Leonardo Fornaroli may not have walked away from Baku with the win he had set his sights on, but the Invicta Racing driver remains optimistic after securing two solid fifth-place F2 finishes at the 2025 Azerbaijan GP. In a Baku F2 weekend packed with high drama, rapid pace, and strategic challenges, Fornaroli kept his title campaign on track — even if disappointment lingered over what might have been.
Making his debut on the high-speed streets of Baku, Fornaroli showed front-running form throughout the weekend. However, a delayed pit stop during Sunday’s Feature Race and a post-race penalty ultimately robbed him of a podium, if not a potential victory. Despite these setbacks, the current F2 Championship leader leaves the fourth consecutive race weekend still ahead of his rivals, albeit by a narrower margin.
Impressive showing in Baku
Fornaroli adapted quickly to the complex layout of the Baku City Circuit. With only one practice session to get up to speed, he and his Invicta Racing team hit the ground running, immediately demonstrating their potential.
“For the first time here, I am very happy about the performance,” recapped Fornaroli after Sunday’s F2 Feature Race in Baku. “Already in Free Practice we were looking quite strong and the two laps we did in Qualifying, we were able to adjust a lot of things and put a competitive lap on the board.”
Indeed, in Friday’s Qualifying session, Fornaroli came agonisingly close to pole position, falling short by just 0.019 seconds to his title rival Jak Crawford. The performance, however, was a clear statement of intent. From the outset, the Italian proved he had the pace to challenge for the top step of the podium.
Learning and adapting after a challenging Sprint Race
The weekend began with a challenging Sprint Race on Saturday. Starting further back due to the reverse-grid format, Fornaroli made a clean getaway and navigated the opening laps with skill. While he struggled slightly in the early phases, he quickly found his rhythm and began to make progress.
“Yesterday was a bit up and down, my start and my first laps were quite good and then I struggled with a bit of pace in the first part of the race, and in the second one I was able to adapt to the conditions and catch up to the guys in front. I made some moves and finished P5.”
While not the result he had hoped for, the fifth-place finish still brought valuable points, particularly as several of his closest rivals failed to capitalise. More importantly, it gave Fornaroli crucial track experience and the confidence to push harder in the Feature Race.
A missed opportunity in Sunday’s Feature Race
With the spotlight on Sunday, Fornaroli lined up in second place on the grid. A lightning-fast launch saw him take the lead into Turn 1, overtaking Crawford and immediately establishing himself as the frontrunner.
“Today we were starting P2, I had a very good start, a very good first stint on the Options, we were looking very competitive, and when we went into the pitlane to box unfortunately, all the drivers behind me boxed, so we had to wait a lot in the pitlane and we lost four positions.”
The timing of the pit stop proved critical. Following a crash by Martinius Stenshorne that brought out the Safety Car, much of the field pitted at the same time. Fornaroli, like his fellow Supersoft runners, switched to the Soft compound but was delayed in the crowded pit lane, causing him to rejoin the race in fourth place.
A frustrating end after a promising recovery
He did manage to fight back up to third on the road, demonstrating the kind of pace that could have secured victory. But an incident with Alexander Dunne ultimately undid his efforts.
“The first laps on the Prime, I struggled a bit and lost a position to Alex, then two laps later, I didn’t want to go on the inside at T1. I was going to try a move later and unfortunately, I touched him. It was not intentional, I’m sorry for that, we got a 10-second time penalty, but still the pace was very nice.”
“I was able to still finish P5, even with a 10-second penalty. It was very frustrating, I was hoping for a victory in the first stint and looking how the pace after the contact with Alex, I think we could have achieved a lot better. It’s some nice points, double P5, was hoping for more, but I will try to learn from my mistakes this week and arrive stronger at the next races.”
Championship battle intensifies
Despite the penalty and the lost opportunity, Fornaroli extended his run of consistent points finishes — a critical factor in a tight title race. While Crawford’s Feature Race victory closed the gap, Fornaroli still holds a 19-point lead over his DAMS Lucas Oil rival heading into the final two rounds of the season.
Additionally, he has widened the margin to third-placed Luke Browning, who failed to score on Sunday, putting Fornaroli 27 points clear in the standings.
“It was very important,” said Fornaroli, speaking about his consistency. “Also Luke unfortunately was out of the race, so I knew I had some opportunity to gain some points. Jak gained a lot on me, but still it will be a nice fight, I am looking forward to the next two rounds. But I am not worried. I am used to it. I arrived in Monza with one point last year and on the final day at one stage I was in P2.”
He added, “I will do a lot of sim, a lot of training, study all the races and hope for a nice weekend in Qatar.”
His calm demeanour under pressure is proving to be one of his biggest strengths. With just two events remaining, his experience from previous campaigns could make the difference as the championship reaches its climax.
A streak comes to an end, but motivation remains high
Fornaroli’s failure to win in Baku brought an end to a remarkable run of victories — one that had lasted through four consecutive rounds. Nonetheless, he now shares that record with none other than 2021 F2 Champion and current Formula 1 title leader Oscar Piastri, a connection that serves as both encouragement and motivation.
“It’s very nice to achieve the same results that he achieved. It’s nice motivation for me, he is the Championship leader in Formula 1, he is doing an amazing job, so I hope I can reach him in the future.”
To be mentioned alongside Piastri at this stage of his career highlights just how much Fornaroli has achieved this season — and how high his ceiling might be.
Eyes set on Lusail and beyond
As the F2 grid prepares for the next challenge in Qatar, Fornaroli remains focused and determined to bounce back. The missed opportunity in Baku may have stung, but it has only strengthened his resolve. With a narrow championship lead and two rounds to go, every point will count.
A strong showing in Lusail could put Fornaroli in an ideal position to close out the championship. And if his pace in Baku is anything to go by, he will be right in the mix once again. While Baku did not yield the podium or victory Fornaroli was aiming for, it reaffirmed his title credentials. His composure, racecraft, and raw pace remain unquestioned. As the 2025 F2 Championship heads toward its thrilling conclusion, Fornaroli continues to lead the way and aims to continue to do so.
