– Ferrari Driver Academy youngster gains valuable experience in first-ever street race
– Swede unscathed in frightening start-lap pile-up
Dino Beganovic got a first-hand experience of the thrills and spills of Monte Carlo on an eventful weekend of racing in round three of the Formula Regional European Championship, walking away from a nasty accident to cap off his visit to the principality.
Getting his first-ever taste of a street track, Beganovic found himself in the heat of action throughout the weekend as he learned the specific trade of pushing boundaries between the daunting barriers.
After crashing in practice and losing valuable track time, Beganovic was on the back foot for the remainder of the event and qualified 22nd and 21st for the weekend’s two races.
In the first 30-minute encounter on Saturday, the Ferrari Driver Academy junior could do little else than simply follow the cars in front around a track notorious for its lack of overtaking opportunities, coming home 17th.
“This weekend was dictated by the crash in practice, and it just goes to show how critical it is to really rack up the laps around here,” says Dino Beganovic. “After I lost half of practice, we knew it was going to be tough to find the confidence in qualifying, and there was not much I could do in the first race other than just follow the cars ahead. I was quite a bit quicker, but it’s just not possible to overtake around here.”
Sunday’s concluding second race – a precursor to the famous Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix – saw Beganovic involved in a frightening accident shortly after the start. A multi-car pile-up on the climb from St. Devote pitched a rival’s car onto the top of Beganovic’s, inflicting damage to the Prema Powerteam machine which could not be repaired in time for the restart – but crucially all drivers involved escaped injury.
“I’m very thankful for the halo and the safety measures in these cars, it really is incredible,” Beganovic comments. “For all of us to walk away from that accident is such a great testament. It was a shame we couldn’t make the restart, but I still learned a lot this weekend and it’s definitely been a good experience for the future.”
The Formula Regional European Championship resumes already next weekend, just a few hours’ drive down the Mediterranean coastline at France’s Circuit Paul Ricard.
RESULTS
Formula Regional European Championship
Rd. 3 – Monaco (MCO)
RACE 1 (full results)
1: I. Hadjar (FRA), R-Ace GP
2: Z. Maloney (BRB), R-Ace GP
3: P. Aron (EST), Prema Powerteam
4: H. David (FRA), R-Ace GP
5: P. Pasma (FIN), KIC Motorsport
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17: D. Beganovic (SWE), Prema Powerteam
RACE 2 (full results)
1: Z. Maloney (BRB), R-Ace GP
2: I. Hadjar (FRA), R-Ace GP
3: H. David (FRA), R-Ace GP
4: A. Quinn (GBR), Arden Motorsport
5: P. Pasma (FIN), KIC Motorsport
—
DNF: D. Beganovic (SWE), Prema Powerteam
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Formula Regional European Championship
After 3/10 rounds
Overall (full standings)
1: G. Saucy (SUI), 85 p.
2: P. Aron (EST), 72 p.
3: I. Hadjar (FRA), 70 p.
4: A. Quinn (GBR), 68 p.
5: Z. Maloney (BRB), 62 p.
—
13: D. Beganovic (SWE), 5 p.
Rookies (full standings)
1: I. Hadjar (FRA), 70 p.
2: G. Minì (ITA), 38 p.
3: M. Boya (ESP), 21 p.
4: T. ten Brinke (NED), 18 p.
5: D. Beganovic (SWE), 5 p.
