Barcelona delivered fireworks in Round 6 of the FIA F2 Championship, as Arvid Lindblad and Campos Racing delivered for their Campos home crowd with a Feature Race victory on Spanish soil. But the weekend was far from predictable when it comes to those standing on the podium; Richard Verschoor masterminded a stunning Sprint Race comeback, while Alex Dunne bounced back from Monaco heartbreak with two top-five finishes and reclaimed the championship lead. A breakout podium for Rafael Villagómez, who soared from P22 to third in the Sprint, meant Barcelona proved once again that in Formula 2, no Championship victory is ever set in stone.
The Chronicle Headlines
- Arvid Lindblad secured both Pole position and victory in the Feature Race of the F2 Spanish GP weekend in an excellent weekend for home-heroes Campos Racing.
- A late Safety Car saw Richard Verschoor drive to victory in the Sprint Race, where Alex Dunne rocketed from P19 to P2.
- Rafael Villagómez stormed from P22 to P3 in the sprint, securing his maiden podium.
- Alex Dunne regained his Championship lead after a disastrous Feature Race in Monaco, securing two top-five finishes in Barcelona.
Free Practice – Home Heroes Campos Start Strong
Campos Racing had a promising start to their home race weekend during the F2 practice at the Spanish GP; Arvid Lindblad topped the timesheets with a commanding 1:27.147, while Josep Maria Martí hovered in the midfield. After biding their time in the pits, the Campos cars hit the track late, and it paid off. Lindblad made full use of the clearer circuit, outpacing Rodin Motorsport’s Alexander Dunne by more than two-tenths.
PREMA’s Gabriele Minì completed the top three, with Verschoor, Maini, and the ART duo of Miyata and Martins all close behind. Tyre degradation kept later improvements to a minimum, locking in the early stunners as the benchmark for the weekend.
Qualifying – A Maiden Feature Pole for Lindblad
Lindblad’s form carried into Qualifying as he secured his maiden F2 Feature race with a 1:25.180. Split strategies and evolving track conditions saw the prospective classifications ever-changing, but it was Lindblad who emerged on top, overcoming a late surge from Sebastián Montoya and Kush Maini to seal the top spot.
Montoya’s late effort was nearly enough, but Lindblad struck back immediately to take P1 by 0.245s, earning Campos their first pole in Barcelona. Maini slotted into third, while Roman Stanek’s last-minute flyer placed him fourth. Alex Dunne completed the top five. Leonardo Fornaroli secured Sprint Pole in P10.
Sprint Race – Verschoor’s Late Gamble Pays Off
Richard Verschoor produced one of the drives of the season in Saturday’s Sprint Race; rising from P10 to the top of the podium with a perfect strategy, switching to Soft tyres under a late Safety Car. The same strategy paid off for Championship leader Dunne, who drove from P19 to P2.
Up front, early drama saw Luke Browning grab the lead before Jak Crawford muscled his way into P1. However, a collision between PREMA teammates Montoya and Minì brought out the Safety Car on Lap 18 turning the race on its head. Verschoor, Dunne, and several others pitted for Softs, setting the stage for a stunning comeback.
Verschoor sliced through the field, picking off driver after driver and taking the lead on Lap 24. Dunne followed closely, but the Dutchman held his nerve to take a sensational second win of the year. Rafael Villagómez emerged as the surprise of the day, storming from P22 to a maiden podium in third. Crawford and Montoya completed the top five, while Victor Martins and Fornaroli secured key points.
Sebastián Montoya, however, wouldn’t stay in P5 for long, being dropped from the points after the end of the race. The Columbian driver was dealt a five-second penalty for causing a collision with his teammate Minì, stripping him of his points haul and dropping him to P11.
Feature Race – Lindblad Seals The Deal for Campos
Sunday once again belonged to Arvid Lindblad, this time at the 2025 Spanish GP. The Briton delivered a great drive from pole to claim his maiden Feature Race win, giving Campos Racing their first-ever victory on home soil. After maintaining the net-race lead from lights-out to chequered flag, Lindblad kept Montoya at bay early doors and managed his tyre strategy perfectly, staying cool through a late-race Safety Car to secure maximum points.
Montoya finished a strong second, just ahead of a charging Verschoor, who completed a double podium weekend. Late stints on Soft tyres propelled Crawford and Dunne to fourth and fifth, respectively, while Josep María Martí delivered a crowd-pleasing P6. A tense midfield battle saw Maini, Martins, Miyata, and Minì round out the points.
With Dunne and Verschoor applying pressure in the championship standings, Lindblad’s victory throws him firmly into the title conversation in his rookie year.
Championship Picture
Alex Dunne stays atop the Drivers’ Championship after this weekend, now on 87 points, but Richard Verschoor is just three points behind on 84. Lindblad’s smooth weekend sees him jump to third on 79, and Crawford and Browning complete the top five.
In the Teams’ Championship, Campos Racing now leads the way with 126 points after a dream home-race weekend, leapfrogging Hitech TGR on 100. MP Motorsport climb to third on 96, followed closely by DAMS Lucas Oil and Rodin Motorsport.
Next Up: Spielberg Beckons
Next up, Formula 2 heads to Austria for Round 7 at the Red Bull Ring from the 27th – 29th of June.
FEATURED IMAGE: Red Bull Content Pool