Trident driver John Bennett said claiming his maiden F2 victory at the Red Bull Ring in Austria feels “amazing”.
The British driver passed PREMA’s Sebastian Montoya on the last lap of the Sprint Race on Saturday, following a race-long battle which saw the lead change hands multiple times.
Bennett, starting from second position thanks to the reverse-grid format, leapt into the lead at the start, before relinquishing the top spot shortly before midway through the 28 lap race.
As Montoya struggled late on, Bennett pressurised the Colombian, passing the PREMA on the exit of Turn 5 to clinch his first win.
The 22-year-old said: “I’m really just trying to enjoy every second of this. I think we’ve been waiting a long time for a strong result. This year, we’ve been showing a lot of pace, but things just haven’t quite gone our way. So to have a race like this is a really good feeling.”
WHAT A DAY ?
Super proud of everybody at the Trident Team today. We deserved this!
Thank you so much to everyone for their support. Let's keep this winning feeling going ?
? Dutch Photo Agency #JB27 I @Formula2 I @trident_team pic.twitter.com/vJoD1Agjw4
— John Bennett (@john27bennett) June 27, 2026
The result continues Bennett’s good form at the Red Bull Ring, having qualified in the top in 2025 too, his first visit to the track, when driving with Van Amersfoort Racing. It meant he started last year’s Sprint Race from reverse grid pole, before eventually seeing his hopes of points wrecked when he got caught up in a last-lap collision.
He told InsideF2 that the circuit plays to some of his strengths: “I feel confident around here. All the tracks are new [to me], I don’t have so much experience having skipped Formula 3, I think this track does suit me a bit.
“The heavy braking zones have always been a strength of mine and also the high-speed I’m quite comfortable with. I’ve got into a good flow around here and the car was really strong today.”
Relief ???
When you realise you have not only taken your first F2 podium, but also your first race win as well ?#F2 #AustrianGP @john27bennett pic.twitter.com/O6nPj7X03M
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) June 27, 2026
Last lap attack was “now or never”
Having lost the lead, Bennett remained patient and took his chance at the final opportunity.
He was helped by Montoya’s struggles to get his tyres working properly following a late VSC (Virtual Safety Car) after Hitech’s Colton Herta broke down.
Bennett said his move to seal victory was “pretty nice”.
He explained how his race played out: “I spent most of the race really just trying to hold the DRS to Montoya. Yeah, trying not to drop out. And then the last, three or four laps after the VSC, I started to see him struggle. And then on the last lap, I just said to myself, like, it’s now or never.
“Got a good exit out of one, put him under pressure into T3, got a good exit out of three, had the run into four, was on the outside, just got slightly ahead in the braking zone and I knew he was going to brake late. So I went for the switchback and just had quite enough traction to make it work, then led to the line.”
The move that sealed the deal for @john27bennett in the Spielberg Sprint ??
Sebastian Montoya defended resolutely, but a switchback of dreams was enough to get the job done ?#F2 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/AHxPA3E6xQ
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) June 27, 2026
He told us that he knew the race was one built on managing the tyres well, having looked back at previous years races.
“When Montoya overtook, I didn’t defend too hard. And I just thought, manage the race, stay in DRS, keep the tyres under control and maybe I could make something happen at the end.
“I watched the races back over the past couple of years. And the leader could lead for most of the race, but then was under pressure at the end just because of the tyre management. So that’s what I tried to replicate. And, yeah, it worked, thankfully.”
Bennett starts Sunday’s Feature Race from ninth on the grid and will aiming for a third race in a row where he picks up points.
Saturday’s win see’s him rise to 14th in the championship standings, with 17 points.
You can let all that emotion out now @john27bennett ?
The moment the British driver added his name to the F2 winners list and became our eighth different winner in 2026 ?#F2 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/6mDf3PjGUt
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) June 27, 2026
Image Credit – Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty
