- Swede graces prestigious rostrum in Monte Carlo F2 feature race
- Effort completes Formula Regional, F3, and F2 podium sweep in the principality
Dino Beganovic scored his second podium of the FIA Formula 2 Championship season with a fine drive to third in the prestigious feature race on the streets of Monaco on Sunday.
Starting the race in fifth, Beganovic made a pair of decisive moves on the first and final laps, gaining one spot off the line and then overtaking Kush Maini for third on the last tour as the latter rejoined after a late pit stop.
The result completes a full house of Monaco podiums for Beganovic in junior single-seater racing, the Swede having now scored top three finishes at the legendary circuit in Formula Regional European Championship (winning in 2022), Formula 3 (second in 2023) and today in Formula 2.
“It’s great to be back on the podium here in Monaco,” says Dino Beganovic. “I do feel a certain sense of pride to have achieved it in three different types of cars, and this one is extra significant on the morning of the most prestigious Formula 1 race of all. I tried to drive a clean race, stay out of trouble, and then I managed to make a pair of decisive moves when it mattered.”
Beganovic arrived in Monte Carlo well aware that Friday’s qualifying session was likely to be key at the narrow street track, and duly featured in the battle for pole position – topping the times before the red flags flew with just under four minutes to go.
With Beganovic’s DAMS Lucas Oil squad positioned at the back of the pitlane this weekend, time and track position was critical as the session resumed, forcing Beganovic to complete two consecutive push laps in the closing minutes rather than the ideal sequence of a build-up lap followed by a single flat-out attempt.
It still proved enough for third in the end, just 0.176s from pole, in what proved the quicker of the two qualifying groups in use for the Monte Carlo weekend only. With both groups combined, it netted Beganovic fifth on the aggregate grid, a position he held throughout Saturday’s sprint race before then improving to third in Sunday’s main event.
“There was a lot more in it in qualifying, so I was quite disappointed to miss out on pole,” Dino Beganovic concludes. “To be one and a half tenths off with a double push, I think that was pretty good, and it shows what could have been this weekend. That’s part of the game in Monaco, however, and at the end of the day I think I made the most of both races.
“Overall I’m happy with the weekend, a lot of important points, and a good way to start off the summer season.”
Beganovic now moves up to sixth in the Formula 2 standings, and has closed the gap to championship leader Gabriele Minì from 33 to 20 points.
Formula 2 returns to action in just one week’s time in Barcelona (Spain).
RESULTS
FIA Formula 2 Championship
Rd. 4 – Monaco (MCO)
Race 1 (Sprint Race)
1: N. León (MEX), Campos Racing
2: R. Bilinski (POL), DAMS Lucas Oil
3: G. Minì (ITA), MP Motorsport
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5: D. Beganovic (SWE), DAMS Lucas Oil
Race 2 (Feature Race)
1: N. Tsolov (BUL), Campos Racing
2: A. Dunne (IRE), Rodin Motorsport
3: D. Beganovic (SWE), DAMS Lucas Oil
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
FIA Formula 2 Championship
After 4/14 rounds
1: G. Minì (ITA), MP Motorsport, 63 p.
2: N. Tsolov (BUL), Campos Racing, 62 p.
3: M. Stenshorne (NOR), Rodin, 48 p.
4: A. Dunne (IRE), Rodin Motorsport, 48 p.
5: N. Léon (MEX), Campos Racing, 45 p.
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6: D. Beganovic (SWE), DAMS Lucas Oil, 43 p.
