The 2010 Formula 2 season review

Round 1 - Silverstone

Jolyon Palmer at Silverstone © Sutton

Jolyon Palmer took what was, at the time, a surprise victory from pole position in the opening race. Dean Stoneman had given chase early on but had to settle for second after spinning through 360 degrees half way through. Johan Jokinen was squeezed out of the battle for third on the first lap and Sergei Afanasiev held off Philipp Eng and the chasing pack to complete the podium.

Eng then won the second race after Stoneman's attempt to wrestle the lead from him was halted by a blown turbo. The Austrian capably held off Palmer to the end, with Jokinen passing Jack Clarke for third three laps from the end.

Points:
1. Palmer 43
2. Eng 37
3. Afanasiev 23
4. Stoneman 18

Round 2 - Marrakech

Philipp Eng leads in Marrakech © Sutton

Stoneman responded from his disappointment at Silverstone by storming to victory from pole on the streets of Morocco. Palmer was robbed of second when his car failed just before a late safety car restart, while Clarke was knocked out of third by Nicola de Marco and Benjamin Bailly took out Will Bratt just behind. Eng and Kelvin Snoeks came through the chaos to second and third.

Eng held off Stoneman to win the second race, which will be remembered for Ricardo Teixeira's spectacular aerial accident after clipping the back of Ivan Samarin. Jokinen had run second before succumbing to Stoneman, but later crashed out of third place, leaving Bratt to complete the podium.

Points:
1. Eng 80
2. Stoneman 61
3. Palmer 63
4. Bratt 33

Round 3 - Monza

Palmer leads with chaos behind at Monza © Sutton

Jokinen got the jump on pole-sitter Palmer at the start, but had to surrender his lead when he was given a drive-through for re-taking his front row starting spot after failing to make it away on the green flag lap. Palmer was denied an easy run though, with Mihai Marinescu taking out Clarke and causing a safety car just as Stoneman made his way through the pack. The title contenders ran each other close, but Palmer held on.

Palmer won from pole in race two, while Afanasiev pinched second from Bratt late on. Stoneman finished fourth after hitting Eng out of the place and then benefited when he skipped a chicane and passed Kazim Vasiliauskas, only for the Lithuanian to spin off trying to reclaim the spot.

Points:
1. Palmer 103
2. Stoneman 91
3. Eng 80
4. Bratt 60

Round 4 - Zolder

Benjamin Bailly had a home victory © Sutton

Stoneman won easily from pole, while Palmer made his way up from fifth on the grid to minimise the points loss in second place. Bailly had looked good on home soil but fell down the order in the closing laps, struggling with the handling after damaging a bargeboard. Vasiliauskas was first past him to claim third.

Bailly responded by dominating from pole in race two to take his maiden victory. Palmer and Stoneman jumped Clarke during the race for second and third places, but neither could catch Bailly.

Points:
1. Palmer 139
2. Stoneman 131
3. Eng 80
4. Bratt 70

Round 5 - Portimao

Palmer and Stoneman on the Portimao podium © Sutton

Palmer led confidently from pole to secure another win, with Bailly a distant second. Stoneman had a poor one, qualifying just ninth and dropping further down the field after a tangle with Eng damaged his car. Clarke saw off pressure from Vasiliauskas to complete the podium.

Stoneman made some ground back in the second race, diving inside pole-sitter Palmer at the first corner and pulling away to victory. Palmer remained second but was harassed throughout by de Marco and Bailly.

Points:
1. Palmer 182
2. Stoneman 156
3. Eng 88
4. Bailly 82

Round 6 - Brands Hatch

Palmer ended up in the gravel at his home race © Sutton

Stoneman charged away to another dominant win from pole, ahead of Clarke, who escaped from Afanasiev and Bratt on the first lap. That pair then delayed each other, allowing Samarin to nick third. Palmer was also hindered by them but had no response afterwards and finished eighth.

Eng won the second race after pole-sitter Vasiliauskas dropped out, but it will be remembered for the clash between Stoneman and Palmer further down. Contesting third at the time, Stoneman dived inside Palmer at Paddock Hill Bend, there was contact and Palmer ended up in the gravel. Stoneman got back to third, behind Tom Gladdis, but was later penalised and dropped to 12th.

Points:
1. Palmer 186
2. Stoneman 181
3. Eng 114
4. Bratt 107

Round 7 - Brno

De Marco's breakthrough win came at Brno © Sutton

De Marco finally grabbed his first F2 win after passing pole-sitter Stoneman at the start and pulling clear. Second was plenty for Stoneman though, with Afanasiev and Bailly third and fourth, and Palmer having to pass Eng late on just to get fifth.

But Palmer took back the initiative by beating Stoneman away from pole in race two and keeping him at bay to win. Stoneman stayed second, while Eng lost third on the last lap when his car ground to a halt. Vasiliauskas benefitted.

Points:
1. Palmer 221
2. Stoneman 217
3. Eng 122
4. Bratt 112

Round 8 - Oschersleben

Stoneman's Oschersleben dominance turned the title battle around © Sutton

This was the round where it was won, and lost. Stoneman won by a massive 15 seconds in the rain, while Palmer rescued a third place after qualifying just eighth. Vasiliauskas was second, with pole-sitter Afanasiev fourth after a poor start.

Stoneman cruised to victory from pole in race two, while Palmer qualified just 14th and could only finish 12th. De Marco shadowed Stoneman all the way until his car broke down near the end, handing second to Vasiliauskas and third to Afanasiev.

Points:
1. Stoneman 267
2. Palmer 236
3. Afanasiev 137
4. Eng 130

Round 9 - Valencia

Stoneman celebrates his title © Sutton

De Marco won from pole, with Bratt in close attendance and Armaan Ebrahim third. Stoneman was only ninth, from 11th on the grid, but it was still enough to seal the title with Palmer only finishing seventh.

Vasiliauskas went out on a high by taking his only win in the last race of the year, with Clarke chasing him in second. Stoneman finished his season in a distant third, while Palmer was just 13th.

2010 F2 season summary
2010 F2 final points standings

*For the full analyis of the Formula 2 season, buy this week's AUTOSPORT magazine - or get the online version, here.