicane. The ART Grand Prix driver had to retire from the race on track, whilst PREMA’s Antonelli had to pull into the pits with a puncture and damage to his front wing.

Racing resumed on Lap 4 after a brief Safety Car in order to recover O’Sullivan’s car, with Fittipaldi utilising the tow to get ahead on the main straight, however, a lock up once again going into Turn 1, gave the lead back to Marti.

With Bearman passing Martins going the Roggia chicane on Lap 5, his sights were set on race leader Marti going into Turn 1 at the start of Lap 7. With the PREMA demonstrating a strong pace, Marti made a mistake whilst carrying too much speed going into the corner, allowing Bearman to take the lead as the Campos took to the escape road.

The battle for second now heated up between Martins and Marti, with Marti not giving up the position easily, making a late lunge which caused both driver to run wide. Martins eventually emerged victorious, although Fittipaldi and Duerksen had now closed the gap as they crossed the line to start Lap 9.

Marti had soon dropped down to P5 in the order after being attacked by Fittipaldi and losing P3, before losing a further place at Turn 1 to Duerksen. 

Lap 17 saw Fittpaldi run wide off the track whilst exiting the Roggia chicane, allowing Marti and Maloney the chance to close the gap. Marti soon dove down the inside to take P4 on the road.

The last drama of the race came in the form of Maloney and Aron making contact the same, which forced the Hitech to pit with damage to his front wing.

With the chequered flag waving at the conclusion of the race, Bearman crossed the line to take his second consecutive victory around the Monza Circuit. Martins took second place, with Duerksen claiming the final position on the podium.

Marti finished in fourth place, with Fittipaldi having to settle for P7 after losing two further places on the final lap to Maloney and Crawford.

Gabriel Bortoleto gave a notable performance, with the McLaren Development Programme driver crossing the line in P8 after starting at the back of the grid due to not setting a qualifying time. P8 was not solely Bortoleto’s as he had to settle for sharing the final point of the race with Dennis Hauger, both setting identical times with nothing to separate them from each other.

Feature Race:

With the green flag waving at the rear of the grid and the five lights extinguished, Sunday’s Feature race got underway, with pole-sitter Maloney and third-placed Aron making a great start from the line, with Championship lead Isack Hadjar slow to get away.

Turn 1 brought the drama as Josep Maria Marti locked up going into the corner, catapulting the Campos driver into the back of Aron, who had to retire from the race following the contact. Marti was later handed a 10-second penalty for the incident.

The Safety Car was deployed with the racing being neutralised in order for the track to be cleared. Racing resumed on Lap 3 with Maloney leading from Oliver Bearman and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Hadjar, who had previously dropped down to fifth, gained his position back ahead of the AIX Racing car of Joshua Duerksen, on for the Paraguayan driver to retake the position once again down the main straight on Lap 5.

Onto Lap 8, another Safety Car was deployed – notably after a good portion of the grid had completed their mandatory pit stops to change tyres – this time following contact between Ritomo Miyata and Dennis Hauger, with the MP Motorsport spinning at Turn 1.

During this time, Bortoleto, Marti, Verschoor, Miyata and Rafael Villagomez took the chance to pit. Bortoleto, after rejoining the track was now the net race leader after starting the race in P22, with Verschoor in second and Maloney in third of those who had made their mandatory pit stop.

At the penultimate stages of Lap 12, Maloney made a move on Verschoor, getting ahead of the Dutchman heading into the Parabolica corner. This placed him right on the rear of Bortoleto, although the Brazilian driver passed Juan Manuel Correa to place a car between the pair going into Turn 1.

Lap 15 brought more drama as Bearman made contact with Correa at Turn 1, leaving the DAMS Lucas Oil driver with front wing damage which caused him to retire from the race, with Martins making a move stick on the PREMA Racing driver. On the same lap, Bortoleto took the lead of the race from teammate Maini whilst heading into the Roggia chicane.

Maloney seemed to be losing time to Bortoleto on Lap 18 whilst battling for the race win, with the Barbadian struggling to get past Goethe. He eventually completed the move heading into the Ascari chicane on the same lap, however, he had dropped to over four seconds behind Bortoleto out in front.

Lap 24 saw the two PREMA Racing drivers of Bearman and Antonelli battling wheel-to-wheel heading into Turn 1, with Antonelli getting ahead at the exit of Turn 2. Whilst trying to stay in contact, Bearman dipped a tyre in the gravel, allowing Duerksen the opportunity to make a pass for another place.

Mini eventually pitted on Lap 29, leaving Bortoleto out at the front all by himself for the final two laps of the race, before crossing the line victorious for the second time this season. Maloney took second place, now almost nine seconds adrift, with Verschoor taking the final place on the podium for Trident at the teams’ home race.

Antonelli managed to hold onto P4 ahead of Duerksen, with Martins following closely in sixth. Bearman took seventh, with Villagomez in eighth, Crawford in ninth and Fittipaldi taking the final points-paying position in P10.