First-time F2 pole sitter Arvid Lindblad led the field for the F2 Spanish Feature Race. He was hoping to convert his maiden pole into a race victory. Following yesterday’s sprint, Alex Dunne reclaimed the championship lead, edging Luke Browning by just three points heading into the feature race. The title contenders lined up side by side on the fourth row, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle. With only a few points separating them, any of the top six starters could’ve finished the day as the championship leader.
Drivers Making Moves
The race started cleanly, with drivers attacking early and midfield battles erupting right after the lights went out. Pepe Martí blasted off from 11th, charging through the pack to climb five positions and settle into sixth on lap one. Luke Browning gained two places, moving up from seventh to fifth, while Richard Verschoor surged from fifth to third quickly. Leonardo Fornaroli received a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for a starting procedure breach, severely damaging his chances in the race.
Lindblad Sets Off
Up front, Arvid Lindblad showed blistering pace, quickly breaking DRS range from Sebastián Montoya within the opening few laps. He kept pushing hard, setting fastest laps consistently as he took early control in pursuit of his first feature race victory.
Front Runners into the Pits
Browning was the first front-runner to pit on lap 9, as Hitech aimed to undercut Roman Stanek early in the race. The strategy looked good, but Browning struggled on cold tyres and soon battled Joshua Dürksen for track position. They raced side by side into Turn 2, where Dürksen ran wide and rejoined without using the bollard or runoff lane. Dürksen gained an advantage but didn’t give the position back to Browning, prompting race control to note the incident. At the front, Arvid Lindblad pitted from the lead, delivering a flawless stop and rejoining ahead of his rivals. Crucially, Lindblad rejoined with a car between him and the chasing pack, strengthening his control over the race lead.
Track Limits
Track limit violations kept mounting as the race wore on, with Turn 13 catching out several drivers chasing time on the edge. Multiple drivers ran wide repeatedly, pushing hard through the corner as warnings and penalties began stacking up across the field. Oliver Goethe was one of the first drivers to get a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for track limit violations.
After intense wheel-to-wheel action with Ritomo Miyata, Browning briefly got past but soon lost two positions from front wing damage. He then pitted for a front wing and tyre change, switching to softs to push hard in the final laps. This caused him to drop to the back of the field.
Battles raged up and down the field as alternate-strategy drivers overtook those struggling on hard tires, which required heavy management. Seeing Crawford’s strong pace, Campos Racing urged Lindblad to find two tenths per lap to stay ahead. With Crawford closing rapidly in the final laps, tension mounted as Lindblad fought to extend his lead.
Last-Minute Safety Car
Unfortunately, Leonardo Fornaroli pulled over into the gravel on lap 35, bringing out a safety car at the end of the race. Crawford’s charge to P3 was cut short, his momentum stalled just as he looked ready to challenge in the final laps. This late neutralisation handed Arvid Lindblad a calm run to the flag, securing his first F2 feature race win.
With Luke Browning failing to score points, Alex Dunne extended his championship lead by finishing a solid fifth in the feature race. Sebastián Montoya and Richard Verschoor completed the podium, securing second and third place, respectively, after strong drives.
Featured Image Credit: Red Bull Content Pool
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