Many people were upset that this year, unlike in 2014, the Formula One championship already was wrapped up heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Thankfully, the Formula 2 title still was up for grabs at Yas Marina Circuit.
Charles Leclerc, part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, ensured the F2 title went down to the wire, pulling off a risky overtake on the final lap to win his second championship in a junior formula in as many years. The 20-year-old claimed the GP3 title in 2016, his only year in the series, before making the jump to F2.
Leclerc was closing in on Alexander Albon as he finished the penultimate lap, and was right on Albon’s gearbox when they entered the hairpin at Turn 7 and made contact. The two battled wheel-to-wheel down the entire 1.14-kilometer (0.71-mile) back straight, until Leclarc put two wheels off the track to force his way down the inside of Turn 8 to take the lead.
Many F1 followers were up in arms this weekend, as Liberty Media announced the series’ new logo — which is the one we expected it to choose —Â but Leclerc’s daring pass could spark even more outrage.
The new logo isn’t going to make or break the championship, but having better racing in feeder series than in “the pinnacle of motorsport” could. We understand F1 fans do not easily — or ever — accept change, but frankly racing is about on-track battles, not graphic design.
