Formula 2 report: Gabriele Mini takes surprise win in Miami blockbuster

Much of the pre-race coverage had focused on polesitter Kush Maini, Formula 3 champion Rafael Camara, or the likes of Nikola Tsolov and Alex Dunne further back. But as they crept carefully off a wet starting grid, Tsolov was clumsily spun out by Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, and Camara sank through the field. 

What followed was a real test of the youngsters’ talent—many of whom hadn’t even driven F2 cars in the wet before. Multiple safety car incidents forced drivers to be bold, both on-track and with strategy, and it was Mini who kept his cool, pouncing on a late opportunity to grab victory. 

As Camara fought his way back, tussling with Dino Beganovic for the lead, Mini took P3 from Noel Leon, edged his way into contention, and then overtook both the leaders on the final lap of the race. Needless to say, MP Motorsport team boss Sander Dorsman, who described the race as “absolutely mental," was left very impressed. 

Dorsman said: "We always hope to fight for the win and the championship as much as possible. And I think in these kinds of races, it's also important to stay out of trouble and maximize the points. And of course, Gabi did a great job today. I think he deserved the win.

“Now it’s onwards to Canada. Let's hope it will be a repeat of a result like this. But we needed to work hard for it because it was a new venue here for everybody, but it was already so competitive.

“So I think everybody did a great job. And I guess we can expect the same for Canada,” he added. 

With Formula 1 putting on a very tame Sprint Race and delaying the race start to avoid rainy conditions in the main event, it was left to F2 to put on a show—and that they did. There was immediate drama as Camara, Nico Varrone, and Martinius Stenshorne all ran off at T1. 

Championship leader Tsolov’s unlucky spin brought out a safety car, which Oliver Goethe messed up completely, drifting into the barrier on the restart. Incredibly, Alex Dunne also hit the barrier on his own, bringing out yet another safety car. Rafael Villagomez tried to take advantage and pit, only to agonizingly stall in the pit lane. 

As he sat there stranded, it all went wrong for Maini, who was held up sufficiently for Camara to take the effective race lead and Beganovic to jump him on the pit exit. Varrone then ran into Stenshorne, triggering a pile-up with Laurens van Hoepen. Josh Durksen had held on for dry tyres, but a third safety car finally led him to pit from first. 

All this was chaotic, but huge fun! Camara seemed to have inherited victory, but Beganovic piled on pressure in the final laps. As the track dried and their wet tyres blistered, they started to slide all over the place. Beganovic took the lead on the penultimate lap, only for Camara dive-bomb him into T1, and lose second to Mini. 

Beganovic then got it all wrong into T11, allowing Mini around the outside for the lead. With just half a lap to go, the Italian held on (just like his countryman Kimi Antonelli) for a brilliant victory. Eat your heart out F1. Wet weather racing done properly. 

After Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled, the FIA scrambled to organize F2’s first-ever race in North America. It absolutely delivered, as Tsolov fought off a four-car train to win a belter of a sprint from pole and cement his position as a title contender. 

Home hero Colton Herta gained early places, only to go MIA as he approached the points contenders. Durksen made much faster progress, fighting from fourth to second in the opening laps, setting up a brilliantly entertaining scrap with Tsolov and van Hoepen for the lead. 

The trio fought hard, then Varrone and Dunne joined the party to make it a top five. Tsolov and van Hoepen sized each other up and traded places multiple times into T11 & T17. It was scintillating stuff. But as they battled, a tenacious Dunne crept back into contention, and they ended up running nose-to-tail right up to the finish line. 

 Tsolov dived around the outside two corners from the end, which was enough to beat van Hoepen’s brave defense and take a dramatic sprint victory. Even after an unlucky feature race, the Bulgarian leads the championship heading to Montreal in two weeks’ time.