Monaco Grand Prix: F2 Sprint Race | summary

Kush Maini delivered a brilliant drive to win the 2025 Formula 2 Sprint Race in Monaco. Starting from reverse-grid pole, the DAMS Lucas Oil driver led from lights to flag on the challenging Monte Carlo circuit. He absorbed pressure from PREMA’s Gabriele Minì and survived a mid-race Safety Car to claim a well-earned victory.

Perfect Start Sets the Tone during the F2 Sprint race in Monaco

Maini got the ideal launch off the line. His front-row rival, Luke Browning of Hitech TGR, bogged down at the start and slipped down the order.

Minì seized the opportunity to slot into second, while Jak Crawford and Arvid Lindblad fought over third. However, the two clashed at Turn 5, with Crawford dropping to fifth and expressing frustration over the radio.

Race Control took notice, and the stewards soon began handing out penalties—setting the tone for a chaotic midfield.

Collisions, Retirements, and a Penalty Frenzy

Cian Shields (AIX Racing) collided with Rafael Villagómez (VAR) early on, ending Shields’ race and earning Villagómez a ten-second penalty. Lindblad also received a ten-second penalty for the Lap 1 incident with Crawford.

As the field settled, several skirmishes played out in the midfield. Alexander Dunne, running just outside the top ten, reported an illegal overtake under yellow flags by Campos’ Pepe Martí. Meanwhile, Dino Beganovic, starting P18, set the fastest lap during a quiet spell on Lap 7.

Despite the track’s tight confines, teams strategized for clean air and position gains. Campos told Lindblad to back up the cars behind him to create a buffer—a clever attempt to nullify his penalty with a time gap.

Safety Car Interrupts the Flow of the F2 Sprint Race in Monaco

A major incident occurred on Lap 11 when Joshua Dürksen collided with Oliver Goethe exiting Mirabeau. Dürksen retired, and John Bennett hit the wall shortly after, ending his race too. The Safety Car was deployed, neutralizing the field.

With tensions high and positions shuffled, the Safety Car played perfectly into Maini’s hands. He timed the restart to perfection on Lap 15, regaining a strong lead while Minì and Lindblad resumed their scrap behind him.

Restart Sparks New Battles

After the restart of the F2 Sprint Race in Monaco, Minì briefly lost ground but stayed in control of second place. Goethe and Victor Martins collided at Turn 17, forcing Martins to pit with front-wing damage. He rejoined but dropped to the back. Martí also retired from the race soon after.

Lindblad, meanwhile, charged ahead to build the 10-second gap he needed to stay in the podium places despite his penalty. By Lap 22, he had pulled over 12 seconds clear of Browning in fourth—an impressive tactical recovery.

Final Laps: Pressure, Strategy, and a Masterclass

As the laps wound down, Minì dropped back slightly in an attempt to claim the fastest lap, but traffic thwarted the effort. Behind them, Lindblad began to reel him in, cutting the gap to half a second by Lap 28. Despite his speed, he couldn’t overtake Minì before the chequered flag.

Maini maintained composure and crossed the line first, sealing his first victory of the season in style. Minì finished second, with Lindblad initially in third but demoted to eighth once the penalty was applied. That handed Browning the final step on the podium.

Kush Maini’s commanding win gives him momentum heading into Sunday’s Feature Race, where Alex Dunne will start from pole. With Monaco’s narrow streets promising more surprises, the championship battle remains wide open. But for now, Maini reigns supreme in the principality.

Final Classification

1. Kush Maini
2. Gabriele Minì
3. Luke Browning
4. Jak Crawford
5. Richard Verschoor
6. Sebastián Montoya
7. Leonardo Fornaroli
8. Arvid Lindblad
9. Alexander Dunne
10. Ritomo Miyata
11. Roman Staněk
12. Oliver Goethe
13. Max Esterson
14. Amaury Cordeel
15. Dino Berganovic
16. Sami Maguetounif
17. Victor Martins
18. Rafael Villagómez
19. Pepe Martí (DNF)
20. Joshua Dürksen (DNF)
21. John Bennett (DNF)
22. Cian Shields (DNF)