The final round of the 2024 Formula 2 season took place under the setting sun at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Following a strong showing in Qatar and a close battle for P3 in the Teams’ Championship with Hitech, the team arrived determined to end the year on a high. Amid the weekend’s action, our team is proud to announce that Oliver Goethe will remain with the team in 2025, reflecting the trust and growth we’ve cultivated together over this short sprint during the season.
Free Practice
Friday’s Free Practice unfolded under warm, stable conditions, a stark contrast to the gusty winds of Qatar. With abundant grip from multiple support series running, we placed Richard Verschoor in P7 and Ollie in P13. While not the ideal start, the evolving track conditions suggested that the weekend’s fortunes could shift quickly.
Qualifying
As dusk approached, Qualifying took place in Yas Marina’s iconic golden hour. With grip levels at their peak, the field was incredibly competitive. Ollie secured P12, and Richard placed P14, a challenging outcome considering Hitech’s strong performance (P4 and P10). Still, the team analyzed data and prepared strategies to capitalize on race-day opportunities, confident that race pace and tire management would prove decisive.
Sprint Race
Saturday’s Sprint Race offered a chance to gain ground. Although both drivers made a clean start, the early laps were tight, and passing opportunities were limited. For the majority of the race, both Richard and Ollie navigated a closely packed midfield. As the race neared its end, Richard found a second wind, pushing through to P8—enough to score points and even the fastest lap of the race. Ollie finished just behind, demonstrating consistent racecraft.
Post-race news delivered a boost: a competitor’s disqualification promoted the team’s standing, improving our position relative to our competitors. With a six-point buffer heading into the Feature Race, the door for P3 in the Teams’ Championship remained wide open.
Feature Race
Sunday’s Feature Race marked the season’s grand finale. At the start, Ollie surged forward, overtaking three cars on the opening lap and placing himself advantageously relative to our competitors. Meanwhile, Richard opted for an alternate pit strategy, extending his first stint. This gamble paid off spectacularly. While Ollie maintained pace in the top 10, Richard carved through the field with each lap, taking advantage of his tires and well-timed overtakes.
A key moment arrived late in the race when Richard, running unbelievable pace, capitalized on a rival’s slip to snatch P3 across the finish line, just half a second shy of P2. Ollie’s solid drive netted him P9, keeping our challengers at bay.
With Richard on the podium and Ollie in the points, we secured P3 in the Teams’ Championship, ending the season with a comfortable 20-point margin. This result underscored our consistent progress and the collective efforts of our drivers, engineers, and crew throughout the year.
Looking Ahead
The 2024 season concluded with 2 MP Motorsport drivers in the top 10 of the standings, and all four finishing within the top 4 at their time—a testament to the depth of our program. With post-season testing on the horizon at Yas Marina and our duo confirmed to remain with MP in 2025, we are ready for 2025.
As we close the chapter on 2024, our mission to accelerate talent and deliver exceptional results continues.
Standings after Round 13 in Qatar:
P8 Richard Verschoor – 106 Points
P23 Oliver Goethe – 14 Points
Teams Standings:
P3 MP Motorsport – 220.5 Point
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