CÂMARA TAKES FIRST F2 WIN AS TSOLOV MOVES INTO CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD
Rafael Câmara secured his first victory in FIA Formula 2 after a perfectly managed race that rewarded strategy, tyre management, and late-race pace. The Invicta Racing driver extended his opening stint longer than any of his rivals and used the tyre advantage in the final phase to climb back through the field and claim a dominant win.
It was a race full of strategy variations, with drivers split between early and late pit stops, safety car interruptions, and constant position changes across the top ten. From the front row, Câmara did not get the best start and Alexander Dunne immediately took the lead into Turn 1, while the early laps also saw tight battles between title contenders Gabriele Minì and Nikola Tsolov.
An early Safety Car was deployed after Oliver Goethe stopped on track near the pit exit, neutralising the race and bunching the field. Once racing resumed, Dunne managed to build a small gap at the front, while Câmara settled into second and began managing his tyres carefully.
As the race developed, attention shifted to the strategic battle. Dunne and Minì pitted earlier, while Câmara stayed out longer on his starting Soft tyres, building a significant tyre offset that would later define the outcome of the race. Once the leaders completed their stops, Tsolov briefly inherited track position, but the real fight was still to come.
After finally pitting on Lap 22, Câmara rejoined further down the order but immediately began a strong recovery charge. With fresher tyres and a clear pace advantage, he quickly moved back through the field, first clearing midfield cars before targeting the leaders again.
By Lap 27, Câmara had already closed onto Gabriele Minì and used DRS to complete the overtake, before setting his sights on Dunne at the front. Meanwhile, Tsolov was also making progress on an alternative strategy with Soft tyres, climbing rapidly through the field and closing the gap to the front runners.
The decisive phase began when Câmara caught Dunne in the closing laps. With superior tyre performance and strong race pace, he retook the lead and pulled away, building a comfortable gap of nearly 10 seconds by the chequered flag.
Behind him, Tsolov delivered an impressive charge of his own. After moving into podium contention, he fought his way past Minì and then Alexander Dunne in the final laps to secure second place, also taking the lead of the Drivers’ Championship in the process.
Dunne completed the podium in third after a solid but ultimately defensive final stint, while Minì was forced to settle just outside the top three after losing positions late in the race.
The result marks a breakthrough win for Câmara in Formula 2 and tightens the championship fight even further, with Tsolov now leading the standings on 86 points, ahead of Minì on 83 and Câmara climbing to third with 69 points.
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