A long wait, almost endless and perhaps unfair, considering the consistency and the speed that he has shown over the years. But now, that long wait has finally come to an end: Leonardo Fornaroli, after 1491 days, returns to the top step of the podium. The 2004 born driver triumphs in the Sprint Race in England in Formula 2, ahead of Montoya and Staněk.
Picture: Aci Team Italia
The Sprint Race recap
After a disappointing qualifying session, which he finished in tenth place, Leonardo Fornaroli found himself on pole position thanks to the reverse grid. He knew this was his chance, not only to recover points in the standings, but also to finally shake off the weight he’d been carrying for so long.
However, the opening corners only increased the tension: after a few meters, the reigning Formula 3 champion lost the lead to Maini.
But Fornaroli’s desire and determination to win were too strong. After several attempts, the italian reclaimed the lead at Copse and never looked back. From that moment on, there was no one who could stop him. Fornaroli set the pace, managed the race with composure, and held off the pressure from Maini and later Montoya.
“I had to battle with Maini after a bad start, all the way into turn 7. I tried to go around the outside, but I managed to switch back and get on the inside before Copse. I braked as late as possible to retake the lead.”
Picture: PiacenzaSera
The Importance of Winning Again
“Even if it’s just a Sprint, it’s still a win and finally, after several attempts, it has arrived.”
Leonardo Fornaroli hadn’t won since 2021, when he triumphed in race 1 at Misano in Formula 4. Too long a wait for a driver who, over the years, has shown not only great speed but in particular an exceptional consistency. In fact, in 2024, the piacenza born driver became Formula 3 World Champion without winning a single race, but by stepping onto the podium six times across both Sprint and Feature Races.
Once again, as in the past, it was consistency that made the difference, and Leonardo had plenty of it.
Picture: Sparco Official
What does the future hold for him?
The season is still long: there are six more race weekends ahead. Just like in F3, Fornaroli has only one goal: he wants to win the world title in F2. And why settle now, right after his first victory? Verschoor, currently leading with 122 points, is just 18 points ahead. It’s difficult, but not impossible, especially when riding the wave of momentum.
In the meantime, though, Fornaroli isn’t slowing down. In the past few hours, it was announced that the italian will take part in the Formula E Rookie Test in Berlin on July 14, driving for Jaguar TCS Racing. Could this be a glimpse into an electric future for him? Only time will tell.
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