After a disrupted Qualifying session, Rodin Motorsport’s Alexander Dunne was left feeling disappointed after missing out on securing a pole position in Belgium.
The Qualifying session was at first disrupted by small patches of rain droplets, but the bad luck for Dunne only carried on when the red flags made two appearances throughout the session.
Van Hoepen’s stranded car caused the second red flag period to begin, causing drivers like Dunne to abort their flying laps. Already on a fresh set of Supersofts, the Irishman struggled for grip in the final minutes.
“I think ultimately the red flag is what stopped us from being on pole today. I think my lap when the red flag came out was around two tenths quicker. I was two tenths up on my best lap and then on the last one, because I’d already basically completed a push lap, I had taken a load out of the tyres so in theory it was my second run on that same set.”
“So overall, the grip was lacking quite a bit on the last final lap which of course didn’t help so yeah. I think in the end to still be P3 is not the end of the world.”
Dunne completed his lap but was just under two-tenths behind Câmara. This second place was then seized by Inthraphuvasak, demoting Dunne to third.
The disappointment follows after Dunne missed out on another pole position in Silverstone, yet still has managed to qualify in the Top 4 for the entire of the 2026 season so far.
He had carried strong momentum into Belgium, but was faced with a deletion of all four fastest lap times due to track limits in Free Practice.
“I think so, I mean I was P2 in Practice but I got my lap deleted so I think in general the pace in FP (Free Practice) was still strong. I was P1 after run one and I think there was a strong chance in being pole if I got to complete the lap under the red flag but that’s how it goes.”
“It’s a bunch of ‘ifs’ so like I said, still to be in the Top 3, we haven’t qualified outside the Top 4 and hopefully that’ll continue for the whole year but I think still we need to find a little bit more I would say to be consistently fighting for pole.”
Despite being happy with his consistency continuing, Dunne will look to improve throughout the weekend, as well as the rest of the season. Sitting fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, he will look to close the gap to Câmara, who is currently only two points ahead.
You can catch more Formula 2 action when Saturday’s Sprint Race begins at 14:15 CEST (BST +1).
