Gabriele Mini delivered victory in a weather-hit, time-limited Formula 2 Feature Race at the Miami International Autodrome, edging Dino Beganovic by 0.9s after a tense late shootout. Rafael Camara completed the podium and claimed the fastest lap point, while Noel Leon and polesitter Kush Maini rounded out the top five.
The classification remains provisional. Mini, Camara and Maini are among several drivers under post-race investigation, a list that also includes Oliver Goethe for a separate incident.
Heavy showers delayed the formation lap by six minutes and forced it to be taken behind the Safety Car, setting the tone for treacherous conditions in Florida. The championship joined the Miami Grand Prix bill after the postponement of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds in April, and at one stage the weather threatened to derail its main event on the series' first visit to North America. A brief window of stable conditions ultimately allowed the Feature Race to run, albeit with repeated interruptions.
The contest quickly became fragmented. Alex Dunne’s impact with the barriers triggered the second of four Safety Cars, and repeated neutralisations meant the clock ticked down to zero before a final dash to the line. The lead changed hands over the closing laps before Mini prevailed in a sprint to the flag.
Early drama set the agenda. Martinius Stenshorne served a 10-second stop-go for a starting procedure infringement after his car was worked on too late on the grid, and he later retired after a spin that delayed Nico Varrone and Laurens van Hoepen. At the standing start, championship leader Nikola Tsolov was eliminated after contact from Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, who received a 10-second time penalty.
Stewards also flagged a series of potential infringements under Safety Car. Maini and Camara are being investigated for failing to pass through the pit lane when instructed, while Mini and Goethe are under review for entering the pit lane on the wrong side of the entrance bollard after recognising the instruction late. Van Hoepen faces scrutiny for an unsafe release, and Varrone was given a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision that forced Stenshorne out.
Provisional top 10 finishers and points:
- P1 Gabriele Mini (MP Motorsport) — 25
- P2 Dino Beganovic (DAMS Lucas Oil) — 18
- P3 Rafael Camara (Invicta Racing) — 16 including fastest lap
- P4 Noel Leon (Campos Racing) — 12
- P5 Kush Maini (ART Grand Prix) — 10
- P6 Ritomo Miyata (Hitech) — 8
- P7 Mari Boya (Prema Racing) — 6
- P8 Colton Herta (Hitech) — 4
- P9 Sebastian Montoya (Prema Racing) — 2
- P10 Joshua Dürksen (Invicta Racing) — 1
Laurens van Hoepen finished 11th ahead of Emerson Fittipaldi Jr., Nico Varrone and John Bennett, with Inthraphuvasak classified 15th after his penalty. Retirements included Cian Shields, Stenshorne, Rafael Villagomez, Dunne, Goethe and Tsolov, while Roman Bilinski did not start.
What to watch next: Stewards' decisions could materially alter the finishing order and points allocation, including within the top five. Look out for an updated classification and any knock-on effects for the championship standings once the investigations conclude.
Source: racingnews365.com