As the 2024 Formula 2 season comes to a close, the annual Prize Giving Ceremony marked a celebration of the drivers’ and teams’ hard work throughout the campaign. Alongside the Champion and top three trophies, several other accolades were presented, including the prestigious Aramco Best Performance Award, which was won by Isack Hadjar for his standout performance during the Melbourne race weekend.
Despite being penalized after the Sprint Race and losing the victory, Hadjar made a remarkable comeback on Sunday to claim his first-ever Feature Race win and secure his first Formula 2 victory. This moment was a key turning point in his season, setting the stage for his title-contending campaign. Hadjar went on to win additional Feature Races at Imola, Silverstone, and Spa-Francorchamps, finishing the year with the most wins of any driver.
“Thank you very much to Aramco for this great trophy,” Hadjar said at the ceremony. “It highlights my race weekend in Melbourne, which was my best memory of the year. It marked the start of my season and ended a long wait for a podium. It was the beginning of a great season. In my mind, I won both races, so it’s cool.”
The victory in Melbourne was a result of Hadjar’s strategic racecraft. After a strong start, he avoided trouble in the opening stint and capitalized on the timing of a Virtual Safety Car deployment. Making his mandatory pit stop just before the race was neutralized, Hadjar rejoined in the lower part of the top 10, effectively taking the race lead as those on an alternative strategy had yet to pit. From there, he controlled the race, passing several rivals and holding off closest challenger Paul Aron to take his maiden victory in the Championship.
The win propelled Hadjar to fourth in the standings, and he continued to build on that momentum, fighting for the title all the way to the end of the season.
You Might Be Interested In:
