Rafael Camara won Sunday’s Formula 2 race at Spa-Francorchamps. His result meant that Invicta Racing won both races during the weekend. The Brazilian started from pole but lost first place to Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak at the start. He recovered through pace, tyre management and two overtakes after the race was interrupted.
Inthraphuvasak finished second and earned his first Formula 2 podium. Championship leader Nikola Tsolov was promoted to third after Alexander Dunne and Noel Leon received five-second penalties. Camara recorded his second victory of the season and moved to 125 points, 36 behind Tsolov.
Inthraphuvasak won the launch from the front row
Camara did not keep pole position into La Source. Inthraphuvasak reacted well and led away from Turn 1. Tsolov also made a strong start and moved ahead of Dunne. Camara and Tsolov ran side by side through Eau Rouge. The Invicta driver held second before braking at Les Combes.
Oliver Goethe stopped near the exit of Turn 1, which brought out the first Safety Car. Gabriele Mini and Roman Bilinski had also touched at the opening corner. Both continued, although Mini later received a five-second penalty. The field restarted on lap three with Inthraphuvasak still in front.
Tsolov attacked Camara at La Source after the restart. The championship leader ran through the gravel at the exit, allowing Dunne and Joshua Duerksen to pass. Tsolov then lost places to Nico Varrone and John Bennett. Within two laps, he had fallen from a podium position to seventh.
Medium tyres created a different race at the front
Duerksen was the leading driver on the medium compound. He passed Dunne on the Kemmel Straight on lap five. Later that lap, Camara passed Inthraphuvasak into Les Combes. He regained the lead among the original supersoft runners.
The softer tyre then lost performance. Duerksen passed Inthraphuvasak at the final chicane and moved into second on the road. Camara, Dunne, Inthraphuvasak and Tsolov stopped at the end of lap six. Camara returned to the track as the leading driver among those who had completed the mandatory stop.
| Winner | Rafael Camara, Invicta Racing |
|---|---|
| Podium | Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak second, Nikola Tsolov third |
| Championship leader | Nikola Tsolov, 161 points |
| Team leader | Campos Racing, 236 points |
Dunne gained track position over Inthraphuvasak in the pit sequence, but the order remained unsettled. Drivers on mediums still led without stopping. The race therefore had two different orders at that stage. One was visible, while tyre stops determined the net order.
A Turn 9 crash stopped the race
Laurens van Hoepen crashed into the barrier at the exit of Turn 9. He left the car without injury, but officials displayed the red flag to clear the damaged machine. The stoppage removed the gaps and changed the time available for every remaining tyre plan.
Noel Leon had completed his mandatory stop during the earlier Safety Car period. He emerged ahead of Camara in the net order. When racing resumed, Duerksen led the field on a rolling start with 21 minutes left. Camara now needed to pass Leon rather than rely only on the pit sequence.
The Invicta driver completed that task at La Source. He went around the outside of Leon and took the net lead. Dunne followed him past with DRS at Les Combes. A second Safety Car soon appeared after Enzo Fittipaldi became stuck in the gravel at Turn 8.
Earlier on Sunday, Ernesto Rivera won the Formula 3 Feature Race from fourth on the grid.
Penalties changed the podium after the flag
The drivers who had delayed their mandatory stops used the second Safety Car to change onto supersoft tyres. Camara became the official leader ahead of Dunne, Leon, Inthraphuvasak, Tsolov and Mini. Duerksen returned in tenth with fresh soft rubber and little time to recover the lost track position.
Tsolov attacked immediately after the final restart. Inthraphuvasak defended at La Source but lost the place at Les Combes. Dunne and Leon then received five-second penalties for repeated track-limit offences. Their road positions no longer guaranteed their places in the final result.
Inthraphuvasak passed Leon for third on the road near the end. Camara crossed the line first with a clear gap. Once the penalties were added, Inthraphuvasak moved to second and Tsolov to third. Dunne fell to fourth, with Mini fifth and Rafael Villagomez sixth.
Invicta extend a special Spa sequence
Invicta won both Formula 2 races in Belgium for the second year in a row. The team now has four consecutive Spa victories. Camara’s Feature Race success followed the team’s Sprint Race win on Saturday.
Camara lost the lead at the start and regained it on lap five. He later passed Leon around the outside at La Source. The red flag and two Safety Car periods repeatedly closed the gaps.
Inthraphuvasak’s first podium was also earned on track. He led the start, protected his tyres and passed Leon before the finish. Tsolov reached the podium through the penalties. His recovery from twelfth kept him close to the leaders. That position became valuable when the final times were calculated.
Tsolov leaves Belgium with 161 points. Mini has 134, Camara 125 and Dunne 108. Leon remains fifth on 75. Camara reduced his deficit to 36 points with four rounds remaining.
The Formula 2 teams’ table puts Campos Racing first on 236 points. Rodin Motorsport are second on 165, only two ahead of MP Motorsport. Invicta have 161 after the sweep, while ART Grand Prix hold fifth with 109. The close middle group makes every two-car result important.
Formula 2 returns in Budapest from July 24 to 26. Camara goes to Hungary after two wins this season. Tsolov remains the championship leader, while Invicta hold fourth in the teams’ standings.
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