Leonardo Fornaroli showcased impressive form as F2 returned to action at the 2025 Qatar GP, topping the timesheets in the afternoon’s Free Practice session. The Invicta Racing driver remained a consistent fixture inside the top three throughout the 45-minute session, and with his final flying lap, completed a 1:38.656, extending his lead at the top of the timesheet.
“It felt good,” said Fornaroli while speaking to F2 after the session. “It’s very nice to be back driving, it’s a very nice circuit, a lot of colours around, very high-speed corners, very fun to drive. So positive feelings and now we move on to quali.”
Fornaroli untouchable in opening F2 session of 2025 Qatar GP
Fornaroli’s time was over four-tenths quicker than the rest of the field. However, as the chequered flag waved, Hitech TGR’s Dino Beganovic closed in on the Italian, finishing just 0.102s behind. Despite his strong performance, Fornaroli downplayed the significance of the Free Practice timings, emphasising that it was only a warm-up for the more crucial sessions later in the weekend.
“It’s only practice though, it doesn’t really mean anything,” Fornaroli explained. “All the drivers, they have to test their own things, so the important sessions are later in the weekend. It’s nice, but it doesn’t mean anything.”
Simulator work pays off
The Free Practice session marked the first time Fornaroli and the rest of the grid had been in an F2 car since the Baku Round over two months ago. With such a long gap between races, the championship leader took the opportunity to prepare extensively, spending considerable time on simulators.
“I did a lot of simulator work,” Fornaroli shared. “Both at home and the team I felt it helped a lot, but now we focus on the rest.”
Championship focused on Qualifying, not title chase
Looking ahead to Qualifying, Fornaroli will be aiming to secure his third pole position of the season, after his impressive P1 performances in Sakhir and Spielberg. While the prospect of securing the title this weekend is within reach, the 20-year-old remained focused on the task at hand.
“No, I will not think about it,” he said when asked about the potential of clinching the championship. “I will approach the next session like it was another weekend, as usual.”
A weekend full of possibilities
The upcoming Qualifying session holds significant potential for Fornaroli, who is now just one step away from possibly clinching the F2 title. However, with the focus firmly on performance and not on the championship, he remains determined to tackle each session with the same mentality as any other race weekend.
The 20-year-old will return to the track for Qualifying at 19:10 local time, with eyes set on continuing his strong start in Lusail. The session promises to be a pivotal moment in his bid for the title as the F2 grid prepares for the season-deciding double-header in Lusail and Yas Marina.
