Nikola Tsolov Claims Maiden F2 Victory at Dramatic 2026 Australian Grand Prix Feature Race

After a challenging Saturday, Nikola Tsolov stormed to his first-ever Formula 2 victory in the Feature Race at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix. The eventful race saw fellow rookies Rafaela Camara and Laurens van Hoepen join him on a memorable podium.

Weekend Overview

Dino Beganovich started the 2026 F2 season strong, claiming pole position in a closely contested qualifying session, outpacing Rodin's Martinius Stenshorne and Alex Dunne by two tenths. Mari Boya and Gabriele Minì faced a tough start, relegated to the back of the Feature Race grid after causing two red flags.

The F2 Sprint Race saw Joshua Dürksen return to winning form, quickly overtaking Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak for the lead after joining Invicta for the 2026 season. Noel León and Alex Dunne completed the podium in another incident-packed race.

Rodin's Disappointing Start

The F2 Feature Race began with Dino Beganovich's slow getaway from pole. Martinius Stenshorne immediately seized the lead into Turn 1, with his Rodin teammate Alex Dunne slotting into second. Tsolov, aiming to recover from a difficult Saturday, took third.

The Rodin teammates then engaged in an intense battle around the Albert Park Circuit. On the main straight, Dunne attempted to overtake Stenshorne, but a subsequent lock-up from Stenshorne led to a collision, ending both their races.

The Safety Car was deployed as Stenshorne was left with a broken front wing and Dunne's car sustained rear damage, spinning onto the grass. With neither driver accepting responsibility, a challenging debrief awaited the team.

Race Resumes

The race restarted on Lap Six, with Nikola Tsolov leading Rafaela Camara. Both drivers were vying for their inaugural F2 wins. DRS was enabled, allowing Camara to close within six tenths of the Red Bull junior driver.

Further back, Kush Maini overtook Sebastian Montoya for eighth. Montoya, on supersoft tyres for his opening stint, made an early mandatory pit stop. As nearly half the field pitted before Lap 10, Beganovich found himself chasing the frontrunners who pitted a lap later.

Montoya received a five-second time penalty for a pit lane infringement, while at the front, the gap between Tsolov and Camara stabilized to just over one second.

However, a crucial battle was brewing behind them. On Lap 15, Beganovich overtook Camara for fourth on track, effectively second overall. Meanwhile, Dürksen was handed a five-second time penalty for moving before the signal.

Heartbreak for Beganovich

After a strong recovery drive, Beganovich was forced to retire his DAMS Lucas Oil car, pulling it to the side of the track. His retirement triggered a Virtual Safety Car, erasing Tsolov's three-second lead over Camara.

Two laps later, a full Safety Car was deployed, allowing Nico Varrone to pit and rejoin at the front of the entire field. Varrone, making his F2 rookie debut with Van Amersfoort Racing after a career in Sports and Hypercars, looked set for a maiden victory. However, he later received a five-second time penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

With the Safety Car period concluding on Lap 21, twelve laps remained. Tsolov executed a swift restart, passing Varrone within the first few corners. As Camara remained stuck behind the VAR driver, the Red Bull Junior opened a gap of over a second.

Final Ten Laps

In the final ten laps of the F2 Feature Race at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, Tsolov maintained his impressive lead. Behind him, Camara relentlessly pressured Varrone, with Laurens van Hoepen also closing in.

With six laps remaining, Camara successfully overtook the Argentine driver. Tsolov appeared untouchable, extending his lead to three seconds. Van Hoepen then passed the VAR driver as the race entered its 30th lap. Sprint Race winner Dürksen made a late charge for points, overtaking Varrone, who had dropped to tenth.

As the Melbourne Feature Race concluded, Tsolov finished two seconds clear of the field. Camara held off van Hoepen for second, while Oliver Goethe recovered to fourth and Ritomo Miyata secured sixth. Tsolov now leads the F2 Championship standings after the weekend.

Formula 2 will resume at the Bahrain Grand Prix from April 10th to 12th.