Dino Beganovic finds himself 10th in the F2 championship standings after a difficult start to the 2025 season. However, with the nature of F2 always changing, Beganovic is keeping his hopes up for the possibilities.
The triple header was a better weekend for the Swede, with a P3 in Imola. With the European leg in full swing, Beganovic is hopeful for the coming rounds. Citing Hitech’s performance last year as a ‘confidence boost’.
He said, “Looking at it results wise, last year they had been strong on these European tracks, which is a confidence boost.”
While the nature of F2 allows for the order to shift with any given weekend, it similarly requires a biblical level of consistency and perfection, which no driver has yet been able to achieve.
He admitted, “It’s very competitive, especially in quali, the small things can make a big difference. Compared to last year, because I drove last year, the biggest difference is we had a top three or top four that were clearly ahead, but now it’s 10 or more that can be on pole.“
“Even the guys in 13th and 14th can be on a podium. It makes it an interesting season, but again it puts pressure on scoring points in every race, to keep being at the top.”
2025 goals
Beganovic didn’t shy away from setting his expectations for the rest of the season high. He said, “My target is to win, my aim is to win, and my goal is to be fighting for the Championship.”
When he looks at the future beyond F2, he knows the only way to get into a coveted Formula 1 seat is to make yourself in disposable. Much like Gabriel Bortoleto, who won both F3 and F2 back to back. An example, Beganovic himself referenced.
“Bortoleto is a clear example, not giving the F1 teams an option not to choose him. That’s what every driver wants, it’s what I want as well, you don’t leave any option, they have to take you and let the results and performance speak.”
Finding an F1 seat is no easy task, and although a handful of drivers made the jump up from F2 last year, including the Swede’s FDA teammate, Ollie Bearman, the seat availabilities are few and far between.
Beganovic keeps his ultimate goal of reaching F1, but until that day arrives his goal is to take F2 a day at a time, focusing on putting his best foot forward.
“I’m going to do my best, and normally that’s pretty good. When I am happy, I am usually in a good spot, so just going to focus on that and then at the end of the year, see where we are. But keep going like I’ve done with Ferrari, in the sim and also with my team in F2.”
From PREMA to Hitech
Beganovic made the switch from PREMA, who he’s raced since 2020, to Hitech TGR for the 2025 season. PREMA often houses the Ferrari Driver Academy juniors, with Beganovic being no exception.
But when it came to making the jump from F3 to F2, the Swede felt as though a new team was what he needed. He said, “I was with PREMA for a long time. I still feel like I know most people there. Most people there are family, I have basically grown up with them, since I was 15 or 16.”
“It wasn’t that difficult to part ways, because it felt like we had done so much together already, and it felt like I needed a new start, and I feel Hitech is the right place for that.”
Beyond the usual changes that come from changing a team, the 21-year has the added challenge of the cultural difference. Switching an ingrained Italian team for and through-and-through British team.
Beganovic touched on this shift, saying, “It’s a huge difference. Both in the way they work, but also obviously cultures. The Italian one is particular one type of way, but so is the British one.”
“It’s a big difference, but it’s not negative in any way, things are positive, and I am really enjoying things with my new team.”
The swede likened the transition much to Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari, whose transition to Ferrari has had visible growing pains.
“I know everyone is different, but you can also see it with Lewis now at Ferrari. He is getting up to speed race by race, getting used to the different culture and the way of working.“
“It’s about adapting as well as you can from their side, but also from my side, to make our teamwork as good as it can be.”
Ferrari’s Support
Dino Beganovic joined the Ferrari Driver Academy back in 2020. The support of which has been instrumental in his, and many other, driver’s careers. Their goal for Beganovic was for him to win the 2024 F3 title, which he fell short of.
However, he confessed it was only pushing him harder towards the title this year in F2. But Ferrari’s support of the Swedish junior hasn’t wavered, which Beganovic attributed to the work he’s done in the simulator.
In Bahrain, the behind the scenes work paid off, with Beganovic getting his first opportunity to drive Formula 1 machinery in an FP1 session. A moment he admitted was ‘special’.
He said, “I was not that nervous before the FP1. I was a lot more nervous for my first time driving the car in January. But the day before I did get a little nervous, only because I was in the meeting with all the people that work at Ferrari, and obviously Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.”
For Beganovic it was a moment that he never could’ve imagined, and he spoke about how big of an impact it had on him.
“I’m taking Charles’ place, and I’m driving next to Lewis Hamilton, in a Ferrari. If you told me six months ago I would be doing that, in my deepest moments in F3, I would have never believed that.”
“Everything can change very quickly. My lock screen is amazing, it’s me and Lewis next to each other on track. Also, my first time driving in an official F1 session, with Ferrari, it’s not any other team, it’s Ferrari, with a red suit, it was just really special.”
