Jak Crawford stormed to victory in the F2 Sprint Race at the Imola GP, becoming the fifth different winner of the 2025 season after a decisive launch from the front row that saw him take control from the opening corner.
The American DAMS Lucas Oil driver capitalised on a perfect getaway to seize the lead from polesitter Ritomo Miyata and expertly managed both his pace and tyres to claim the win despite late pressure from Arvid Lindblad.
Speaking after the race, Crawford revealed that the start had been a concern for the team. “We weren’t too confident at the start actually. But luckily we had a great launch,” he told media including Pit Debrief. “I was going into turn one and I had the momentum. I was going to take the lead and I knew that was the crucial point of the race.”
That opening move proved to be the defining moment of Crawford’s F2 Imola GP Sprint Race. “If I could get a good start, it would be a lot easier of a race to manage. And that’s exactly what we did. And it all planned out perfectly,” he explained.
Managing late-race pressure
The victory didn’t come without pressure, however. After establishing a comfortable gap of over one second in the early stages to protect himself from DRS threat, Crawford had to contend with Lindblad’s late-race charge after the Campos Racing driver had dispatched Miyata on lap 12.
“My engineer was telling me the gap for every lap,” Crawford said. “And I was more or less staying the same for the last couple of laps. And then in the last three laps he got a bit closer, but still not within DRS. So it was well managed, I think. The goal was just to not make any mistakes and make sure I didn’t hurt my tyres.”
The win came as a redemption of sorts for Crawford, who referenced a previous near-miss when asked about controlling the race from the front. “I came close from almost dominating the race in Jeddah as well before Richard overtook me on the last lap,” he recalled, referring to championship leader Richard Verschoor, who struggled in Imola this weekend, starting the Sprint from 19th before eventually retiring.
Here's who bagged points from the Sprint Race 🔢#F2 #ImolaGP pic.twitter.com/djtwBytcqW
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) May 17, 2025
Crawford’s previous experience at the challenging Imola circuit proved invaluable in his victory. “Being here last year, I knew if I could get to the lead, it was going to be difficult for someone to overtake me,” he explained. “We always have had great race pace, and I’ve always felt if I can get out front, I can always hold the lead. Once I got out front, it was just about managing the gap.”
Mental focus key to success
The mental challenge of leading from the front requires a particular focus that Crawford seems to have mastered. When asked by Pit Debrief if he thought about winning during the race, he said, “I didn’t really think about the win. I just tried to manage the gap and make sure that I wasn’t being caught.”
“Obviously, in the last five laps, you realise you’re going to win and you have the gap, so then it’s just about bringing it home.”
Behind Crawford, the podium was completed by Lindblad in second and Luke Browning in third for ART Grand Prix, with the latter having to defend intensely from teammates Victor Martins and Alex Dunne in the closing stages.
Tyre degradation could pose a problem for the Feature Race
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Feature Race, Crawford noted that tyre management would be crucial on a track where the teams were experiencing the soft compound for the first time this season. “I think maybe the degradation was a bit worse than we expected today on the soft tyres. The first time running the soft tyre here in Imola,” he observed.
Starting from ninth on the grid for Sunday’s longer race, Crawford remains optimistic about his chances to move forward. “It’s definitely going to be an interesting race. And me starting in 9th, hopefully I can make up some positions tomorrow.”
When asked by Pit Debrief about what differentiates a Sprint Race in Imola from any other circuit, Crawford answered, “Obviously the degradation was the biggest part. We ran the medium last year here, and this year was the soft, so it was a bit trickier to manage the tyres.”
“I think as well we have extended fifth and sixth gear, which these boys would have known compared to last year, but it makes it a bit easier to overtake, which is better. I think that’s about all I learned, just mainly the tyres for this one.”
