Victor Martins Clinches Victory in Qatar: A Turning Point in His F2 Career

In an exhilarating showcase of skill and determination, Victor Martins surged ahead at the beginning of the Qatar Formula 2 feature race, ultimately claiming his first feature race win in over two years. During this interval, Leonardo Fornaroli ascended to great heights by becoming both an F3 and F2 champion, decisively impacting the championship race with a second-place finish, narrowly ahead of Alex Dunne. Following the race, Feeder Series had the opportunity to chat with the top three finishers to gain insights into their experiences.

A New Champion Emerges

Just under two hours post-race, F2 rookie Fornaroli was crowned this season’s champion. However, a possible penalty for Arvid Lindblad, who might be found guilty of unnecessarily slowing down during the safety car phase, could shift the standings, potentially reinstating Richard Verschoor into the title chase by a razor-thin margin.

This dramatic turn of events was set into motion when Martins seized the lead right off the bat. He maintained his composure despite the chaos of different strategies and a mid-race safety car, crossing the finish line with a margin of just over a second.

Reflecting on the season, Martins had labeled the 2025 F2 campaign as his "last chance" to showcase his talents for a potential Formula 1 opportunity. Although the season didn’t unfold as he had hoped, the Qatar feature race served as a testament to his ongoing speed and capability.

"It’s been a tough season," Martins expressed in an interview after the race. "This was definitely the year to put everything together and demonstrate my full potential in hopes of landing a spot in F1."

Martins joined Williams as a development driver this year, and he praised the support he received, particularly during his FP1 outing. "I showed what I have to show during this FP1, and I was really proud of my performance," he added. With just one race weekend left in his F2 career, he planned to approach the final challenge with the same mindset he adopted after realizing the championship was out of reach.

The Race Dynamics: A Closer Look

The race commenced after a brief 10-minute delay due to a significant crash in the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East support race. When the lights turned green, Martins executed a flawless start, overtaking polesitter Fornaroli before the first corner. Roman Staněk held the third position, while Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Dunne made an aggressive move on Oliver Goethe at Turn 2, briefly leaving the track before rejoining in fifth place.

"I experienced anti-stall during the formation lap, which was nerve-wracking. Fortunately, it worked out, but we might have been too cautious with the clutch at the start," Fornaroli admitted, acknowledging Martins’ superior launch off the line.

From the get-go, Martins displayed impressive pace, quickly extending his lead to more than a second over Fornaroli by the end of the second lap. By lap three, Prema’s Sebastián Montoya reclaimed his sixth-place position from Nikola Tsolov, who had passed him at the start.

As the race progressed, Dunne made a strategic overtaking maneuver on Staněk at Turn 1 on lap five, positioning himself third, just behind Fornaroli. Just a lap later, a group of drivers, including Fornaroli, Dunne, Montoya, and others, opted to pit early, switching from soft to hard tires.

Martins followed suit on the next lap, relinquishing the lead momentarily to Hitech’s Dino Beganovic, who capitalized on the pit stops. However, Martins’ pit stop was slower than anticipated, yet he managed to rejoin the race more than two seconds ahead of Fornaroli. Meanwhile, his teammate Miyata faced technical issues and had to retire.

The Safety Car Shake-Up

The race took a significant turn on lap 15 when Goethe’s car came to a halt, prompting a safety car deployment. This development erased the substantial lead Beganovic had built, altering the race dynamics dramatically. Lindblad and a few others took advantage of the situation, opting for a cheap pit stop, while Dunne and Tsolov received five-second penalties for unsafe releases during their pit stops.

"Before the race, I told our team manager that if we needed to be aggressive with the pit releases, we should take the risk, and I would handle it from there," Dunne noted, highlighting their strategic approach.

The race resumed on lap 17, but Beganovic managed to extend his lead once again, showing remarkable control despite being on older tires than many of his competitors. For a stretch of ten laps, overtaking opportunities were scarce as drivers settled into the rhythm of the race.

On lap 27, Dunne made a decisive move against Lindblad, reclaiming the seventh position on the track, which translated to a net third place overall. After Beganovic pitted at the end of that lap, the remaining drivers, including Browning, Bennett, and Van Hoepen, chose to stay out, hoping for another safety car to alter their fortunes.

Lindblad’s strategy proved risky, as he would have to endure 16 laps on soft tires, which would soon degrade. Meanwhile, Dunne, despite his penalty, was still in contention for a podium finish, demonstrating his competitive spirit.

The Final Laps: Tension and Triumph

As the race approached its conclusion, Van Hoepen’s lock-up at Turn 16 allowed Martins to regain the lead. Fornaroli, who was close behind, could not get within a second to utilize DRS, making it challenging to mount an effective challenge for the lead. Martins successfully defended his position, culminating in his triumphant return to the top step of the podium, marking his first feature race win since the 2023 Silverstone event.

"I’ve been waiting for this moment," Martins reflected after the race. "We’ve worked hard throughout the season, and I felt we had everything under control today. From start to finish, our performance was solid."

Dunne’s time penalty ultimately did not prevent him from finishing on the podium, as he crossed the line just over a second ahead of Lindblad, who had executed an impressive comeback, gaining 13 positions during the race.

"I was elated for the first ten seconds after crossing the finish line, but then reality hit me regarding the championship," Dunne admitted. "Leo has done an incredible job this season and truly deserves the title."

Lindblad’s fourth-place finish remains contingent on the stewards’ decision regarding his earlier actions. Montoya finished fifth, while Verschoor took sixth, missing the chance to extend the championship race by a narrow margin.

Championship Standings and Future Prospects

With the conclusion of the Qatar feature race, the championship landscape has shifted. Fornaroli secured his title with a second-place finish, accumulating 211 points compared to Crawford’s 170, with only 39 points available in the upcoming Abu Dhabi finale.

In the team standings, Invicta Racing maintains a commanding lead with 296 points, while Hitech trails by 35 points. Campos Racing remains in contention, though they are 57 points adrift, with a double points finish still within reach.

As the season draws to a close, Martins’s victory in Qatar not only revitalizes his confidence but also sets the stage for an exciting finale in Abu Dhabi. With the stakes higher than ever, the drivers will look to capitalize on every opportunity as they race toward the finish line of the 2025 F2 season.