Formula 2: Lindblad converts pole into a Feature Race victory in Barcelona
- Jasmin Low
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Written by Jasmin Low
After taking pole position on Friday, Arvid Lindblad put in a measured drive to maintain the net race lead from lights to flag on home soil for his team, Campos Racing.
At last, Formula 2 took to the track for the final race of this season’s European triple-header, completing a 37-lap tour of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for its fifth feature race of the season (the first feature race in Australia was called-off due to torrential rain), nearing the season's official halfway point.
Arvid Lindblad blazed through to his maiden pole position on Friday, becoming the youngest pole-sitter in Formula 2 history. The Briton displayed strong pace at the circuit in both pre-season testing and free practice, a sign of what was to come in the Feature Race. Lindblad’s team, Campos Racing, were home favourites this weekend, with both of their drivers sporting the red, yellow, and navy colours of the prestigious Red Bull Junior Team. Sebastián Montoya joined Lindblad on the front row of the grid, searching for redemption after an incident with his teammate during the Sprint Race ruined his chances of points. Kush Maini put his DAMS in third, looking to repeat his successes from the previous race weekend in Monaco.
The Saturday Sprint Race was full of surprises, as a late safety-car triggered a late strategic gamble for several drivers outside the top ten, opting to finish the race on soft tyres with low fuel. With six laps of racing action under green-flag conditions left, the soft-tyre runners were able to catapult themselves up the order, whilst those who had opted to stay on their starting tyres suffered due to the high-degradation track surface. Richard Verschoor, despite stalling off the line, was first to the flag, followed by Alex Dunne. The Irishman had started in 19th after a whopping 13-place grid drop due to a race-ending incident in Monaco, and a pit-lane collision with Victor Martins earlier in the weekend. Van Amersfoort Racing’s Rafael Villagómez rounded out the top three after starting dead last in 22nd.
Come Grand Prix Sunday, Lindblad made use of the Campos’ excellent pace, pulling a gap to Montoya and Verschoor behind before a late safety car led the field over the line. The likes of Villagómez and Leonardo Fornaroli were not so lucky, both retiring from the race. Penalties were handed out left, right and centre for a variety of infringements, shaking up the order.
AS IT HAPPENED
As the five red lights went out, Lindblad launched from his grid-box, holding the lead through the long run down into Turn 1, whilst his teammate worked his way up to sixth over the course of the first lap. Kush Maini suffered a terrible start from the second row of the grid, dropping down nine places and out of the points.
As DRS was enabled on Lap 2, the soft-tyre advantage became evidently clear, as the top seven swiftly pulled a gap of nearly three seconds to Jak Crawford, who was the leading car on the prime tyres. Fornaroli was dealt a 10-second stop and go penalty for a starting procedure infringement, making his way into the pit lane to serve his penalty on lap 5. The Italian, who sat in fourth place in the championship standings prior to the race weekend, had been the only driver to score points in every race. However, his hopes of continuing that streak were dashed as he was relegated to the rear of the field.
By lap 7, Lindblad held a comfortable lead of over 2 seconds, whilst Joshua Dürksen became the first driver to pit, ridding his AIX car of the soft tyres. Lindblad started to lose time to his rivals by lap 9, as Verschoor started to match the pace of the Campos.
Luke Browning and Verschoor came into the pit lane as the top two started their tenth tour of the circuit, extending further than last year’s winning strategy of pitting on lap 8. Montoya chose to box the next lap whilst Lindblad soldiered on, leaving the Campos duo first and second on the road.
Lindblad was instructed to box going into lap 13, ramping up the pressure as Montoya rounded the final corner onto the pit straight. Lindblad entered back onto the track clear of Montoya, before making his way past the AIX of Cian Shields. Montoya and Verschoor were quick to follow, staying with the net race leader.
Track limits warnings started to roll out by lap 16, as Martí was noted for a pit lane infringement. A long-enduring battle between Browning and Dürksen continued throughout the middle stages of the race, however the possibility of a penalty loomed over the Paraguayan who overtook Browning off the track. The stewards dealt Dürksen a 5-second penalty, however Browning was still stuck behind the AIX.
Ritomo Miyata was the final driver on the soft tyres to pit, extending until lap 17. However, the Japanese driver was sent into the gravel after colliding with Luke Browning. Browning was forced to pit, suffering damage and dropping down to last place, later being handed a 10-second penalty for the incident.
By lap 21, Lindblad crept up to the pack of those yet to pit, trying desperately to make his way past his former teammate Gabriele Minì whilst losing time to Montoya. With the help of DRS, Lindblad cleared Minì’s PREMA, but lost a second to Montoya in the process.
Crawford made the decision to jump to the soft tyres after only 22 laps, whilst Oliver Goethe was handed a 5-second penalty for exceeding track limits. Goethe’s woes continued as he lost even more positions after stalling in the pit lane, and then being awarded a second penalty for a pit lane infringement.
The yellow flag was brought out on lap 26, as Villagómez slowed along the side of the track, managing to reverse behind the barrier and eliminating the need for a safety car intervention. Lindblad held a gap of over 3.5 seconds out the front, whilst Montoya came under pressure from Verschoor.
Crawford began to manoeuvure his DAMS toward the front of the field, on the hunt for points with the soft tyres. Dunne was also on the move, picking off drivers at the lower end of the points after serving a 3-place grid penalty for both the Sprint and Feature.
Crawford was flying toward the podium places in the final laps of the race, whittling down the gap to Richard Verschoor’s MP from over 6 seconds to within DRS range. The yellow flag was brought out on lap 35 after Fornaroli’s race went from bad to worse, beaching his Invicta in the gravel beside Turn 3. The safety car was called for, taking the field through to the end of the race and leaving Crawford outside the podium by a matter of tenths.
Lindblad would ascend to the top step of the podium once again, followed by Montoya and Verschoor, making it a double podium for the Dutchman. Crawford came home in fourth, followed by Dunne in fifth. However, the McLaren Junior was put under investigation for a yellow flag infringement. Lindblad took the victory at the circuit last year in Formula 3 machinery, adapting to the F2 car to repeat his successes.
The Championship
Lindblad benefits greatly from the 25 points awarded to the race winner, moving up to third in the standings, claiming the spot which once belonged to Fornaroli, who drops to sixth. Dunne remains in the championship lead on 87 points, just three ahead of Verschoor. Today’s race will be one to forget for Browning, who led the championship heading into the weekend, and leaves Barcelona in fifth, tied with Crawford.
Campos Racing now holds a more convincing lead in the Teams’ Championship, 26 points ahead of Hitech. Verschoor’s double podium moves MP motorsport into third place, however, the volatile nature of Formula 2 means that it’s still all to play for across both championships.
After completing three consecutive race weekends, Formula 2 will return at the end of the month, joining Formula 1 in Austria to mark the official halfway point of the season.
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