Dino Beganovic returned to the podium on Saturday, finishing third in the Sprint Race in Baku — another solid result in a string of strong performances from the driver over the past few rounds of the season.
The afternoon race saw several twists driven by repeated safety car periods, a scenario the driver was able to turn to his advantage.
“It was a great day. From this morning to the afternoon, we knew we were strong, but I wasn’t expecting another podium today,” Beganovic said in a post-race interview. “I think it was a good race.”
According to the driver, the team positioned itself well right from the start, making key moves at the race start and staying competitive through the multiple restarts.
The turning point, however, came when the safety car appeared at the exact moment the team was planning to pit.
“We made some moves at the beginning of the race, and then through all the restarts, and then we got that safety car at the perfect timing, right when we wanted to box. So we got a bit lucky there,” he explained. “After that, we were able to just execute it well.”
Despite the positive result, Beganovic acknowledged he didn’t have the pace to fight for the top spots on the podium. “Both Alex and Martinez were very strong, I couldn’t keep up with them. But in general, very happy with today.”
The podium in Baku reinforces a stretch of consistency for the driver, who had already claimed pole position in Madrid and also finished on the podium in that round’s sprint.
Asked what changed to raise his level of competitiveness in recent rounds, Beganovic was reluctant to point to a single factor. “I’m not sure. Obviously Madrid was new for everybody, a street track, the kind of layout I normally feel comfortable with. But other than that, I had a great summer break, and after that, we just kind of worked well with the team.”
The driver also noted that the good run didn’t start only after the season break. “We also had some solid rounds before the summer break as well. So it’s very nice to have that result in the bag now and carry on that streak.”
With the result, Beganovic remains in fifth place in the championship standings, while his team mate Alex has also been closing the gap to the drivers ahead of him.
Asked whether a top-three finish in the championship is still within reach, the driver was cautious but didn’t rule it out. “Mathematically, yes. But I will be realistic and say it will be tough to get there. We need to be on our best — and a little bit more — every weekend, every session. So I’m not going to exclude it. We will do our best and then see where we arrive, and try to get all the points that are on the table.”
Beganovic’s focus now turns to Saturday’s main race, as he looks to close out another strong weekend in Baku.
Image: Getty Images via Formula Motorsport Limited
