Irish rookie Theo Dunne stormed to a stunning pole position in Formula 2 qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps, clocking a lap time that left his rivals trailing in the rain-soaked session.
The 19-year-old, driving for the revitalized Campos Racing team, set a benchmark of 2:00.456 on the challenging Belgian track, edging out title contender Gabriel Costa by a slim 0.123 seconds. Dunne’s performance came amid tricky conditions, with heavy showers forcing teams to gamble on tire choices and setup tweaks.
Starting from the front for Saturday’s feature race, Dunne now eyes his first F2 win of the 2025 season, a feat that could boost his prospects for a step up to Formula 1 next year. With the 2025 F1 grid featuring newcomers like Alpine’s junior star Mia Leclerc and Sauber’s promoted talent Luca Rossi, spots remain competitive for emerging drivers.
Behind the leaders, veteran F2 campaigner Elena Vargas grabbed third for Prema, while points leader Marco Bianchi slipped to fifth after a late spin at Eau Rouge. The session saw red flags twice, once for a crash involving rookie Kai Nakamura at Les Combes.
Dunne, who joined Campos after a strong Formula 3 campaign last year, praised his crew for quick adaptations. “The car felt alive in the wet – we nailed the balance,” he said post-session.
This pole adds spice to the F2 title fight, with just four rounds left before the season wraps in Abu Dhabi. Bianchi holds a 28-point lead over Costa, but Dunne’s surge could shake things up.
