Tsolov seizes Monaco Feature Race victory as Câmara crashes out of the lead

Nikola Tsolov delivered a commanding performance on the streets of Monte Carlo to claim victory in the Formula 2 Monaco Feature Race, capitalising on a costly error from polesitter Rafael Câmara to seal his second Feature Race win of the season.

The Campos Racing driver crossed the line ahead of Rodin Motorsport's Alexander Dunne, while DAMS Lucas Oil's Dino Beganovic completed the podium with a decisive last-lap move on Kush Maini.

A Controlled Opening, Then a Race Turned Upside Down

Câmara made a clean getaway from pole to hold the lead into Turn 1, with Tsolov slotting in behind and Dunne maintaining third. The early exchanges were less kind to Rodin's second driver, Martinius Stenshorne, who dropped two places off the line and fell to sixth as Beganovic and Gabriele Minì moved ahead.

Tsolov was immediately on the attack. By Lap 3, the Bulgarian had set the fastest time of the race and closed to within 0.4 seconds of Câmara on the main straight. The Ferrari junior responded on Lap 5, pulling out a 1.1-second cushion, before the two settled into a measured duel at the front.

With the strategic phase beginning on Lap 8, Sebastián Montoya and Laurens van Hoepen were the first to pit, swapping supersofts for softs. Further back, the race picture was shifting: Minì, having shadowed Beganovic for the bulk of the race, found herself over three seconds adrift by Lap 22 and increasingly under threat from Stenshorne.

The Pit Stops That Decided Everything

The undercut window opened in earnest from Lap 24, with Oliver Goethe and John Bennett among the first to cycle through. Minì pitted on Lap 26, but a slow stop sent her tumbling to P17. Roman Bilinski followed on the next lap, while Noel León — who had claimed the Monaco Sprint Race with a similarly composed display — came in shortly after, emerging just ahead of Bilinski.

Tsolov and Stenshorne pitted on Lap 32 for their supersofts, with Câmara and Dunne responding the following lap. The Brazilian emerged from the pit lane ahead of Tsolov but immediately struggled for grip — and the Campos driver was on him in an instant.

Side by side into Turn 1, Câmara locked up under pressure and ran straight on, triggering a Virtual Safety Car. He was unable to rejoin, ending a weekend that had promised so much after his pole position in qualifying.

Tsolov Takes the Glory, Beganovic Strikes Late

With the VSC cleared, Tsolov inherited the lead and managed the race to the flag. Behind him, Dunne held second comfortably, while the real drama played out further back.

Maini had pitted on the penultimate lap, rejoining third, but Beganovic — on fresher rubber and closing fast — swept past on the final lap to snatch the final podium spot. Maini settled for fourth, with Stenshorne fifth. Miyata wound up sixth, ahead of Emerson Fittipaldi, Montoya, León and Bilinski rounding out the top ten.

In the post-race cooldown, Tsolov was characteristically bullish. "Win in Monaco again, third win in a row, I could not feel any better. We are again in the championship fight so heading into Barcelona I am feeling quite confident."

Championship Picture Tightens

In the Drivers' Championship, Gabriele Minì retains the lead on 63 points, but Tsolov has closed to within a single point in second. Stenshorne and Dunne are joint third on 48 points each, with León fifth on 45.

In the Teams' Standings, Campos Racing lead the way on 107 points, with Rodin Motorsport second on 96. MP Motorsport sit third on 75, ahead of Invicta Racing on 58 and DAMS Lucas Oil on 54.

The field now heads to Barcelona for Round 5, scheduled for June 12–14.