F2: Hadjar ends Abu Dhabi test on top from Hauger, Maloney

Isack Hadjar ends FIA F2 test on top on final day of running in Abu Dhabi from Dennis Hauger and Zane Maloney.

MORNING

Juan Manuel Correa was the early pacesetter on the final day of testing, going into the 1:37s until Jak Crawford beat that twice over to make it a DAMS 1-2 after clocking 1:36.551. MP Motorsport’s Franco Colapinto was next up to go quickest of all. The Argentinian went just 0.090s clear of Crawford in the opening 20 minutes.

Hadjar had gone second fastest overall with 30 minutes of running, but then went one better to lead for Campos after setting 1:36.180. The first Red Flag of the day arrived following a stoppage on track from Rodin Carlin’s Zane Maloney. With just over two hours remaining, the session resumed.

Several drivers were able to find improvements including Hadjar himself, who lowered the time to beat with a 1:36.066. He followed that up by becoming the first driver into the 1:35s, furthering his advantage in P1 on a 1:35.958. A second Red Flag arrived following two separate stoppages on the first DRS straight between Turns 5 and 6. Oliver Bearman and Paul Aron were recovered with over an hour and a half left of the morning session.

There were very few improvements in overall laptimes for the remainder of the session, with longer stints the focus over single lap pace. One final Red Flag arrived with 20 minutes to go courtesy of Christian Mansell in his first outing with Trident. Back to green for a final 10-minute dash, nobody could break into the 35s alongside Hadjar, though Rafael Villagómez remained the busiest, logging 55 laps for Van Amersfoort Racing.

AFTERNOON

The final session of post-season testing got underway but within the opening 10 minutes, the Red Flags were waiving after Oliver Bearman came to a halt at Turn 5. The session was restarted in quick order, though the track remained relatively quiet.

It was Mansell that went to the top before bettering his time with half an hour gone with a 1:37.602 to lead. That was until two quickfire improvements from Maloney, who lowered the time to beat to a 1:37.045 with 47 minutes run.

The Bajan driver was the first into the 36s in the afternoon, improving onto a 1:36.373 with just over an hour and 10 minutes left of on-track action in 2023. Heading into the final hour of running, it was PHM Racing and Joshua Duerksen that were next best. The Paraguayan driver filtered into second position on a 1:36.872, 0.499s down on Maloney’s effort.

Maloney found yet another improvement to move onto a 1:36.002 while Dennis Hauger then went second quickest for MP Motorsport, 0.235s down on the best time of the afternoon. The Norwegian wasn’t quite finished though as he dipped into the 1:35s to take the lead from Maloney by just 0.006s with three minutes to go.

The 1:35.996 was just good enough to top the session, bringing the 2023 FIA Formula 2 season to a close. Gabriel Bortoleto ended the afternoon with the highest lapcount, reaching 80 in his #14 Invicta Virtuosi Racing car.

Here’s how Day 1 in F2 test panned out in Abu Dhabi

Here’s how Day 2 in F2 test panned out in Abu Dhabi

[Note: The story is as per press release]