Joshua Dürksen delivered a much-needed second-place finish at the F2 Austrian GP Sprint Race, ending a torrid spell of disappointing results with a tenacious defensive display that showcased both his racecraft and full potential at the Red Bull Ring.
Breaking the drought
The AIX Racing driver’s podium finish marked only his second points score since his victory in Melbourne, bringing welcome relief after what he described as five consecutive difficult race weekends. Starting from second on the grid after John Bennett’s pole position was reversed, Dürksen took an opportunity as the lights went out, and immediately put himself in contention for victory.
“For sure really pleased, because as I said, we had a really tough five race weekends in a row, which of course is really hard, especially for the team, for us, because we were hoping to have a smoother season this year,” Dürksen reflected after the race. “We still worked really hard. We kept working hard, and luckily we could have a good qualifying and now a good race, and hopefully we can do more of the same tomorrow.”
The art of defensive driving
Dürksen’s race was defined by his defensive driving against the charging Pepe Martí, who ultimately claimed victory. The Paraguayan driver demonstrated tactical awareness from the outset, immediately recognising the threat posed by Martí’s pace advantage and DRS potential.
“As Pepe said, I tried to get him out of the DRS, because I knew that this would be key, because as soon as he’s into DRS, it would be a really tough fight for me,” Dürksen explained. “I think I did quite a good job. Sadly, we just didn’t have the pace that Pepe had. At least I could keep on with him on the DRS.”
The battle intensified on lap 16 when Martí closed within DRS range, launching his first attack down the main straight into Turn 4. Dürksen’s immediate counter-attack into Turn 6, running side by side with his rival, demonstrated the defensive instincts that kept him in contention throughout the race.
Absolute cinema! 🎥🍿
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) June 28, 2025
Dürksen didn't make it easy for our Sprint Winner, Martí 👀#F2 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/Jt5xq3hnJf
Peripheral vision and mirror work
When asked about managing pressure from multiple directions, Dürksen revealed the mental and physical demands of defensive racing at the highest level. “You drive with a pretty peripheral vision, so it’s like one eye is in the front, one eye is kind of looking at the mirror, and kind of just guessing if the guy is there,” he described.
The tactical complexity extended to anticipating his rivals’ moves, particularly with Roman Staněk also in close pursuit. “Luckily, Roman’s car is here, so it’s easy to spot on the mirror, you know,” he said.
“With the Red Bull car, it would be a bit more difficult. But yeah, it’s like you’ve got one eye in the front and one eye in the mirror, and just paying attention, especially on the breaking points, because here you can dive bomb, and I knew that Romain would do it, so I prepared for it.”
Mental resilience
The race was significantly disrupted by a dramatic red flag period following a high-speed collision involving multiple cars on lap two. For Dürksen, who had established an early lead, the interruption required a complete mental reset.
“It’s basically like starting a new race, you know. It’s like what happened, happened. Now, we just have to focus again on what’s coming,” Dürksen explained his approach to the restart. “I was not really thinking about the crash or something. I was just like, all right, this just happened, and it’s like a new race. So, I basically was just shifting my mindset again to basically how a normal race would start, and that’s it.”
Fighting on degrading tyres
The closing stages presented Dürksen’s greatest challenge as tyre degradation began to take its toll. “The last lap was quite tight after I lost the DRS, because my tyres were gone, but yeah, I tried my best,” he admitted.
Despite the mechanical disadvantage, Dürksen’s experience and racecraft allowed him to maintain second position, even as Martí broke clear of DRS range in the final stages.
Honest Championship assessment
When asked by Pit Debrief about championship implications following the dramatic final-lap incident that saw Richard Verschoor gain crucial points, Dürksen provided a refreshingly honest assessment of his current position.
“I’m not really a championship contender right now. So, for me, it doesn’t really make a difference at the moment. I hope more at the end of the season, yes,” he acknowledged. “But for sure, I mean, every driver would like to get as many points as possible. And their nearest rival, the best points as possible, for sure. So, I can well understand Pepe and all the other guys that are more in the front. I would be frustrated as well.”
Optimism for Dürksen
Despite the recent struggles, Dürksen found reasons for optimism in both the car’s performance and the team’s development trajectory. “The car for sure improved comparing to last year here, especially on race pace,” he noted, highlighting the technical progress made by AIX Racing.
The podium finish represented more than just points in the championship; it validated the hard work put in during the difficult period and provided momentum heading into the feature race. “So yeah, to be honest, actually quite happy, because we had a nice fight. It was really entertaining. I loved it,” Dürksen concluded.
With his confidence restored and the car showing improved pace, Dürksen’s second-place finish at the F2 Austrian GP Sprint Race serves as a foundation for the remainder of the season.
