All images ©: Dutch Photo Agency
Invicta Racing took its third podium finish of the 2025 FIA Formula 2 season with Leonardo Fornaroli finishing second in the Feature Race.
As is the norm in Monaco due to the circuit’s tight layout, the drivers were split into two groups for a pair of shortened, 15-minute Qualifying sessions to form the grid, with the fastest group overall forming the odd-numbered positions on the grid for the Feature Race.
Roman Stanek was in Group A, with Leonardo Fornaroli in Group B. Both drivers were equipped with Supersoft tyres.
Roman spent much of his Qualifying session around the middle of the order. He was in the mix for the reverse grid but slipped back towards the end of the session.
After the first runs of his session were affected by a red flag, Leonardo put in a late lap to vault up into third place in what transpired to be the quicker of the two groups.
2025 Formula 2 IMOLA Qualifying RESULTS
Leonardo Fornaroli: 4th (1:27.702)
Roman Stanek: 12th (1:28.237)
For the 30-lap Sprint Race, Leonardo lined up eighth on the grid with Roman in 14th. Leonardo held position on the opening lap, but Roman lost a place after contact with Josep María Martí at the hairpin.
From there, the pair found themselves firmly in a train of cars, unable to make an overtake around the twisty street circuit.
Roman benefitted from a Safety Car on lap 11, moving up to 13th before gaining another place on Victor Martins shortly after the restart on lap 17.
Towards the front, Arvid Lindblad attempted to open up a gap and neutralise a 10-second penalty awarded for contact with another driver by slowing the field down and then picking up the pace up.
Leonardo managed to counter this tactic by lapping three seconds quicker than Lindblad on the final lap and overhaul him in the final order once the penalty had been applied.
Roman also gained a position thanks to a penalty for another driver, ending up 11th in the results, with Leonardo picking up two points in seventh.
2025 Formula 2 imola Sprint Race RESULTS
Leonardo Fornaroli: 7th (2 points)
Roman Stanek: 11th (0 points)
Scheduled for 42 laps, most drivers opted to start on the harder compound tyre for the Feature Race, with only a handful on the option tyre. Both Invicta Racing drivers were among those on the prime tyre.
In front of Leonardo, polesitter Alex Dunne made contact with Victor Martins at Sainte Devote, which caused a collision and a subsequent pile-up involving the majority of the field. Thanks to some quick thinking in the cockpit, Leonardo and Roman both managed to avoid the incident, moving up into first and fifth respectively.
The subsequent red flag necessitated a full race restart from grid order, with the seven retired cars removed. This left Leonardo at the front for the restart with Roman in ninth.
After a lengthy cleanup, the race became limited by time with half an hour on the clock. Leonardo maximised the restart and was holding off Sebastian Montoya and Arvid Lindblad behind, until a Virtual Safety Car was called when Dino Beganovic crashed out.
This subsequently became a full Safety Car, crucially coming after the top three had passed the pit entry and allowing Jak Crawford to pit and overhaul the trio. A second red flag soon after brought the race to an early conclusion, depriving Leonardo of any opportunity to retake the lead.
Roman had benefitted from Joshua Durksen crashing, and from Oliver Goethe pitting early, to run in seventh – a position he would hold to the chequered flag. As less than 50 per cent of the scheduled distance had been completed, fewer points were awarded.
2025 Formula 2 IMOLA FEATURE Race RESULTS
Leonardo Fornaroli: 2nd (10 points)
Roman Stanek: 7th (3 points)
LEONARDO FORNAROLI
“A Monaco podium always feels special, but I cannot help but feel that we deserved to win the Feature Race after leading the whole way until the final Safety Car. We had done the perfect race up until that point, managing the gap at the front well. The positive we can take is that we know we have the capability to win and that is something we will carry with us to Barcelona.”
READ MORE: Getting to know Leonardo Fornaroli
ROMAN STANEK
“Our weekend was really compromised by qualifying outside of the top 10. This limited what we could do in the Sprint Race and made it tricky in the Feature Race, notwithstanding some points in the second; we gave it our all in both races. Things just did not quite go our way this weekend, but we will regroup and look to maximise our opportunities in Spain next time out.”
READ MORE: Getting to know Roman Stanek
JAMES ROBINSON, TEAM PRINCIPAL
“The Feature Race this weekend was a lottery. After the initial start, it looked like we had hit the jackpot thanks to a brilliant bit of avoidance driving from both drivers. However, things didn’t go our way later on, as we lost the race through the timing of the Safety Car. I cannot fault the efforts of Leonardo and Roman this weekend – they drove superbly around the most challenging circuit on the calendar.”
READ MORE: Getting to know James Robinson
2025 Formula 2 STANDINGS
Invicta Racing: 3rd (76 points)
Leonardo Fornaroli: 3rd (64 points)
Roman Stanek: 14th (12 points)
READ MORE: See the full FIA Formula 2 2025 Standings
CIRCUIT: CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA
ROUND: 6
DATE: 30 MAY - 1 JUNE
READ MORE: Where to watch F2 in 2025
