Noel León secured a commanding victory in the Lights-to-Flag Sprint Race at Monte Carlo, marking his second win of the season. Starting from pole position, the Campos Racing driver showcased remarkable skill, finishing with a lead of over three seconds.
Race Highlights
The race commenced with León maintaining his lead, followed closely by Roman Bilinski of DAMS Lucas Oil in second and Gabriele Minì from MP Motorsport in third. León’s excellent start allowed him to fend off challenges from Bilinski, who remained within DRS range during the initial laps.
- León: Pole Position
- Bilinski: First F2 podium
- Minì: Strong third place
- Duerksen: Solid performance in P4
By the fifth lap, the top four drivers, including León, Bilinski, Minì, and Duerksen, were pulling away from the rest, with only two seconds separating them. Notably, Laurens van Hoepen, who began in 21st, quickly climbed to 15th position by lap eight but later received a 10-second penalty for gaining an advantage by leaving the track.
Mid-Race Developments
As the race progressed to lap 11, a management phase ensued, yet the top four remained within close proximity, separated by just 2.7 seconds. By lap 20, León and Bilinski had established a three-second lead over Minì.
On lap 22, Ritomo Miyata, after having difficulties from an earlier incident with Oliver Goethe, managed to successfully overtake Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak at Tabac. Meanwhile, the battle for positions continued fiercely, with competitors vying for critical points.
Final Laps and Results
As the race neared its conclusion, León maintained a steady pace, ultimately crossing the line with a lead of over three seconds. Bilinski succeeded in defending his second position, earning his first podium finish, while Minì completed the top three.
- 1st: Noel León (Campos Racing)
- 2nd: Roman Bilinski (DAMS Lucas Oil)
- 3rd: Gabriele Minì (MP Motorsport)
- 4th: Joshua Duerksen
- 5th: Dino Beganovic
Championship Standings
Following this race, Gabriele Minì leads the Drivers’ Championship with 63 points. León’s success places him in second, trailing by 20 points. The current standings are as follows:
| Position | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gabriele Minì | 63 |
| 2 | Noel León | 43 |
| 3 | Martinius Stenshorne | 38 |
| 4 | Rafael Câmara | 37 |
| 5 | Nikola Tsolov | 36 |
In the Teams’ Championship, Campos Racing has taken the lead with 79 points, while MP Motorsport follows closely with 75 points.
Looking Ahead
The drivers will have another opportunity to excel in Monte Carlo, with the Feature Race set for 09:25 local time on Sunday. Fans eagerly anticipate what promises to be another thrilling round of competition.
