Noel León claimed his first win in a Formula 2 Feature race at Hungary in Round 9. Kush Maini and Rafael Câmara completed the podium at the Hungaroring after a race where strategy proved key.
A hectic start to the Feature race
At the front of the grid, Kush Maini kept the lead ahead of Rafael Câmara, who dropped back. After the post-Sprint race penalties, the championship leader, Nikola Tsolov, lined up 12th on the grid. However, the Bulgarian had a great launch as he tried to gain some positions. At the back of the grid, Roman Bilinski had to start from the pit lane.
Halfway through the first lap, the field was still tightly bunched, John Bennett, Martinius Stenshorne and Tsolov seemed to make contact at Turn 5. At the front, Noel León kept second position as Maini extended the gap.
On lap 4, Stenshorne had to make an early pit stop so the team could fix the car, and he rejoined the race two laps later. Meanwhile, Joshua Dürksen and Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak kept going wheel-to-wheel for fifth.
By lap 7, Tsolov started making up positions, running in 10th before successfully overtaking Sebastián Montoya for ninth. While dropping farther behind Maini, León secured clear air, which helped him conserve his tyres while keeping Câmara behind him.
The pit stop window and the VSC
With a compulsory pit stop during the Feature race, drivers and teams must time their pit stop efficiently. Those on a soft tyre compound are supposed to pit earlier as the race has reached Lap 11 of 37.
Rafael Câmara, one of the drivers on the softs, opted out to go as long as possible. At the front, Maini was able to conserve his tyres without pushing them too much. The Feature race established itself until the pit stop train commenced.
Gabriele Minì was the first to make his pit stop on lap 15. Within the top 10, Dürksen was the first to pit, followed by León a lap later. However, as he was making his pit stop, a Virtual safety car was deployed as Rafael Villagomez stopped off track.
On lap 18, most of the drivers had pitted. Only the top 4 and Tsolov, Alexander Dunne, Emerson Fitipaldi, and Oliver Goethe didn’t pit. On lap 21, Câmara pitted and exited behind León.
A lap later, Maini came in and exited behind León, too, who essentially took the lead. On lap 24, Tsolov pitted and exited in 11th position. In front, Inthraphuvasak made a move on Gabriele Mini for eighth.
Final laps battles
On lap 28, Tsolov caught Mini, who was forced to defend from the Bulgarian. Leading the race, Dunne still had to pit as Maini and Câmara started getting closer to León. At the same time, Tsolov secured ninth after overtaking Mini.
Once again, Inthraphuvasak and Dürksen engaged in an incessant wheel-to-wheel battle for sixth. Ultimately, the Invicta Racing driver secured the position; however, Inthraphuvasak was close behind him, pressuring him. Meanwhile, Dunne finally took the compulsory pit stop.
After a late defense move from Dürksen, Inthraphuvasak retook fifth position. Behind them, Dino Beganovic closed the gap to Dürksen and tried to overtake Dürksen as they raced side by side.
Nikola Tsolov joined the pack in front of him and capitalised on the Dürksen and Beganovic move to overtake the Invicta Racing driver, too. The championship leader moved up to seventh.
Up front, by the last lap, Câmara was within DRS range of Maini, as the Alpine driver was trying to catch up to the race leader, Noel León. Ultimately, Noel León claimed his first Formula 2 Feature race win, ahead of Maini and Câmara.
