Fornaroli Crowned Champion as Martins Takes Qatar Victory
Victor Martins claimed victory in the Formula 2 Sunday race in Qatar, but the main storyline of the day belonged to Leonardo Fornaroli. The Italian driver, who started from pole and finished second, secured the championship title ahead of schedule just one year after winning the Formula 3 crown. With this achievement, he became the first Italian champion in the history of Formula 2.
The start of the race was intense: Martins reacted quicker to the lights and overtook Fornaroli, while Dunn and Tsolov made strong advances through the field. The midfield saw its own battles unfold, with several drivers losing positions, including Crawford, who dropped back on the opening lap.
After the early pit stops and a series of strategic calls, the order in the pack was heavily reshuffled. An untimely retirement for Goethe triggered a Safety Car, which worked against Beganovic the race leader among those yet to pit wiping out the advantage he had built.
Following the restart, the fight became even tighter: penalties for Dunn and Tsolov, fierce duels inside the top ten, and a sharp drop in Lindblad’s pace added further drama. Once the leaders completed their final pit stops, Martins returned to the front of the pack and held the lead to the chequered flag.
Martins secured his first victory of the season, Fornaroli claimed second place and sealed the championship, and Dunn completed the podium. Beganovic finished eighth but retained the fastest lap of the race.
The season finale will take place at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi from 5 to 7 December.
