Current F2 Championship leader Gabriele Minì completed the podium in third place at the 2026 F2 Monaco GP Sprint Race, finishing behind race winner Noel León and Roman Bilinski. Speaking in the post-Sprint press conference attended by Pit Debrief, Minì reflected on his controlled and calculated afternoon through the streets of Monte Carlo.
Fourth consecutive podium for Minì at the Monaco GP
The result marked yet another milestone in Minì’s impressive run of form. As he told the press conference attended by Pit Debrief, “It’s another podium. The fourth one in a row, so it’s very positive. We’re on a good moment so far. I think today this was pretty much the maximum.”
Minì had started third on the reverse grid and settled into position early at the Monaco GP Sprint Race. His primary focus was holding off Joshua Dürksen behind rather than chasing the leaders ahead.
“The goal was to try and keep the position or try to gain one at the start, but everyone got a really good run. There was quite a lot of grip on the starting grid, so everyone did a good job with that. We just were not quick enough, I think, for the fastest lap. I tried once, just a calm lap, but as soon as I heard the actual fastest lap, I just tried to bring it home safely. I think it was, once again, the maximum we could have done today,” he stated.
No plan to attack at the 2026 F2 Monaco GP Sprint Race for Minì
When asked whether there was ever a realistic opportunity to challenge for second place, Minì was straightforward about his approach. The MP Motorsport driver acknowledged he could close the gap to Bilinski but chose discipline over ambition.
“I mean, for sure, I was able to get close. I don’t know how far I got when I slowed down to try and create a gap, but I catch up in two or three laps, and after I just cruised around,” he stated.
“It’s all about, to be honest, keeping it out of the walls here in Monaco. I don’t think trying a move is something you really want to do, especially when you need to bring on points, in a way. It’s really risky for very little reward, in a way.”
“In my head, there was never a plan to try and overtake. It was just about trying to keep it out of the wall and not get overtaken.”
Points in every race this season thus far
One of the more remarkable aspects of Minì’s 2026 F2 campaign has been his consistency. He has scored points in every single race so far this season and is on a run of consecutive podium finishes, underlining his championship credentials beyond the Monaco GP Sprint.
In response to a question asked, Minì addressed whether consistent scoring is a deliberate strategy.
“Well, of course, the plan is to always try and score points. I think anyone would be lying if they told you no about that, but the main goal is to always try and maximise what you have. If you’re fast enough to arrive P8, you arrive P8, and if you’re fast enough to win, you try and win.”
“So far, I think this season, we have pretty much always done this. Even when we got the issue in Australia, we came back very well and scored points in both races.”
While he acknowledged that the weekend had not gone perfectly in qualifying, Minì believes the team had extracted the maximum today.
“This weekend, we were quick in free practice, but we missed a bit in qualifying. I’m still quite happy with my performance and the team’s performance. We are working very hard and we are both trying our best. If this weekend the maximum points we can score is 10, we try to score that. That’s the goal for the whole season.”
A favourite hunting ground for Minì
Monaco has been kind to Minì throughout his career in the junior categories. When reminded that he has featured on the Monaco podium every year since 2020, Minì reflected on what makes the circuit suit him so well.
“I think we always had pretty good pace in Monaco,” Minì stated. “Already back in April-June 2022, we got a good quali, just missed out on pole in the last sector. In F3, we were really, really quick, especially in the first year, in 1993, and we just pulled it for pace. In the second year, again, we had really good pace.”
However, he acknowledged how the reversed grid format has played in his favour the past few years, saying: “In the last two years, we have been a bit more lucky with the reverse grid, in a way. Clearly, the last five years, it’s gone always well, but that’s also part of why the F2 championship and F3, it’s very cool.
“You have the reverse grid that allows everyone to more or less score points and be at the front in one of the two races when you qualify in the top ten.”
He was careful not to overstate his form at the circuit, conceding that there is still work to do after the Sprint Race.
“In F2, let’s say, we still need to find that extra bit of pace, but so far, once again, as you said, it’s still good to get a podium.”
2026 F2 Championship picture remains open
With Rafael Câmara starting from pole for Sunday’s Feature Race, Minì was asked how much weight he places on his Monaco GP Sprint Race result when assessing his title chances. His answer reflected the mindset of a driver focused entirely on what he can control.
“As I said before, I think what the others do, we can’t really control. Of course, getting a podium is important, but it doesn’t mean that tomorrow I can afford a zero. It’s always going to be about maximising it. Whether Rafa wins or finishes P2 or P3, that’s not in my control,” he stated.
Minì was quick to temper any talk of the championship becoming a two-horse race this early in the season.
“There’s nothing I can do about it, but what I can do and what I can finish at is something that I can control and that I will focus on. Of course, looking at the points at the moment, it’s nice if you’re at the front, but as I said so many times, the championship is long.”
“It’s still, after this, ten weekends to go, and the championship only ends in December. We’ll talk about that only after Abu Dhabi, in the last round,” he stated.
Tyre degradation could shape the F2 Monaco GP Feature Race
With the Sprint Race completed, Minì turned his attention to Sunday. Tyre management had been a notable factor during the Sprint, with Invicta Racing’s Joshua Dürksen pressing hard in the early laps and forcing Minì to manage his rubber carefully.
“For me, it was, to be honest, a bit, let’s say, about covering from Joshua [Dürksen] behind. He was pushing quite hard in the first laps. He was really close, so it was important to have a gap at least on the bigger breaking points,” he explained.
“Then, as I think many drivers behind tried to, I tried to do some cool-downs and just take some space and push for a quicker lap just to see how everything is. But surprisingly, there was quite a lot of degradation. I think it would be a big factor for tomorrow if somebody beats earlier or later. It will make a difference. We just have to analyse now, overnight, everything and see what we can do different and better for tomorrow.”
With the Feature Race on Sunday presenting an entirely different strategic picture, Minì and MP Motorsport will be working through the data with the full grid having run on identical tyres.
