The Bahrain Formula 2 Grand Prix unfolded this weekend at the International Circuit, with its usual mix of thrills and challenges. While the Prema team faced a tough battle for pace, Aventum sponsored driver Oliver Bearman refused to give up and showcased his determination throughout the weekend in front of a large crowd including Rokstone’s Aviation Team and supporting brokers.
Qualifying
Struggles for pace started early in the race weekend for the Prema team. With just five minutes to go in qualifying, Ollie was determined to try and turn things around. In 22 of 22 racing places, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, Ollie clawed his way up to P19. Ollie’s teammate, Antonelli, secured P18 in what proved to be a challenging start to the first race weekend of the 2024 season.
Sprint Race
The Sprint Race saw Ollie starting towards the rear of the pack after disappointment in Qualifying. Facing a Virtual Safety Car by Lap 2, Ollie had gained track position on the restart and worked his way up to P17 by Lap 8.
Despite the struggles, lap after lap, Ollie persevered, pushing himself and the car to the limit. After pitting, Lap 20 saw Ollie begin to set some of the fastest lap times of all the cars on track, eventually climbing to P16 which was where he finished the race.
Feature Race
Presenting its own set of challenges, the first lap of the Feature Race saw the deployment of a Safety Car, as Isack Hadjar went into a corner spin, before being hit by the Invicta Racing car of Gabriel Bortoleto - who later received a ten second time penalty for his part in the collision.
Facing mechanical issues, Ollie headed into the pits before they had officially opened - losing less time behind the Safety Car because of a slowed race pace. Rejoining the pack with a never-say-die attitude, Ollie managed to work his way up over the course of the race, climbing to P16 by Lap 7 and P15 by Lap 12.
Upon entering the Pits on Lap 16, the Hitech Pulse Eight car of Amaury Cordeel veered into Ollie, causing him to lose an end plate from his front wing.
After a post race investigation into the incident, Cordeel was found to be fully responsible for the collision and received a 5 place grid penalty in his next race.
In a race weekend that seemed to be going from bad to worse, Ollie persevered and rejoined the race. By Lap 21, with DRS enabled, both Prema Racing drivers were side by side in the top ten with Antonelli snatching P8 from Ollie, before being bombarded by six other drivers going into Turn 10. Ollie maintained P15, which was where he finished the race.
Looking Ahead
While the results of the first weekend of the season may not reflect the full extent of Ollie’s efforts, it is essential to recognise the undeniable determination and skill he showed throughout the challenging weekend.
With the next race of the season just around the corner, there is a lot to take away from the weekend in Bahrain. Aventum Group stands united with Ollie, knowing that every race is a new opportunity for growth and new successes.
Going into Jeddah for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in less than a week, join us for Round Two - 7th to 9th March - for all the action.
