As the FIA Formula 2 season draws to a close, it marks our final moments with Leonardo Fornaroli and Roman Stanek. After a year that has been defined by back-to-back title wins, breakthrough performances, emotional highs and an unforgettable team dynamic, both drivers have taken time to reflect on what their Invicta Racing journey has meant to them.
Leonardo Fornaroli: A champion reflects on his rookie season
“I really want to thank Invicta Racing for all their hard work this year. They made me feel at home from the first day I worked with them. They know how to work with their young drivers, so they were able to give me all the right suggestions throughout the year to help me improve. I grew as a driver this year and it’s thanks to them.
“It’s been an incredible year, thanks to everyone on the team. I’m especially grateful to my two mechanics, Troy and Rory, and the mechanics on the other car, Nathan and Josh; Geoff, our Team Manager; James, our Team Principal; my engineers, Pau and Alex; and the other engineers, Colin and Tom. Thank you also to everyone back in the workshop and those in the background.
“We’ve had a lot of special moments this year. From my first pole position in Bahrain, my first F2 win in the Sprint Race at Silverstone, my first Feature Race win – I think that one was the most special moment in Hungary. A 1-2 for the team and the same in qualifying, so a special weekend for all of us.
“In Austria I had an accident in the Sprint Race, and the mechanics were able to build the car in time for the Feature Race. They worked all night to repair my car, so because of them we were able to finish P2 in that race.
“It’s been an amazing year with Roman as my team-mate. We’ve known each other for three years as we were together at Trident, but this was our first year working together. We had a lot of fun, a lot of special moments. When we were fighting on track there was always respect between us. I learned a lot from him, and I think he also learnt a bit from myself, so I think we both grew up a lot this year.
“Winning the Drivers’ Championship as a rookie is a dream come true. It’s a special feeling I can’t describe, so I really want to thank Invicta Racing for this amazing year. We achieved this incredible result because we worked well together.”
Roman StanEk: A year to remember
“This season has gone by so fast, and to be honest, I’m not very happy that it’s finishing already. I’ve had so much fun with this team, and I want to end it on a strong note, for myself and especially for the team as they deserve it.
“I want to thank everyone who has been part of this journey: my mechanics Josh and Nathan; our Team Manager Geoff; Team Principal James Robinson; my engineers Colin and Tom; and the entire team. They’re a great bunch of people, and they made this year incredibly enjoyable. Even when things didn’t go as planned, we still had some great results and unforgettable moments. I know that even in 30, 40 or 50 years, I’ll look back on this season as my best so far.
“We shared some fantastic highlights together – scoring my first Formula 2 Feature Race win, taking pole position in Hungary – and honestly that was cool. The car was unbelievable, and I had so much confidence because the team built the car around me. It made me feel completely connected with the car, and that's something Invicta does so well.
“The mechanics work incredibly hard. After my big accident in Baku, they were able to turn things around very quickly meaning I was able to race the next day which was incredible.
“I’ve had a lot of fun racing with Leo this year. He’s one of the toughest competitors I’ve raced against. He's very quick and he really deserved to win the championship. I wish him all the best for the future.”
