Formula 2 pre-season testing concluded in Barcelona, with Sami Meguetounif, Victor Martins, and Arvid Lindbladamong the standout performers across the three days. Teams and drivers maximised their final opportunity to gather crucial data ahead of the 2025 season opener, with each session producing different frontrunners and plenty of disruption from red flags.
If you love the data and detail, check out our full data breakdown of the testing sessions below.Â
Day 1 – Martins and Lindblad Set the Early Benchmark
The opening day of testing saw Victor Martins set the tone in the morning for ART Grand Prix, topping the session with a 1:25.790. Running was initially delayed by 45 minutes, and when action did get underway, it was Trident’s Max Esterson who set the first meaningful time before improvements came thick and fast. Roman Stan?k, Gabriele Minì, and Sebastian Montoya all briefly topped the timesheets, but Martins ultimately established himself as the driver to beat.
In the afternoon session, Campos Racing’s Arvid Lindblad stole the headlines with a blistering 1:24.763 on soft tyres, narrowly edging out Prema’s Minì by 0.088s. The session was filled with interruptions, including red flags for Max Esterson and Sami Meguetounif, but a flurry of late laps saw Pepe MartÃ, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Montoya also feature in the 1:24s. Despite the disruptions, Lindblad’s time stood firm as the quickest of the day.
Day 2 – Minì Dominates as Goethe Impresses
The second day saw a dominant morning performance from Gabriele Minì, who posted a 1:23.709 for Prema, the fastest lap of testing. The Italian driver’s time was nearly a second clear of the rest of the field, underlining his impressive pace. Jak Crawford, Luke Browning, and Christian Mansell were among the early pacesetters before Richard Verschoor and Oliver Goethe emerged as Minì’s closest challengers. However, multiple red flags, including stoppages for Esterson and MartÃ, interrupted the session.
In the afternoon, it was MP Motorsport’s Oliver Goethe who went fastest early on with a 1:24.372, a time that remained unbeaten. Richard Verschoor kept him honest, finishing just 0.13s behind, while Max Esterson and Sami Meguetounif battled for third. The session saw further disruptions, including a stoppage for Meguetounif, but teams focused on long-run data collection, with Joshua Duerksen, Montoya, and Martins making late gains in the top ten.
Day 3 – Meguetounif Ends Testing on Top
The final day of testing was marked by multiple red flags and a mix of conditions in the morning session. Victor Martins once again showed strong form for ART Grand Prix, setting a 1:24.673 to top the session, ahead of Ritomo Miyata. The damp start saw a cautious approach from most teams, but as the track dried, MP Motorsport’s Kush Maini and Jak Crawford briefly took turns at the top before Martins stamped his authority late on.
In the afternoon, it was Trident’s Sami Meguetounif who stole the spotlight, setting a 1:24.363, the fastest lap of the day and the quickest of the entire test. Alex Dunne pushed hard in the final hour, reducing the gap with a 1:25.048, but Meguetounif’s time remained unchallenged. The session was again interrupted by red flags, including one for Meguetounif himself, who brought testing to a premature end.
What Have We Learned Ahead of 2025?
With testing complete, a few key takeaways stand out ahead of the 2025 Formula 2 season opener. ART Grand Prix, Prema, and Trident appear to be early front-runners, with Martins, Minì, and Meguetounif all setting session-best times. Campos Racing and MP Motorsport also showed promise, with Lindblad and Goethe both topping sessions and looking strong over single-lap runs.
The tight timesheets suggest a highly competitive season ahead, with multiple teams capable of fighting at the front. The sessions also highlighted the importance of consistency, as several drivers had interrupted runs due to red flags, limiting their ability to gather data.
With teams now analysing their findings, attention turns to the season opener, where we’ll finally see who can convert testing pace into race-winning form.
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