Dino Beganovic Claims First Formula 2 Pole Position at Imola
In a thrilling qualifying session at the Imola circuit, Dino Beganovic achieved his first pole position in Formula 2. The 21-year-old driver, part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, clinched the top spot by narrowly defeating competitors Sebastián Montoya and Victor Martins by mere milliseconds. Following the session, Beganovic shared insights into his refreshed mindset during a press conference with Feeder Series.
Beganovic clocked a remarkable lap time of 1:27.418, just moments before a red flag interrupted the session when Kush Maini crashed at the challenging Tamburello corner. With only 5:59 remaining in the session, race officials decided that due to the timing of the incident and the impending start of Formula 1’s second free practice at 17:00 local time, they could not resume the qualifying round, officially concluding it at 16:33 local time.
Throughout the early parts of the session, Victor Martins had been in the lead, initially setting a competitive pace. The first benchmark was established by Alex Dunne, who recorded a time of 1:27.827. Martins then pushed the limits further, posting an impressive 1:27.424 after 10 minutes of running. Leonardo Fornaroli of Invicta closely followed, trailing Martins by 0.278 seconds, while Dunne, Arvid Lindblad, and Luke Browning were also in the mix, each around four-tenths off the lead.
As the teams returned to the pits to switch to fresh tires, both Beganovic and Montoya managed to outpace Martins, marking a significant shift in the session. Lindblad demonstrated even greater speed, achieving a lap that was 0.233 seconds faster than Beganovic’s time. However, Lindblad completed his lap just after the red flag was waved, rendering his time invalid. Consequently, he ended up in sixth place for the upcoming feature race.
For Beganovic, this pole position represents a significant milestone in his developing career within the competitive landscape of Formula 2. His journey began with a short stint at the end of the previous season with the DAMS team, where he showed promise but faced challenges at the start of the current year.
Reflecting on his progress, Beganovic stated, “We were straight on the pace at the end of last year when I jumped into F2, but the beginning of this year was a different story. We encountered some difficulties early on, but now, as we return to Europe, it feels like a fresh start for me.”
He emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive mindset, referring to this phase of the season as a new beginning. His approach is to remain focused and optimistic as the races unfold, aiming to sustain this momentum for the remainder of the season.
Beganovic’s achievement of pole position comes amid a tumultuous period for his team, Hitech. Recently, the team’s director, William Oakes, was arrested at their Silverstone headquarters on charges related to the transfer of criminal property. This incident was made public just days before the qualifying session, adding to the team’s challenges. Additionally, Oliver Oakes, who served as the team principal for Hitech, stepped down from his role at the Alpine Formula 1 team shortly before the qualifying event.
Montoya, who qualified second for the feature race, was just 0.003 seconds behind Beganovic, marking his best qualifying result in the series to date. This performance is noteworthy as it is his best since he started on pole during the second Dubai round of the 2022 FRegional Asia season.
Victor Martins, who finished in third place, expressed disappointment after narrowly missing out on a better time. He was visibly frustrated after the red flag ended his chances of improving his position. Fornaroli secured fourth place with his earlier lap time, followed by Dunne and Lindblad, while Beganovic’s teammate Browning rounded out the top seven.
Oliver Goethe faced a setback earlier in the session when he ran into the gravel at Acque Minerali but managed to recover, ultimately qualifying for eighth place. Kush Maini initially set the ninth-fastest time but was penalized for causing the red flag, which led to Jak Crawford, his DAMS teammate, moving up to ninth place. Ritomo Miyata from the ART team completed the top ten, earning the reverse-grid pole position for the sprint race scheduled for the following day.
Pepe Martí, currently second in the championship standings, finished just outside the top ten in 11th place. Meanwhile, the championship leader, Richard Verschoor, faced a tough qualifying session, managing to secure only 19th place. Given Imola’s reputation for limited overtaking opportunities, Verschoor faces a challenging task ahead to score points during the weekend.
As the excitement builds for the feature race, fans and teams alike look forward to seeing how the events unfold at the historic Imola circuit. With drivers like Beganovic showcasing their potential and navigating the pressures of the sport, the anticipation for the race day is palpable. Each competitor will be keen to capitalize on their qualifying results, with strategies and performance likely to play crucial roles in determining the outcome of the races ahead.
With such a competitive field and the stakes high, every lap will count as drivers strategize to maximize their positions and points throughout the weekend. The combination of a challenging circuit and talented drivers ensures that the Imola event will be a highlight of the Formula 2 calendar this season.
