British Grand Prix: F2 Sprint Race Results

Wet weather threatened to throw a spanner in the works of the first Formula 2 race this weekend

James Fiorucci 4 min read

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All 20 cars shod Wet tyres in preparation for a slippery Silverstone Sprint; who kept it clean to win the race?

British Grand Prix: F2 Sprint Race Results
Oliver Bearman qualified in P5 at his home race, following the news he would be driving his first full season in Formula 1 next year (Image Credit: @Formula2 on X)

Rain clouds have appeared and disappeared countless times already throughout the British Grand Prix weekend, making it difficult for the F2 grid to grow accustomed to the various intricacies of the historic Silverstone Circuit.

Friday morning practice was a wet affair, with AIX Racing’s Joshua Duerksen setting the fastest time of a 1:58.064. Several drivers attempted to brave it out on slick tyres towards the end of the session but struggled to find the necessary grip in slippery conditions.

The racetrack had finally dried out by Qualifying in the afternoon. In the 30-minute-long session, it was Isack Hadjar, currently second in the Championship, who managed to place his Campos Racing on pole. Home favourite Oliver Bearman, who recently signed for Haas for the 2025 F1 season, qualified in fifth position while fellow compatriots Zak O’Sullivan and Taylor Barnard managed 14th and 21st respectively.

With the top ten qualifiers reversed for the start of the Sprint race, Bearman’s teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli started on the front row with Barbadian Zane Maloney alongside him. Who took home ten valuable points from Round 8 of the 2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship?

Opening laps

While the rain had subsided by the start of the Sprint, dark clouds loomed over the Silverstone Circuit. Engineers warned drivers of heavy rain projected early on in the race.

21 laps of action got underway behind the Safety Car. Antonelli got the jump on Maloney following behind and maintained his lead. Contact between Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto resulted in a damaged front wing for the former, though the Briton was able to continue in the race.

Bortoleto subsequently made a move around the outside of Jak Crawford around Maggots and Becketts, moving up to fourth position. As the rain intensified, drivers tried alternative racing lines to try and find grip on the track. Hadjar got past Championship rival Paul Aron before Woodcote on the second lap.

Antonelli had pulled out a three-second gap to Maloney by the end of lap two. A brief Virtual Safety Car for Bearman’s missing front wing endplate was swiftly cleared but Yellow flags were waved once again after an incident involving Juan Manuel Correa, this time bringing out the full Safety Car. This was upgraded to a Red flag as the wet conditions continued to deteriorate.

First race restart

As soon as the rain began to die down, the cars were back out to test the waters. Bearman had replaced his front wing, while many drivers had swapped onto a fresh set of Wet tyres.

It was a rolling start once again, as Antonelli kept hold of P1 as he crossed the finish line to begin lap seven. Immediately the closest on-track battle was between Invicta Racing teammates Bortoleto and Kush Maini for third, side-by-side through much of the first sector.

Drama between Aron and Josep Maria Marti, as the two came together and ended each other’s races with damage on lap eight. Hadjar also came to a stop in the gravel a little further down the road, seemingly of his own volition. First and second in the Standings found themselves both out of the race!

With a number of cars stricken on circuit, the Safety Car was brought out yet again.

Second race restart

The Safety Car pulled into the pits at the end of lap 12 as Antonelli backed up the field before hitting the gas into Vale corner. He stayed in P1, pulling out a one-second gap to Maloney by the very first corner.

Bearman waltzed past Dennis Hauger for eighth place, while Maini and Bortoleto continued their earlier battling. But disaster for the home favourite Bearman, who went off at Copse and dropped all the way to P18.

Maini, appearing to lack confidence in the ever-evolving track conditions, was at the head of a growing train of cars fighting for the final step on the podium. O’Sullivan threatened to join this train as he made a brilliant move on Franco Colapinto to claim seventh.

Lap 16 saw Antonelli extend his lead to over three seconds, while teammate Bearman dropped right to the back of the field with a technical issue, subsequently retiring. Martins was another unfortunate soul as he was clipped in the rear by O’Sullivan and stalled his engine, pulling out of the race as well.

Closing stages

The aforementioned incidents resulted in the second Virtual Safety Car of the Sprint, which ended with five laps to go. O’Sullivan had suffered damage in his contact with Martins and came into the pits to also retire.

Duerksen became another victim of the wet conditions as he spun following behind Ritomo Miyata in eighth position.

Antonelli further stretched his lead to five seconds as he set the fastest lap of the race. Meanwhile Roman Stanek snatched the final points-paying position from Miyata. A great race for Stanek who started 22nd.

An entertaining battle between Crawford and Colapinto saw the pair switch positions and then switch again on the penultimate lap, with Crawford maintaining P5. A little further ahead Bortoleto continued to pressurise Maini for third.

However at the head of the field Antonelli drove a flawless race to win the Silverstone Sprint, his first win and podium of the 2024 FIA Formula 2 season. Maloney finished eight seconds behind the Italian for second, while Bortoleto barged his way past Maini in the final few corners to take third.

Final Sprint race classification

Full race results can be found here.

Feature Image Credit: @Formula2 on X

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