What a wild afternoon on the streets of Baku. The FIA Formula 2 feature race delivered a chaotic podium, ending with Rafael Câmara taking victory for Invicta Racing, joined by Nikola Tsolov for Campos Racing in second and Alexander Dunne for Rodin Motorsport in third.
For Câmara, it marks his third win this season and a massive boost in the championship battle. The race was far from straightforward, requiring a long stint hunting down Dunne. Following closely on a street circuit is notoriously difficult, and finding a way past into Turn 1 proved nearly impossible. While a penalty for Dunne ultimately played a part, Câmara admitted his rival simply had strong pace. Still, extending the championship lead heading into the final two rounds makes for a deeply satisfying weekend on a brand-new track.
Meanwhile, Nikola Tsolov put together a stunning charge from 11th on the grid to finish second. It has been a brutally tough stretch for his side of the garage, and missing the expected pace all weekend made the breakthrough feel intensely personal. Timing played a role too, as staying out during a Virtual Safety Car worked wonders. Though he missed the pit entry line by a whisker every time a VSC was deployed, the alternative strategy on Supersofts brought blistering pace and a virtual fifth place that took even him by surprise. In the closing laps, a late charge brought him right into the fight, though he ultimately accepted the positions as they stood.
Then there is Alexander Dunne. The Rodin Motorsport driver crossed the line first on track, only for a penalty to drop him to third in the final classification. It made for a deeply bittersweet podium after a weekend where he locked down the front row for both races, took pole, and won both races on the asphalt. Despite struggling more with the car on race day and feeling a bit confused by the VSC pit sequencing, he hung on desperately against the chasing pack. Sitting third in the standings with the gap remaining tight, Dunne heads into the final stretch ready to give it everything.
Coming into the weekend, these drivers were closely matched on points despite starting from completely different places, and ending up together on the podium proved just how razor-thin the margins are in this series. With only two rounds remaining, the title fight is properly alive.
