Ayuma Iwasa closed off his rookie FIA Formula 2 campaign in the best possible way on Sunday, with the DAMS driver taking victory in the Feature race at the Yas Marina Circuit.
The twenty-one-year-old Japanese racer, part of the Red Bull Junior Team and also backed by Honda, started from pole position in Abu Dhabi after an impressive performance from DAMS saw them lock out the front row of the grid.
Despite late pressure from 2022 series champion Felipe Drugovich, Iwasa held on to take the victory – his second of the season after previously winning at the Circuit Paul Ricard back in July – with the result moving him up to fifth in the final standings ahead of Virtuosi Racing’s Jack Doohan.
Iwasa admitted it was tough to manage his tyres throughout the thirty-three-lap event, and even though MP Motorsport’s Drugovich seemingly had better pace, he was able to take the chequered flag first to end the season in a perfect manner.
“I’m so happy with this weekend, we can’t ask for a much better event than pole position and Feature Race victory!” said Iwasa. “We had great speed in qualifying so I was delighted to take pole and to have Roy alongside me on the front row.
“I was able to fight off pressure from behind in the final few laps in the Feature Race, which was tough, but the car was great and I managed the tyres well, stayed ahead and took the win.”
Iwasa felt he learned a lot during his debut Formula 2 season, and he hopes to be a in position to build on that in 2023, although his plans for next season have yet to be confirmed.
“I’m very pleased with my debut F2 season, we learned a lot and finished it in perfect fashion,” he said.
