Victor Martins kicked off the 2025 FIA Formula 2 season in style, setting the pace in a disrupted opening practice session in Melbourne. The ART Grand Prix driver put in a strong performance to go fastest, posting a 1:32.587 in a session that saw multiple red flags.
MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor was the early benchmark, setting a 1:33.530 to go top ahead of DAMS Lucas Oil’s Jak Crawford. However, the session was quickly interrupted when Rodin Motorsport’s Alexander Dunne ended up in the gravel at Turn 11 following a collision with the barrier.
Once the track went green again, drivers wasted no time in pushing the limits. Martins soon took control, setting a 1:32.687 to move into P1, just 0.049s ahead of Kush Maini in second. However, the session was halted again when MP’s Oliver Goethe spun into the gravel at Turn 10 and was left stranded.
With only seven minutes remaining, the drivers had one last chance to improve. Martins edged his time down to a 1:32.587, while AIX Racing’s Joshua Duerksen jumped up to third. But the session was brought to an early end once again when Arvid Lindblad crashed at Turn 10 and Amaury Cordeel spun off at Turn 13.
With less than two minutes left on the clock, the session wasn’t restarted, confirming Martins at the top ahead of Maini and Duerksen. Roman Stanek put Invicta Racing into fourth place, with Crawford fifth. Hitech TGR’s Luke Browning and Dino Beganovic secured sixth and seventh, while Max Esterson took eighth for Trident. PREMA Racing’s Sebastián Montoya finished ninth, with Verschoor rounding out the top ten.
Image: FML
