Emotional Enzo Fittipaldi takes maiden F2 Feature Race victory in Jeddah
Enzo Fittipaldi was overcome with emotion after taking his first FIA Formula 2 feature race victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Enzo Fittipaldi celebrates his maiden Formula 2 feature race victory. (Formula Motorsport Limited/Supplied)
The Brazilian made a bold three-wide pass for the lead at turn one in the final stages of the race and bounded to the flag as a fierce battle erupted behind him for the final podium positions.
“It feels amazing, there’s a lot of emotions and I am just very happy to come out on top today,” said the 22-year-old, after returning to the circuit where he suffered horrific injuries in 2021.
He suffered a fractured heel and facial injuries in a 72G impact after colliding with Theo Pourchaire who had stalled on the grid
Fittipaldi was in tears on the podium, dedicating his victory to his great-uncle Wilson Fittipaldi, the former F1 driver and team owner who passed away in late February at age 80.
“We were just flying today. I think every lap we were doing was very fast, our pace was very fast.”
“We had some good fights on track. We got a bit unlucky with the safety car, I fell back to fourth and had some guys on the super softs ahead of me.
“I had to at the same time manage my tyres and overtake, I think I managed that well. We were very competitive, getting the fastest lap on the second last lap of the race.
“Extremely happy and very grateful for this win.”
Kush Maini, Enzo Fittipaldi, and Dennis Hauger on the podium in Jeddah. (Formula Motorsport Limited/Supplied)
It was an eventful weekend for Formula 2 in Jeddah, with pole sitter Oliver Bearman called up to the Formula 1 grid after illness for Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.
Kush Maini was promoted to pole position, a week after being disqualified and stripped of his pole in Bahrain, and led the field away as the track sizzled to 42°C under the Saudi sun.
There was drama from the outset, with Josep Maria “Pepe” Martí spinning in turn two and collected by Roman Stanek in the tight midfield, with the race neutralised behind the safety car.
With knowledge of the tyre performance from the sprint race on Friday, the super soft-compound runners began to pull into pit lane on lap eight, with Juan Manuel Correa inheriting the lead.
It was a war of attrition, with Franco Colapinto spinning off on lap 15 and Isack Hadjar retiring on lap 19, continuing his streak of terrible fortunes in the start of the 2024 season.
With the net lead of the race in the hands of Amaury Cordeel, he chased down Correa as Fittipaldi watched on, just 1.5 seconds behind and holding the fastest lap.
The trio reversed positions with Fittipaldi’s daring move for the lead on lap 22, three-wide into turn one with Cordeel emerging in second for Hitech Grand Prix.
At the front, the Van Amersfoort Racing car of Fittipaldi peeled away from the chasing pack, with Maini past Cordeel into second as a four-way battle emerged for the final podium positions.
A late-race virtual safety car meant a last-lap dash to the finish, with Maini taking second and Dennis Hauger appearing from fifth to take third at the line.
Once the smoke cleared, it was Fittipaldi’s day in Jeddah, celebrating a bittersweet maiden feature race victory in the memory of his great-uncle.
The pace, however, was no surprise to Fittipaldi, who said he left Bahrain frustrated that he was unable to show his potential.
“I came in Jeddah with one thing in mind, just hit my marks, and if I have a clean weekend, I know we’re going to be fighting at the top.”
Returning to the track where he had such a major crash, Fittipaldi says it makes him even prouder to take victory.
“That was obviously a hard time in my career. It was my second start in F2, and I had that massive crash with the start.”
“You look at it as a negative from the outside but for me, actually I think I came out a much stronger driver from that and mentally stronger as well.”
“It was a difficult time, all the pain I went through in December and January, and to get back racing in 2022 still with my foot fractured was difficult and we still had an amazing year that year.”
“So it’s very special to get the win here in Jeddah.”
Enzo Fittipaldi on track during the Formula 2 feature race in Jeddah. (Formula Motorsport Limited/Supplied)
Fittipaldi leaves Jeddah second in the standings behind Zane Maloney, who dominated with two race wins in round one at Bahrain.
Rodin Motorsport leads the teams’ championship after Maloney’s impressive start to the year, with Invicta in second and MP Motorsport and Hitech level on 39 points in third.
The FIA Formula 2 grid returns for the Australian Grand Prix in a fortnight.
Watch every race of the FIA Formula 2 season on Kayo Sports.
