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Rafael Câmara emerged from Saturdayâs Formula 2 Sprint Race satisfied with sixth place, but the Invicta Racing driverâs focus quickly shifted to a bigger opportunity: converting pole position into a second victory of his rookie season.
Câmara made progress from the start and secured his final points-paying position with a last-lap move on Montoya. He also battled Alex during the closing stages, narrowly missing out on another place. The result added valuable points to his championship campaign, while giving him a clearer picture of what will be required in Sundayâs Feature Race.
âIâm quite happy with the race,â Câmara said. âI managed to get a good start and after that good positioning in T1, so I was able to gain some positions.â
The Brazilian said the race became increasingly difficult once the field formed a DRS train. With cars closely matched, finding enough speed to complete a pass into T5 or the final chicane proved challenging. That made the Sprint a useful preparation exercise, particularly with a mandatory pit stop and strategy set to shape Sundayâs longer race.
Câmara believes the experience will help him judge overtaking opportunities more precisely in the Feature Race. Managing the gap, positioning the car correctly and executing moves efficiently will be central to making progress when the field is less compressed by DRS-running.
âI think itâs good to have an idea on how to better prepare your overtakes or how you need to position yourself, how you can manage that gap better, because in the DRS train itâs quite tough to pass,â he explained.
The Sprintâs late battles therefore offered more than points. They provided Invicta and Câmara with data to review before Sunday, when different race scenarios and the pit-stop window will add another layer of complexity. His sixth-place finish followed a fourth Formula 2 pole at Spa, secured in Fridayâs qualifying session.
Câmara remains positive about his prospects. He said the carâs pace was strong in qualifying and that the team can fine-tune its package after studying the Sprint data. Invicta is also pursuing a fourth consecutive F2 victory at Spa-Francorchamps, although Câmara insisted that recent success would not alter the teamâs method.
âWeâre just focusing on ourselves and trying to do the best we can,â he said.
With pole position already secured, the target is clear: turn Saturdayâs useful points haul into a much larger championship gain on Sunday.
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.