F2/F3 Power Rankings - Red Bull junior's super Spa weekend heaps pressure on Sergio Perez

Sergio Perez, Red Bull, Austria, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F2/F3

F2/F3 Power Rankings - Red Bull junior's super Spa weekend heaps pressure on Perez

Rain and red flags interrupted proceedings in Belgium as the junior drivers tackled Spa-Francorchamps

Jim Kimberley

Tuesday 30 July 2024 13:57 Updated: 16:39

While Formula 1 escaped the Spa showers for its race, wet weather and Safety Car slowdowns impacted all four of Belgium's F2 and F3 races.

The second tier saw a seismic shake-up in its championship battle after last-lap failure, while F3 welcomed a new winner who impressed all weekend long.

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There's only one round left for Formula 3, and both series have an extended summer break, with each skipping support duties at Zandvoort.

Before they take their month-long break, here are the GPFans Power Rankings from a wet weekend in Belgium.

Formula 2

Isack Hadjar - A

That's another race win for Frenchman Isack Hadjar, who looks destined to become the F2 champion this year.

Four Feature Race triumphs in just 10 rounds is an incredible return for this level of racing, and the timing of his latest coinciding with pressure on Sergio Perez could be huge.

Should a spot at RB open up, Hadjar's name will be there alongside Liam Lawson's as someone to step into the seat.

With Paul Aron losing so much ground in the title race since Silverstone, Hadjar's 36-point advantage is beginning to look insurmountable.

Hadjar drove for Red Bull in a practice session this year

Gabriel - Bortoleto - A-
All the plaudits went Aron's way as the surprise rookie occupied the top positions in the F2 standings earlier this year.
It's sometimes easy to forget that Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto is also a newcomer to Formula 2 machinery, thanks to his frequent mature performances.
He has another podium finish to his name and leapfrogs Aron to be P2 in the standings after his fast-but-measured Spa drive.
Might the reigning F3 champion be the one to challenge Hadjar in the final four rounds?

Zak O'Sullivan - B

2024 hasn't been the season that British driver Zak O'Sullivan would've expected, but his Belgium weekend was a reminder of what he can do.

Taking the Sprint Race victory didn't require too many laps after the red flag, but O'Sullivan had built up a gap from his pole position start when the Safety Car first appeared.

His Feature Race drive from P10 to P4 is cause for celebration, though, with those points finally getting him into the top 10 positions in the championship table.

Formula 3

Callum Voisin - A+

I'd usually only hand out A+ ratings to drivers who perform a double-podium weekend with pure pace, but I'm making an exception for British teenager Callum Voisin.

The 2023 GB3 champion is in incredible form and took pole position on Friday to kickstart his weekend.

Fastest Lap, every lap led, and the win, no matter how many Safety Car slowdowns might've helped him, was a sensational Sunday for a Rodin in F3.

For all the strength Rodin has in the junior ranks, their F3 operation rarely excels, and Voisin's six-race points-scoring streak deserves all the plaudits.

His victory, especially in a Feature Race, could be the result he needs to get the attention of an F1 team's academy.

Noel León - B+

I'll admit that the Mexican driver flew under my radar heading into 2024, yet his Spa weekend showed I've been sleeping on his skills.

He's the only driver in F3 to have had a podium finish in each of the last three race weekends, and he was close to doing the double in Belgium.

Like Voisin, the Mexican is shining in a team that often struggles and is showing why the Red Bull Junior Team previously picked him up.

P3 and P4 in a VAR at Spa in the wet? Well done, Noel!

Sebastián Montoya - B

A rollercoaster year for Sebastián Montoya finally had some silverware success for the Colombian racer.

His sophomore season hasn't seen the step up he no doubt had hoped for, especially seeing how many points-scoring finishes teammate Ollie Goethe has accrued.

Sebas shrugged all that off in Spa, though, to be at the front all weekend and might've emerged victorious on Sunday if given more than a few racing laps to try and line up an overtake on Voisin.

Jim's 2024 Ongoing rankings

F3 only has one round remaining, and my previous Power Rankings P1 pick of Arvid Lindblad has slipped back since his Silverstone double.

Aron will rue his luck after his mechanical failure. While I can't pin the blame on him for that retirement, Bortoleto is undeniably finding his stride.

A long gap before Monza gives the feeder series a chance to catch its breath in this crazy season.

1. Isack Hadjar - F2 (Campos)

2. Gabriel Bortoleto - F2 (Invicta Virtuosi)

3. Arvid Lindblad - F3 (PREMA)

4. Paul Aron - F2 (Hitech)

5. Gabriele Miní - F3 (PREMA)

6. Leonardo Fornaroli - F3 (Trident)

7. Luke Browning - F3 (Hitech)

8. Franco Colapinto - F2 (MP Motorsport)

9. Zane Maloney - F2 (Rodin)

10. Christian Mansell - F3 (ART)

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