F2 Star Dino Beganovic delivered an unstoppable performance in Sprint race in Azerbaijan's capital Baku, claiming his first FIA Formula 2 win starting from second on the grid.
His Hitech TGR teammate Luke Browning completed a one-two finish for the team, while Alexander Dunne of Rodin Motorsport impressively climbed from seventh to secure third place, The Caspian Post reports via local media.
Beganovic got a perfect launch off the line to seize the lead into Turn 1. Meanwhile, polesitter Rafael Villagómez and Josep María Martí made contact, leaving Villagómez facing the wrong way on the corner exit and Martí forced to retire in the pitlane.
Shortly after, Oliver Goethe spun after brushing the wall at Turn 2, prompting the deployment of the Safety Car. When racing resumed at the end of Lap 4, Beganovic expertly managed the restart, maintaining his lead ahead of Juan Manuel Montoya.
In the midfield, Leonardo Fornaroli made a decisive move at Turn 3 to overtake compatriot Gabriele Minì for sixth place, though Minì regained the position a lap later by using DRS and slipstreaming down the straight.
Further up the order, Isack Hadjar Stenshorne showed aggressive pace, overtaking Montoya with a bold inside move at Turn 3 to take second place for Trident. However, Stenshorne’s promising debut came to an abrupt end later that lap when he pulled off the track with a mechanical issue, triggering a Virtual Safety Car which later escalated into a full Safety Car.
As the Safety Car period ended on Lap 12, light rain began to fall. Beganovic once again controlled the restart with precision to keep the lead. Meanwhile, Dunne launched an attack at Turn 3, diving inside Browning to snatch third place.
On Lap 15, Dunne locked up heavily into Turn 1, allowing Browning to reclaim third, leaving Dunne with a significant flat spot on his front left tire. With Dunne falling out of DRS range, Minì capitalized to retake fourth on Lap 16.
Beganovic remained composed at the front, holding a commanding four-second lead over Montoya, who was under pressure from Browning, now within DRS range. Browning overtook Montoya at Turn 1 on Lap 18 to complete a Hitech TGR one-two, while Dunne reclaimed fourth from Minì at Turn 3.
Shortly after, Jak Crawford passed Minì for fifth as the PREMA driver began to fade. Montoya’s challenge ended on Lap 19 when he slowed dramatically and dropped out of the points, handing third to Dunne.
In the final lap, Fornaroli made a daring outside pass on Minì at Turn 3 for fifth place, brushing the wall in the process. However, Beganovic cruised to a comfortable victory by over six seconds ahead of Browning, with Dunne completing the podium for Rodin Motorsport.
Crawford finished just off the podium in fourth, while Fornaroli held on to fifth. Richard Verschoor edged out Minì in a close drag race to claim sixth after starting 11th, pushing Minì down to seventh. Victor Martins rounded out the points in eighth.
Fornaroli continues to lead the Drivers’ Championship with 178 points, but Browning is closing in with 161. Verschoor sits third on 147, followed by Crawford with 142, and Dunne completing the top five with 130 points.
In the Teams’ Championship, Invicta Racing maintain their lead with 259 points, but Hitech TGR are rapidly closing the gap with 242 points in second. Campos Racing remain third on 213 points, ahead of MP Motorsport with 170 and DAMS Lucas Oil with 168 points.
