The stage was set for an exciting weekend at the iconic Imola circuit as the 2025 FIA Formula 2 Feature Race got underway. In qualifying, it was Dino Beganovic who rose to the occasion, delivering a flawless lap to claim the first Aramco Pole Position of the season.
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Upsets at the Start
As the formation lap began, Sebastian Montoya lost power and was forced to start from the pit lane. His absence meant Beganovic started on the front row alone, giving him a clear run into Turn 1.
At lights out, more misfortune followed. Victor Martins was stationary on the grid and had to roll back into the pit lane before rejoining a lap down. A devastating blow for the Frenchman on a day when a win could have given him the championship lead.
Drivers with plenty of Confidence
Early in the race, Alex Dunne sounded confident over team radio, telling his engineers he had strong pace and believed he was in the fight.
Up front, Beganovic’s frustrations began to build. After Martins rejoined a lap down, he found himself ahead of the leader on track. Over the radio, Beganovic made his feelings clear:
“Get him out of my way!”
Box, Box
Before Lap 7, the front-runners made their way into the pits. Beganovic, Leonardo Fornaroli, Lindblad, and Dunne all dove in for their mandatory stops. It was a clean stop for Beganovic, but Fornaroli lost valuable time being held in his pit box. Dunne, with the fastest stop of the group, jumped Lindblad in the pit lane and emerged best of the trio.
A lap later, Luke Browning and Jak Crawford responded with their own stops. This time, it was Browning who benefited, his team executed a quicker stop, allowing him to rejoin the track ahead of Crawford.
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Pit Exit Battle
As the pit cycle shook out, it was Browning who emerged with the effective lead of the race, having undercut the drivers who pitted a lap earlier. On warmer tyres, he got ahead of Beganovic and wasn’t shy about defending, getting his elbows out as he forced his way through. The scrap got physical, with Browning pushing Beganovic wide and onto the grass, allowing Alex Dunne to slip past.
With his tyres not yet up to full grip, Browning couldn’t respond as Dunne overtake him for the net lead of the race.
Safety Car!
The race took another twist when Rafael Villagómez brought out the Safety Car. In a close battle with Sami Meguetounif, Villagómez picked up a puncture and was forced to roll his car off to the side of the road, ending his race.
During the Safety Car period, Gabriele Minì and Brad Benavides opted to pit and switch to the super soft tyres. It was a bold strategy call, leaving them with around 20 laps to complete on the softest compound.
The Safety Car also shook up the strategy game. The lead gap for those on the alternate strategy was drastically reduced as the field bunched up.
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Racing Resumes
Racing resumed on Lap 18, and Dunne wasted no time. He pushed hard to clear the alternate strategy runners ahead and began building a crucial gap to the drivers behind. It quickly became a tense affair, as the net lead group found themselves stuck in traffic, unable to chase Dunne down.
Browning, in particular, was bottled up behind Dunne’s teammate, Amaury Cordeel, for several laps. When he finally managed to pass, Dunne responded immediately by overtaking Ritomo Miyata and keeping a buffer car between himself and Browning.
By Lap 27, Dunne had taken the outright lead of the race, now with three cars separating him from Browning. Once Browning finally cleared the traffic and climbed to second on track, Dunne had already pulled out a five-second lead.
Meanwhile, Montoya, despite starting from the pit lane after his formation lap drama, mounted an impressive recovery drive and worked his way up to P8. A solid result on a difficult day.
A Papaya Win in F2!
Alex Dunne sealed his second win of the season with a commanding drive whilst managing his tires perfectly to take the chequered flag. The result also elevated him to the top of the championship standings. Luke Browning crossed the line in P2, securing his fourth podium of the season and a double-podium in Imola. Dino Beganovic completed the podium in P3, his second podium of the season. It was also a strong weekend for Hitech GP, who went to the top of the teams standings.
Feature Image Credit: McLaren Media Centre
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