Alexander Dunne and Martinius Stenshorne were the main highlights of Formula 2 qualifying in Baku, with the Rodin Motorsport drivers securing both pole positions available this weekend.
Dunne topped the first qualifying session, which set the grids for the Sprint Race and Feature Race 1, while Stenshorne claimed pole in the second session, which determined the starting order for Feature Race 2.
The special format in Baku means that Formula 2 will have two qualifying sessions across the weekend, creating three different starting grids and adding another layer to the championship battle.
Dunne Leads Qualifying 1
The first 20-minute qualifying session featured a close battle at the front, with several drivers fighting for the top positions throughout the session.
With ten minutes remaining, Alexander Dunne was leading the timesheets, followed by Kush Maini and Martinius Stenshorne. The positions remained closely contested as the session approached its final stages, with several incidents also being investigated by the stewards.
Dunne ultimately held on to provisional pole and confirmed the top spot with a 1:55.383.
The Rodin Motorsport driver finished just 0.033 seconds ahead of his team-mate Stenshorne, underlining how close the fight for the front row was in the opening session.
Noel León completed the top three, ahead of Kush Maini and Rafael Câmara, who finished fifth.
The result puts Dunne on pole for Feature Race 1. The Sprint Race grid, meanwhile, will be determined by the reverse-grid system, putting championship leader Nikola Tsolov at the front.
Stenshorne Takes Pole in Qualifying 2
The second qualifying session, which determined the grid for Feature Race 2, provided an even more dramatic finish.
With 11 minutes remaining, Rafael Câmara had moved into provisional pole after the drivers completed their initial runs. The Brazilian was followed by Noel León, Alexander Dunne and Nikola Tsolov, while Kush Maini was down in 11th.
Câmara remained at the top of the timesheets as the session entered its final stages. With just three minutes remaining, it appeared that the Brazilian had done enough to secure pole.
However, the Baku circuit continued to improve as the final laps were completed. Mari Boya and Kush Maini briefly moved into second and third before the Rodin Motorsport drivers returned to the fight for the top spot.
Dunne was the first of the pair to make his move, taking provisional pole in the closing stages. His team-mate, however, still had one opportunity to respond.
Stenshorne delivered when it mattered, setting a 1:53.728 on his final flying lap. The Norwegian beat Dunne by 0.445 seconds to take pole position for Feature Race 2.
The result gives Rodin Motorsport both pole positions in Baku, with Dunne and Stenshorne each leading one of the two qualifying sessions.
The improvement in lap times between the sessions was also significant. Dunne’s benchmark of 1:55.383 in the opening session was lowered to 1:53.728 by Stenshorne in Qualifying 2 as track conditions improved.
Tsolov and Câmara in the Championship Fight
The qualifying results have also created different starting positions for the main championship contenders.
Championship leader Nikola Tsolov will start Feature Race 1 from P10 and Feature Race 2 from P8. However, thanks to the reverse-grid format, the Campos Racing driver will start the Sprint Race from pole position.
Rafael Câmara, who remains directly involved in the championship battle, will start Feature Race 1 from P5 and Feature Race 2 from P3. The Brazilian will start the Sprint Race from P6.
The different grid positions mean that both championship contenders will have opportunities to fight through the field across the three races, while the qualifying results give Dunne and Stenshorne the advantage at the front of the Feature Race grids.
Formula 2’s Baku schedule continues on Friday, with the Sprint Race at 08:00 followed by the Feature Race at 14:15, both in local time.
With two qualifying sessions already settled and three different grids in place, Friday’s programme in Baku will feature a busy day of racing, with Dunne, Stenshorne, Tsolov and Câmara all starting from notable positions across the three races.
