F2 – Spanish Grand Prix – Race: Lindblad takes his first main-race win in Barcelona

Arvid Lindblad converted his pole position into victory during the main race of the Formula 2 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. The British driver from Campos Racing controlled the event from start to finish to claim his first win in the Sunday race, the second of his 2025 season.

Perfect pole management

Starting in the lead, Lindblad navigated the first corner smoothly against Sebastián Montoya. The Red Bull junior driver quickly widened the gap with the Colombian from Prema, building a lead of nearly three seconds by the fifth lap.

The gap remained during the first part of the race. Montoya, aware of his limits against Lindblad’s pace, attempted the undercut by stopping two laps before his British rival. The maneuver did not bear fruit. Lindblad came out of the pits still in the lead, maintaining several seconds ahead of his pursuers.

Richard Verschoor completed the provisional podium from his fifth place on the grid. The Dutchman from MP Motorsport took advantage of an excellent start to move up to third place within the first few hectometers.

Crawford bets on his alternative strategy

Jak Crawford opted for the opposite strategy, starting on hard tires. The American from DAMS led the race for several laps before his pit stop, but this approach proved to be less rewarding than hoped in Barcelona.

After his late stop, Crawford found himself at the end of the top 10 but began a spectacular comeback. He chipped away at positions one by one, closing in on the podium in the final laps. By the time the safety car intervened, the American driver was within reach of Verschoor and Montoya.

Alex Dunne followed the same strategy as Crawford. Starting eighth, the Irishman also took advantage of his late stop to climb into the points, finishing fifth after overtaking Pepe Martí in the final laps.

Incident between Browning and Miyata

The race was marked by a collision on the 22nd lap between Luke Browning and Ritomo Miyata. The two drivers made contact at the entrance of turn 4, sending the ART Japanese driver into the gravel trap. Browning damaged his front wing and had to stop to change the part.

The Englishman from Hitech received a ten-second penalty for causing the collision. This penalty, combined with his additional pit stop, relegated him to last place in the final standings.

Miyata managed to continue after his excursion into the gravel and finished ninth, earning two valuable points for ART.

A decisive safety car

The intervention of the safety car two laps before the finish froze the positions. Leonardo Fornaroli, already penalized at the beginning of the race for a starting procedure violation, came to a stop in the gravel trap at turn 3.

The incident could not be cleared in time to allow a restart. Lindblad therefore crossed the finish line behind the safety car, securing his first victory in the main race.

This outcome particularly deprived Crawford of a possible podium attack. The DAMS driver will have to settle for fourth place, ahead of Dunne, who confirms his recent good form.

Montoya limits the damage.

Sebastián Montoya preserved his second place despite pressure from Verschoor in the second part of the race. The Colombian, penalized on Saturday during the sprint race for a collision with his teammate Gabriele Mini, showed a calmer demeanor on Sunday.

This performance allows Montoya to score important points in the championship. His team, Prema, can be satisfied with this result after the difficulties encountered in recent weeks.

Verschoor completes the podium and strengthens his second place in the championship. The Dutchman continues to deliver solid performances and stays in the wake of leader Alex Dunne.

Upheavals in the rankings

Dunne retains the championship lead with 87 points despite an unremarkable race. The Irishman now leads Verschoor by just three points. The battle for the title promises to be tight in the upcoming rounds.

Lindblad climbs to third place with 79 points, ahead of Crawford (73 points) and Browning (also 73 points). This victory revives the ambitions of the Briton who had experienced a lukewarm start to the season.

In the constructors’ standings, Campos Racing takes the lead with 126 points, ahead of Hitech by 26 points. This first place is historic for the Spanish team on its home turf.

The next round will take place in Spielberg from June 27 to 29.

Main Race Classification Spanish Grand Prix 2025