After three seasons in Formula 2, Théo Pourchaire has the chance to clinch the world championship title this weekend in Abu Dhabi. To do so, the Maralpin, who is leading the championship, must ensure that he stays ahead in the standings of his two pursuers, Frederik Vesti and Ayumu Iwasa.
This weekend marks the fourteenth and final Formula 2 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. It’s a highly anticipated race for the young drivers in the category since they haven’t been in their single-seaters for over two months. The last time was in Monza (Italy). It’s been an interminable wait for the three drivers still in contention for the world championship title.
The lowest-ranked among them is Ayumu Iwasa. He has had a good season without any standout performances, mainly due to too often missing out in qualifications. The Japanese driver is 39 points behind Théo Pourchaire, which is the maximum number of points available in a race weekend. To claim the title, he would need to secure pole position (2 points), win the sprint race (11 points), and the long race (26 points) with the fastest lap each time. Additionally, he must hope that the Frenchman scores no points and Frederik Vesti scores no more than 24. Needless to say, the task appears more than challenging.
Frederik Vesti, Théo Pourchaire’s main rival
Thus, the focus is likely to be on a duel between our local driver and the Dane Frederik Vesti. In the standings, the two men are separated by 25 points in favor of Théo Pourchaire—a comfortable lead for the ART team driver. “I will drive as I usually do, but in my mind, I know that I am fighting for the title,” the Frenchman explained to the press on-site. “I prefer to win the title than the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. But I will try to accomplish both. I will give my best, trying to be cautious at certain moments like the race starts, which can be dangerous and during which you can make a mistake,” he added.
His opponent has made several errors since the start of the season with Prema in the recent races. So much so that he lost his lead to the Frenchman by the end of the Belgian weekend. However, a bad weekend can happen quickly, so staying cautious and out of race incidents is necessary.
To remain in contention for the title on Saturday night, Frederik Vesti must not fall more than 26 points behind Théo Pourchaire. If he secures pole position, the Dane could slightly improve his chances, closing the gap to 23 points before the sprint race.
If he secures pole position, Frederik Vesti must not concede more than four points to the Frenchman during the sprint. Otherwise, the title would automatically go to Théo Pourchaire. Without pole position, the Mercedes protege must not lose more than one point to his rival. Finally, if Théo Pourchaire secures the pole, Frederik Vesti must finish ahead of him to maintain a slim chance for the title.
The only advantage for the Dane is his five wins over the entire season compared to Théo Pourchaire’s single victory. This means that in the event of a tie at the end of Sunday’s race, Vesti would be crowned champion. But that’s still far off!
Double Program
In addition to this Grand Prix weekend, Théo Pourchaire (Alfa Romeo) and Frederik Vesti will have the opportunity to drive in F1. Between their practice session and the F2 qualifying, both drivers will participate in the EL1. So it’s a busy schedule for these two men, who will once again take the wheel of the world’s fastest single-seaters. It’s a way to show the various team principals in the premier class that they are ready to step up to the next level.
Tune in tomorrow at 1:20 PM for the start of the sprint race and 10:15 AM on Sunday to definitely know the outcome of this F2 world championship.
