– Ferrari Driver Academy racer maintains solid championship lead
– Title to be settled in one week’s time in Italy
Dino Beganovic will take a largely intact lead into next week’s Formula Regional European Championship title-decider at Mugello, after battling his way to a pair of potentially crucial points in Barcelona.
Beganovic found himself on the wrong side of motor racing’s infamously small margins as the massive 35-car field set camp at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, first finishing 11th – just outside the points – in Saturday’s Race 1.
Then on Sunday, the Ferrari Driver Academy member lapped a fraction of a second – 0.054s to be precise – off the leading pace in his qualifying group, leaving him tenth on the aggregate Race 2 grid instead of on the front row.
Beganovic then battled hard in Race 2 to come home tenth, despite sustaining damage to his Prema Powerteam car in the opening laps, awarding him two potentially crucial championship points.
“It wasn’t the weekend we were hoping for, but we just didn’t have the margins on our side this time around,” says Dino Beganovic. “Those few hundredths of a second in qualifying made such a difference, and I think it speaks volumes for the competitiveness of this championship. In the end I managed to grab a few points, which wasn’t easy after nursing some damage. It’s been OK but not fantastic.”
Beganovic entered the Barcelona meeting holding a 54-point lead in the standings, and while the advantage has now been reduced to 38, the Swede remains as confident as ever as the title showdown nears next weekend at Italy’s Mugello circuit.
“We’ll go get it in Mugello,” Beganovic concludes. “It’s all eyes on that now. I think we’re in a really strong position, I love the track there, and I can’t wait to get back on track and try and end the season on the highest possible note.”
Mugello will mark the tenth and final round of the 2022 Formula Regional European Championship.
RESULTS
Formula Regional European Championship
Rd. 9 – Barcelona (ESP)
RACE 1 (full results)
1: P. Aron (EST), Prema Powerteam
2: H. David (FRA), R-ACE GP
3: D. Van ‘T Hoff (NED), MP Motorsport
4: K. Haverkort (NED), Van Amersfoort Racing
5: G. Minì (ITA), ART Grand Prix
—
11: D. Beganovic (SWE), Prema Powerteam
RACE 2 (full results)
1: G. Bortoleto (BRA), R-ACE GP
2: H. David (FRA), R-ACE GP
3: P-L. Chovet (FRA), RPM
4: P. Aron (EST), Prema Powerteam
5: K. Haverkort (NED), Van Amersfoort Racing
—
10: D. Beganovic (SWE), Prema Powerteam
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Formula Regional European Championship
After 9/10 rounds (full standings)
1: D. Beganovic (SWE), 255 p.*
2: G. Minì (ITA), 217 p.
3: P. Aron (EST), 216 p.
4: H. David (FRA), 208 p.
5: K. Haverkort (NED), 177 p.
* Paul Ricard Race 2 podium under appeal. Beganovic originally finished second in the race, but was subsequently disqualified for an alleged technical irregularity. Prema have appealed the decision. With official confirmation pending, the current championship standings shown here denote zero points for Paul Ricard Race 2.
