The much-anticipated inaugural Formula 2 Feature Race of 2025 was abruptly called off, with Melbourne’s unforgiving weather playing spoilsport. A torrential downpour in Melbourne made it impossible to kick off the race, much to the disappointment of the competitors and spectators alike.
Victor Martins of ART, who was primed to catapult the F2 season into action after securing the pole position on Friday, found the weather playing truant. The skies usurped control, rendering the hard-fought pole position redundant.
Earlier, the Formula 3 Feature Race was also prematurely wrapped up due to the worsening weather conditions. This incident cast a long shadow of doubt over the feasibility of any further racing activities.
Initial delays were mistakenly attributed to a potential technical glitch with Richard Verschoor’s MP Motorsport vehicle. However, the situation clarified when the formation lap commenced a few minutes later. But the weather had other plans, forcing race control to announce another delay before the Safety Car could complete its round.
Half an hour later, the next formation lap began, but the countdown now showed only 16 minutes left. The laps had turned into a race against time, but Mother Nature was relentless in her onslaught.
Despite the best efforts, the race had to be halted once again when Oliver Goethe, Verschoor’s team-mate, spun out in the middle of the formation lap. As the rain continued to pour, and time slipped away, race control had no option but to announce the inevitable: the cancellation of the race.
The cancellation of the Melbourne Formula 2 Feature Race left the championship table unaltered, with no points being awarded. Joshua Duerksen will head to Bahrain next month as the championship leader, thanks to his Sprint Race victory on Saturday. Hot on his heels are Leonardo Fornaroli, the previous year’s F3 champion in second place, and Britain’s Luke Browning in third.
Earlier, Rafael Camara managed to clinch a win in the Melbourne F3 Feature Race, despite the challenging weather conditions. His performance stands as a testament to his skill and determination in the face of adversity.
As the aftermath of the rain-soaked Melbourne F2 Feature Race cancellation settles, all eyes now turn to Bahrain. The competitors will be eager to put this disappointment behind them and rev up their engines for the next big race. The question remains: who will conquer the desert and seize the championship lead? Only time will tell.