Noel León holds off Maini and Câmara for Budapest Feature Race win

Noel León won the Formula 2 Feature Race at the Hungaroring. The Campos driver finished ahead of Kush Maini and Rafael Câmara. A well-timed pit stop placed León in control of the closing stint.

Maini led the opening phase after starting from pole position. León moved past Câmara before the first corner and settled into second. Their order changed when a stopped car caused a virtual safety car.

Maini controls the opening stint

Maini made a clean start and protected the inside line. Câmara stayed beside him briefly but could not complete the move. León used the opening to take second place from the Brazilian.

The leading trio completed the first corners without further contact. Maini then created a small margin over the Campos car. Câmara remained close enough to follow both drivers through traffic.

Maini managed his tyres while keeping a steady race pace. León avoided unnecessary attacks during the early part of the race. That patience preserved his tyres for the decisive second stint.

Câmara watched the fight from third and protected his own position. The narrow circuit made every clean exit important for the leaders. None of them received an easy passing chance before the pit window.

León stops before the virtual safety car

León entered the pits at the end of lap sixteen. Campos completed the tyre change without losing valuable time. The timing soon became important for the final race order.

Rafael Villagómez stopped near Turn Twelve shortly after León’s stop. Race control reduced the field’s speed with a virtual safety car. León had already completed his stop before the interruption began.

Maini stayed on track and continued to protect the lead. He stopped at the end of lap twenty-one for fresh tyres. The Invicta driver returned to the circuit behind León.

Câmara also remained involved after completing his required stop. The three podium contenders were now running in their effective order. León had track position, while Maini held the fresher tyre advantage.

Maini closes the gap after his stop

Maini began reducing León’s advantage during the final stint. Câmara followed the Invicta driver and kept the pressure concentrated. León answered with consistent laps rather than sudden changes of pace.

The gap among the leading three fell below two seconds. Only five laps remained when they reached that close formation. A small mistake could have changed every place on the podium.

Maini reached the corners behind León but found no clear opening. The Mexican placed his car carefully through the slow final sector. That approach denied Maini the exit needed for a direct attack.

Câmara stayed close but also needed to protect third place. He could not risk contact while the championship remained tightly balanced. The three cars therefore entered the last laps in the same order.

The Campos driver completes a calm finish

León crossed the line first after absorbing the late pressure. Maini took second place following a strong drive from pole. Câmara completed the podium for Invicta Racing in third.

Laurens van Hoepen finished fourth after a clean afternoon. Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak followed him home in fifth position. Dino Beganovic placed sixth ahead of championship leader Nikola Tsolov.

Joshua Duerksen, Gabriele Minì and John Bennett completed the points places. Their positions came after several close fights through the middle group. The Hungaroring again rewarded drivers who protected track position.

León described the weekend as an important step before the break. His victory added a Feature Race success to an improving season. Campos also strengthened its lead in the teams’ standings.

The title order remains close

Tsolov left Budapest with the drivers’ championship lead. Minì remained second, while Câmara stayed within close reach. The podium therefore helped Câmara limit the damage on Sunday.

León moved to fifth in the championship with ninety-four points. Campos also remained first in the teams’ standings. Maini’s second place strengthened ART Grand Prix’s Budapest result.

Maini led by six seconds when the virtual safety car ended. His later stop returned him behind León. The fresher tyres reduced the gap but did not produce a pass.

Formula 2 now pauses before the next round at Monza. The Italian circuit will bring longer straights and different passing chances. León enters the summer break after his first Feature Race victory.

The Budapest result also rewarded a complete weekend from Campos. León stayed near the front before the decisive pit sequence. He then kept Maini behind during the final chase. That combination of pace and control produced a deserved victory.

León kept the car stable as his tyres lost grip during the final stint. Maini remained close enough to punish any slow exit. The Campos driver accelerated cleanly and covered the inside line at key corners. Those small details kept the race order unchanged at the finish.

Maini’s later stop gave him fresher tyres for the closing chase. León defended the inside line at the main braking zones. Câmara remained close enough to keep pressure on both drivers. The three-car fight stayed clean until the chequered flag.