The 2025 Formula 2 season kicked off with its first day of testing in Barcelona as ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins and Campos Racing’s Arvid Lindblad setting the pace in the morning and afternoon sessions respectively.
Morning Session Recap
ART Grand Prix’s Victor Martins emerged as the fastest driver in the first session of Formula 2 pre-season testing at Barcelona, setting a leading time of 1:25.790 towards the session’s end, outpacing the field by a significant margin.
The session faced an underwhelming start with a 45-minute delay and was further shortened by 15 minutes. Once underway, the track saw minimal activity initially due to a mechanical issue with Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Dunne, leading to a red flag and an empty track upon resumption.
Activity gradually picked up with Trident’s Max Esterson first setting a lap of 1:45.966, which he later improved to 1:29.252. The times rapidly fell as MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor posted a 1:28.721, only to be surpassed by his teammate Oliver Goethe and then Trident’s Sami Meguetounif, who closed in with a 1:27.904.
The session progressed with multiple drivers improving their times. Invicta Racing’s Roman Stanek initially topped the timesheets 86 minutes in with a 1:26.734, but the lead changed hands several times, featuring competitive laps from Prema’s Gabriele Mini and Sebastian Montoya, who also topped the charts briefly.
In the latter stages, the session intensified as more drivers posted representative times. Hitech GP and Campos Racing drivers joined the fray late, setting competitive times in the final minutes. However, it was Martins who reclaimed the top spot with his 1:25.790 lap, establishing a clear lead over the field by 0.437 seconds, with Stanek and Dunne following in the top standings.
This dynamic session set the stage for what appears to be a highly competitive testing period in the lead-up to the new Formula 2 season.
Results from Day 1 (AM session) of F2 testing:
?? Martins 1:25.790
?? Mini 1:26.227
?? Goethe 1:26.277
???? Montoya 1:26.400
?? Stanek 1:26.527
?? Dunne 1:26.542
?? Miyata 1:26.771
?? Browning 1:26.815
?? Lindblad 1:26.947
?? Marti 1:27.262#F2 #F2Testing— ?????? F2.COM (@insidef2) February 24, 2025
Afternoon Session Recap
Campos Racing’s Arvid Lindblad edged out Prema’s Gabriele Mini in a closely fought afternoon session on the first day of Formula 2 pre-season testing at Barcelona. Lindblad’s superb lap of 1:24.763 on soft tyres secured him the fastest time, narrowly surpassing Mini’s best effort by just 0.088 seconds.
The session saw immediate action as Rodin Motorsport’s Christian Mansell, who had missed out in the morning, set an early pace with a lap of 1:27.703. However, this was quickly surpassed by MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor, who laid down a significant marker with a 1:25.710, a time that proved challenging for others to beat initially.
As the session progressed, six drivers had posted timed laps within the first 20 minutes, including Campos’s Pepe Marti who briefly went second fastest with a 1:26.711. The session faced interruptions with red flags, notably when Trident’s Max Esterson went off at turn five, halting the action temporarily.
Hitech GP’s duo of Luke Browning and Dino Beganovic also showed strong form, with Browning posting a 1:26.307 to move into the top three. Meanwhile, Invicta Racing’s Leonardo Fornaroli also impressed by slotting into third with a 1:26.281, pushing the competition further.
In the latter stages, the session saw a series of rapid improvements as drivers switched to different tyre strategies. Prema’s strategic move to hard tyres saw Mini close in on Verschoor, setting the stage for a thrilling final push where Marti initially took the lead with a 1:24.764 on soft tyres, only to be surpassed by Lindblad’s stunning lap.
The flurry of late session activity saw multiple drivers, including Fornaroli and Sebastian Montoya of Prema, enter the 1:24s bracket, intensifying the competition. Despite a final red flag disruption caused by Meguetounif, the session ended with Lindblad atop the timesheets, highlighting the competitive nature of this year’s F2 field.
Results from Day 1 (PM session) of F2 testing:
?? Lindblad 1:24.415
?? Mini 1:24.503
?? Fornaroli 1:24.592
???? Montoya 1:24.687
?? Marti 1:24.764
?? Dunne 1:24.825
?? Mansell 1:24.932
?? Browning 1:25.125
?? Stanek 1:25.140
?? Verschoor 1:24.710 #F2 #F2Testing— ?????? F2.COM (@insidef2) February 24, 2025
Overall Observations Live from BarcelonaÂ
Despite the disruptions, the testing sessions provided teams with crucial data and a first look at the competitive landscape for the upcoming season. The majority of top push laps occurring in the last hour of the day underlined the importance of adapting quickly to evolving track conditions.
As teams review the day’s data and prepare for the next session, maintaining car reliability and optimising performance in varying conditions will be key focuses. The initial testing has already hinted at a closely contested season ahead in the F2 championship.
Image: FML
