Gabriele Mini claimed his first-ever victory at the inaugural Formula 2 Miami Feature race, battling treacherous conditions on his way to the top step of the podium.
In a race that tested driver skill and composure, it was the Alpine junior who came out on top, narrowly followed by Dino Beganovic. Closely behind them was the Invicta of Rafael Camara, who rounded out the first-ever North American feature race.
As drivers made their way to the grid, the on-track conditions looked grim. With heavy rain falling on the circuit since the early hours of the day in Miami, drivers were in for an intense first feature race in North America.
Following an early delay, the drivers were able to get to the formation lap, albeit several minutes after its originally scheduled time slot, and under Safety Car conditions.
Lights out for the first Miami Feature Race
As the first formation lap took place behind the safety car, it was clear that despite the stopping rain, visibility would be a major issue for any car behind Maini. Meanwhile, there was early drama for RODIN’s Martinius Stenshorne, given a stop-go penalty for a starting procedure infringement, due to his team being on the grid for longer than
His team were slow to get off the grid, and thus, the Norwegian was penalised.
The drivers lined up on the grid for a standing start in treacherous wet conditions, immediately setting the stage for a dramatic opening to the race.
As the lights went out, the front row of Rafael Camara and Kush Maini struggled on their launch. However, Maini managed to keep his lead with Stenshorne and Camara behind.
The frantic start soon escalated into chaos further down the order. Contact between Nikola Tsolov and Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak triggered the race’s first deployment of the Safety Car.
In the slippery conditions, Inthraphuvasak made contact with Tsolov on the run down to Turn 1. Tsolov sustained damage which forced him to retire from the race prematurely.
Meanwhile, his former F3 team-mate Inthraphuvasak was awarded a 10 second penalty for the incident.
The drama continued under the Safety Car, as all drivers were instructed to drive through the pit lane. However, Maini and Camara both missed the entry and were forced to slow down on the main straight. Both drivers will be investigated following
Early chaos in Miami
The Safety Car ended on Lap 3, leaving the race resumption in the hands of Maini. On the restart, the Indian driver was able to sail away from Camara behind, who quickly fell into the clutches of his team-mate Joshua Durksen.
Further back, Ollie Goethe made contact with the wall down the straight. The German driver sustained damage to his MP Motorsport car and came to a halt on the track. This brought out a short VSC whilst the track was cleared.
When racing resumed, Maini resumed form, leaving a tense battle for second behind him. The battle for the final podium places intensified as Dino Begnovic made his way past Mini. Setting his sights on the two Invictas out front.
However, Camara showed brilliant racecraft to keep his more experienced rivals behind. Ultimately, bringing both Mini and Alex Dunne into this fight. But it didn’t last for long, as Dunne locked up at 17, leaving his Alpine in the barrier. Bringing out yet another Safety Car.
Rafael Villagomez was pitting as the Safety Car was released, but unfortunately could not get his car going again. Making him the fifth retirement of the day. This triggered the mandatory pit stop for the majority of the field, except Durksen, Herta, and Bennett, who made up the top three under the Safety Car.
Following the pit stops, Camara claims the net race lead, with Maini forced to wait for his rivals to pass his pit box.
A chaotic Safety Car restart
On the Safety Cars’ end, the race turns into a timed session, with 23 minutes and a lap remaining on the clock.
When the Safety Car peeled into the pit lane, it was Durksen who led the pack away. The Paraguayan sailed to the race lead, leaving a 2-second gap to his rivals behind, who were locked into an intense battle for second.
Herta and Bennett’s fight brought Camara and Beganovic into the fight for second place on track, the Swedish driver looked to challenge his fellow Ferrari-backed driver, until another Safety car was brought out.
Nico Varone made contact with Stenshorne at turn 17, spinning his RODIN around and taking out Van Hoepen in the process. All drivers were able to continue except for Stenshorne who marked a double DNF for RODIN. Whilst the front-runners pit under the Safety Car, demoting them to outside the points.
The race restarts once more with Camara in control of the pack. However, the Brazilian was at risk of losing the lead to Beganovic in the final stages of the race. On the lap following the Safety Car, the fight for the lead was between five cars. Camara’s Invicta runs wide momentarily; however, he keeps his lead narrowly.
Mini continued to make progress through the field, pulling off a decisive move on León at Turn 16 to gain another position in the later stages
Yet another Safety Car
Further drama followed when Cian Shields spun through Turns 7 and 8, initially prompting a Safety Car with 12 minutes remaining in the session. Conditions and the stranded car soon forced officials to escalate the situation to a full Safety Car at the 10-minute mark.
Amid the neutralisation, John Bennett opted for a bold strategic gamble, diving into the pits to switch onto slick tyres. This bold move didn’t pay off in the way TRIDENT hoped, with the Briton spinning on his out lap.
Camara was left to do a full restart with five minutes remaining in the session. With his fellow Ferrari driver behind him, the pressure was on the reigning F3 Champion.
On the restart, Camara led the field away, but the DAMS driver was three tenths behind, putting immediate pressure on the Brazilian.
The battle continued through the final stages of the race, with the gap dropping down in the final minute. At turn 17, Camara runs wide, allowing Beganovic to claim the lead. But as the drivers make their way down the start-finish straight, Mini has come into this fight.
The final minutes
At Turn 1, a late braking move from Camara forces himself and Beganovic off the track, moving Mini to second. But the Alpine backed driver was on a mission to claim victory, and by the end of the penultimate lap, he was in the lead of the race.
Camara was struggling for pace and at risk of losing a podium to Noel Leon behind. However, he managed to keep his cool and cross the line in third.
But out front, it’s MP’s Gabriele Mini who takes the first-ever feature race win in Miami. It was a hard-fought victory from the Italian, who had to hold off his rival until the very end.
Whilst he will be disappointed finishing second, Beganovic made his way onto the podium after starting the race in 11th place.
F2 will return at the end of May for the final leg of its North American tour in Canada.
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