F2 – Hungarian Grand Prix – Race: Fornaroli wins ahead of Stanek at the Hungaroring

Leonardo Fornaroli, leader of the Formula 2 championship, claimed his first feature race victory of the season at the Hungaroring. Accompanied by Roman Stanek on the second step of the podium, Invicta Racing secured a remarkable one-two finish despite a five-second penalty given to Fornaroli for speeding in the pit lane.

Departure under meteorological surveillance

Faced with unpredictable weather conditions, the race management opted for a rolling start behind the safety car. The entire field took the gamble of using slick tires on a partially wet track, with only the racing line providing a usable dry surface.

From pole position, Roman Stanek handled the start without any issues, maintaining his lead alongside Leonardo Fornaroli. The Invicta Racing pair quickly distanced themselves from Jak Crawford, who started third, immediately demonstrating their superiority on the Hungarian track.

The activation of DRS on the second lap did little to shake up the hierarchy, as track conditions limited overtaking opportunities. However, some drivers opted for the alternative, with Victor Martins (7th) and Arvid Lindblad (8th) running on medium tires.

First clashes and neutralizations

In the fourth round, Luke Browning and Jak Crawford engaged in a tight duel for third place. The Briton took the lead at the first corner before making a mistake at the second, giving the American the opportunity to regain his position.

Amaury Cordeel’s retirement on the sixth lap caused the first deployment of the virtual safety car. The Rodin Motorsport car came to a halt with smoke billowing from the rear, requiring intervention from the track marshals.

The restart benefited Arvid Lindblad, who gained two positions at once. The British driver capitalized on an error by Oliver Goethe at the first corner and then overtook Joshua Durksen at the next corner, moving into fifth position.

Victor Martins abandoned on the tenth lap, his car coming to a stop at the exit of the twelfth turn on the racing line, triggering a new virtual safety car phase.

Fornaroli’s paying undercut despite the sanction

The first wave of pit stops opened on the fourteenth lap with Luke Browning, Joshua Durksen, Oliver Goethe, and Gabriele Mini. Roman Stanek and Jak Crawford joined the pits on the following lap, momentarily leaving the Campos Racing drivers at the forefront thanks to their alternate strategy.

Leonardo Fornaroli waited until the sixteenth lap to change his tires. This strategy paid off as the Italian emerged ahead of his teammate to take the effective lead of the race. This tactical maneuver highlighted Invicta Racing’s technical mastery this weekend.

However, the Italian received a five-second penalty for exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane. Fornaroli had crossed the authorized limit of 60 km/h by 2.8 km/h, potentially jeopardizing his victory in the face of the threat from Stanek and Crawford.

Alex Dunne, who had chosen the same pit stop timing as Fornaroli, lost two positions due to insufficiently warmed tires, finding himself relegated behind Durksen and Goethe.

Verschoor’s alternative option

Richard Verschoor inaugurated the series of pit stops for drivers on an alternate strategy on the twenty-second lap, fourteen laps before the finish. The Dutchman benefited from extending his first stint to come out ahead of several competitors, validating the effectiveness of this approach.

Arvid Lindblad followed into the next round, emerging just behind Browning but with fresh tires. The Brit seemed capable of challenging the leaders, but difficulties in warming up thwarted his plans.

Pepe Marti encountered the same problems during his pit stop on the twenty-fourth lap. Both Campos Racing representatives experienced major difficulties with their new tires, losing ground in the process.

Crawford attacks, Fornaroli takes off

Jak Crawford attempted to challenge Roman Stanek on the twenty-eighth lap with an offensive move at the first corner. The American locked his wheels during the maneuver, allowing the Czech to maintain his second place and avoid a battle that could have benefited the pursuers.

This episode gave Leonardo Fornaroli the opportunity to definitively widen the gap at the front. The Italian had a lead of 4.9 seconds on the twenty-ninth lap, a sufficient margin to absorb his penalty and preserve his victory.

Luke Browning showed a threatening pace in the final phase, setting his personal best time on the thirty-third lap to come within 1.6 seconds of Crawford. The British driver had found a good compromise with his tires in the last laps.

Scuffle for the points

The final moments were enlivened by a magnificent duel between Dino Beganovic and Arvid Lindblad for sixth place. The two men battled wheel-to-wheel through the first and second corners for several consecutive laps.

This battle also attracted Oliver Goethe and Alex Dunne, forming a compact group that contested the final points-scoring positions. Lindblad eventually withstood the repeated attacks thanks to skillful defense.

Ritomo Miyata, the last driver to make his mandatory pit stop, waited until the penultimate lap to dive into the pits. This extreme strategy did not pay off, as the Japanese driver finished eighteenth without a safety car that could have changed the situation.

A prestigious victory

Leonardo Fornaroli crossed the finish line more than seven seconds ahead of Roman Stanek, confirming his dominance both technically and strategically. This third victory of the season, the first in the main race, consolidates his position as the championship leader.

Invicta Racing’s double victory marks a turning point in the 2025 Formula 2 season. The team showcased striking technical superiority this weekend in Hungary, both in qualifying and during the race.

Jak Crawford climbs onto the third step of the podium for the second time this weekend, confirming his consistency and progress in the race for the title. The American driver now holds the second position in the championship.

Impact on rankings

This victory brings Leonardo Fornaroli to 154 points in the drivers’ championship, creating a significant gap over his rivals. Jak Crawford climbs to second place with 137 points, surpassing Richard Verschoor who drops to 135 points.

Luke Browning, thanks to his fourth place, climbs to fourth in the overall standings with 125 points, pushing Alex Dunne to fifth place with 124 points. These movements testify to the intensity of the title fight this season.

In the constructors’ championship, Invicta Racing strengthens its first place with 231 points, 42 points ahead of Campos Racing, which retains the second position with 189 points. Hitech TGR completes the provisional podium with 183 points, ahead of DAMS Lucas Oil (163 points) and MP Motorsport (158 points).

This Hungarian race marks the beginning of the summer break for Formula 2. The paddock will return to the track on September 5th in Monza for the eleventh round of the season, where Leonardo Fornaroli will attempt to continue his winning momentum on his Italian home soil.