Hadjar wins Spa feature race, last-lap heartbreak costs Aron podium · RaceFans

Isack Hadjar took a major step towards winning the Formula 2 championship by claiming the feature race at Spa.

The Red Bull junior passed Paul Aron to take the lead of the race, then held off Gabriel Bortoleto to claim maximum points. His title ambitions received a further boost on the final lap when Aron, running third, suddenly slowed to a stop along the Kemmel Straight, dropping out of the points places.

Before the race, the stewards announced that both Aron and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be investigated for an undisclosed ‘technical infringement’.

Aron held his lead at the start, with Hadjar able to pass McLaren junior Bortoleto to take second place. However, before drivers had even reached La Source, Oliver Bearman drifted into Zane Maloney on the approach to the braking zone, which sent him into Pepe Marti’s Campos and putting both Bearman and Marti into the outside tyre wall.

The Safety Car was deployed, with the race resuming at the start of lap four. However, the Safety Car was deployed again before the end of the lap following a two car crash at Les Combes involving a spinning Rafael Villagomez who then collected Victor Martins.

The race restarted on lap seven, with Aron resisting a challenge from his championship rival along the Kemmel Straight. However, once DRS was activated on the next lap, Hadjar used it to drive around the Hitech on the run to Les Combes and take the lead.

Aron responded to losing the lead by pitting immediately to fit medium tyres. Campos pitted Hadjar at the end of the next lap, allowing him to rejoin ahead of his rival. But Aron began to put Hadjar under pressure with his warmer tyres and slipstreamed his rival with DRS at the start of lap 12.

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Despite losing the lead, Hadjar stuck with Aron and reclaimed the lead thanks to DRS on lap 13. But this time, Hadjar managed to escape from Aron, who instead came under pressure from Bortoleto behind. The Invicta driver passed Aron to take second place, then set his sights on leader Hadjar ahead.

However, Hadjar kept out of DRS range of Bortoleto behind and managed to keep his composure over the remaining laps to cross the line and take his fourth win of the championship. However, on the final lap, Aron suddenly slowed exiting Raidillon, allowing Jak Crawford through into third position. Aron ground to a halt, meaning he would not finish the race.

As a result, Williams junior and sprint race winner Zak O’Sullivan gained fourth place, ahead of Richard Verschoor, Zane Maloney and Ritomo Miyata. Amaury Cordeel was eighth with Antonelli in ninth and Joshua Duerksen claiming the final point in tenth.

Aron’s last lap retirement was a major blow for his championship ambitions, with Hadjar extending his lead to a very healthy 36 points with four rounds remaining. Bortoleto is now Hadjar’s closest competitor, moving five points ahead of Aron in third.

Formula 2 Belgium race two results

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