Câmara Penalty Hands Tsolov Breathing Room as Beganovic Wins the F2 Baku Sprint Race

Nikola Tsolov started the F2 Baku Sprint Race from pole and finished fifth. He still left the Sprint with more breathing room at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. Rafael Câmara locked up into Turn 2 on the opening lap, went into the back of Mari Boya and was handed a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision. He served it under the second Safety Car, switched to Supersofts, rejoined 18th and crossed the line 16th with no points to show for it. Tsolov now leads on 181 points to Câmara’s 170. Up front, Dino Beganovic took the lead from Tsolov on Lap 6 and never gave it back, his second consecutive FIA Formula 2 win and a second straight Baku Sprint victory, this time with DAMS Lucas Oil. Laurens van Hoepen finished second for TRIDENT. Alexander Dunne gained seven places to complete the podium for Rodin Motorsport.

Key Points: F2 Baku Sprint Race

• Câmara locks up into Turn 2 on Lap 1, puts Boya in the wall and takes a 10-second time penalty. He finishes 16th, no points
• Tsolov leads the Drivers’ Championship on 181 points, Câmara second on 170, an eleven point gap
• Beganovic takes the lead from polesitter Tsolov on Lap 6 and wins, his second consecutive F2 victory and second straight Baku Sprint win
• Tsolov reports his rear tyres gone and drops from the lead to fifth
• Dunne gains seven places for third and moves to fourth in the standings on 146 points, starting the Feature Race from pole
• Two Safety Cars: Boya on Lap 1, Dürksen into the Turn 1 barriers on Lap 18

Race Recap: F2 Baku Sprint Race

Lap 1: Câmara Into Boya

Tsolov moved straight across from pole to cover van Hoepen into Turn 1. Beganovic went around the outside of the Dutchman to take second at the first corner.

Câmara locked up into Turn 2 and slid into the back of Boya, putting the PREMA Racing car into the wall and out of the race. Câmara was later handed a 10-second time penalty for causing the incident.

Dunne was already on the move. He dived to the inside of Kush Maini and Noel León at Turn 3, two places in one corner, up to seventh. The Safety Car came out before the end of the lap to recover Boya’s car.

Beganovic Takes Control

Racing resumed entering Lap 4. Câmara attacked straight away, passing Sebastián Montoya into Turn 3. Dunne followed him through on the Colombian at the same corner.

On Lap 6 Beganovic picked up the slipstream behind Tsolov and took the lead into Turn 1. He didn’t give it back.

On Lap 8, Câmara ran deep into Turn 16, dragged the plank of his car along the exit kerb and dropped behind Dunne. Montoya then put him under pressure on the run to Turn 1. Câmara held the place, fifth on the road, a penalty still waiting for him.

Tsolov’s Tyres Go

An oversteer moment at Turn 16 on Lap 10 handed second to van Hoepen and put Dunne right on the Campos Racing car’s rear wing.

Stenshorne passed León at Turn 1 at the start of Lap 12 for seventh. Tsolov was on the radio saying his rears were gone. Dunne went through at Turn 1 on Lap 13. Câmara followed on the run to Turn 4, up to fourth.

Stenshorne passed Montoya into the first corner on Lap 16 for sixth, then cleared Tsolov down the main straight at the end of the lap to break into the top five. Maini and Roman Bilinski both got ahead of Montoya in the first sector on Lap 17.

Second Safety Car: Câmara Serves His Time

Joshua Dürksen hit the barriers at Turn 1 at the start of Lap 18 and couldn’t get going again. Second Safety Car.

Invicta Racing used it. Câmara came in to serve his 10 seconds and switched to Supersofts. He rejoined 18th. That promoted Montoya back into the final points position in eighth. Tsolov, fading on worn rears, was now well clear of his closest title rival.

One Lap Sprint to the Flag

The Safety Car came in at the end of Lap 20, leaving a single lap. Beganovic got a good restart and held the lead. His DAMS Lucas Oil teammate Bilinski was the one moving, diving to the inside of Maini at Turn 5 for sixth.

Beganovic took the win, back-to-back in F2, and back-to-back in the Baku Sprint. Van Hoepen finished second, Dunne third. Stenshorne took fourth ahead of Tsolov and Bilinski. Montoya and Maini completed the points. Câmara finished 16th.

Final Classification: F2 Baku Sprint Race

Câmara set the overall fastest lap, a 1:56.855 on Lap 10, but finished outside the top ten. The fastest lap for points went to Dunne, a 1:56.872 on the same lap.

Championship Standings: F2 Baku Sprint Race

Tsolov took four points from fifth. Câmara took none. Minì, third in the standings, finished 14th and also left without scoring. Dunne closes to within seven points of him.

Campos Racing stay top of the Teams’ Championship on 300 points. Invicta Racing are second on 260, Rodin Motorsport third on 221, MP Motorsport fourth on 190 and ART Grand Prix fifth on 160.

Up Next

F2 isn’t done in Baku on Friday. The first Feature Race starts at 14:00 local time, with Dunne on pole at the front of an all Rodin Motorsport front row.

Coffee Corner Take

Câmara had the pace in Baku. He threw it away at Turn 2.

He set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 10 with a penalty already hanging over him, and fought his way up to fourth on the road. None of it brought him points. One lock-up before the first lap was finished brought a ten-second penalty and ultimately left him without a point. His 1:56.855 still stands as the fastest lap of the race, but with no bonus point attached.

Tsolov lost the lead on Lap 6 and his rear tyres soon after. Four more cars passed him on track before Câmara’s penalty stop put Tsolov back into fifth. He still extended his lead over Câmara from seven points to eleven.

Beganovic has won two F2 races in a row and the Baku Sprint two years running, with two different teams. Beganovic took control with the slipstream move on Tsolov on Lap 6 and stayed there through the final restart.

Dunne has dragged himself further into the championship picture. Seven places gained in the Sprint, a podium, and pole for this afternoon’s Feature. He’s on 146 points, 24 behind Câmara and 35 behind Tsolov.