Martinius Stenshorne returned to the F2 podium with second place in the Sprint Race at the 2026 Belgian GP, bringing an end to a difficult run of results for the Rodin Motorsport driver.
After starting alongside Sebastián Montoya on the front row, Stenshorne attacked immediately and took the lead on the Kemmel Straight. He built an advantage before the first Safety Car erased his hard work and brought Joshua Dürksen back into contention. Dürksen eventually used the powerful Spa-Francorchamps slipstream and DRS effect to pass Stenshorne. A second Safety Car then set up a one-lap fight to the chequered flag, but Dürksen controlled the restart to secure victory ahead of Stenshorne and Dino Beganovic.
Speaking during the post-Sprint Race press conference, which Pit Debrief attended, Stenshorne reflected on his third podium of the season, the changes that helped Rodin return to the front and his expectations for Sunday’s Feature Race.
Stenshorne welcomes return to the podium after difficult rounds
Stenshorne started the season strongly but arrived in Belgium following several challenging weekends. His second-place finish therefore provided a much-needed boost as Formula 2 approached the summer break.
“It feels good. Obviously it’s been a few rounds now where we haven’t been doing super well, so to be back now feels good and hopefully we can continue in this way now and not like we have been.“
The Norwegian believes the result could represent the turning point that he and Rodin have been searching for.
“Yeah, I think so. The first four rounds were really good for us, always in the top and fighting for good points and podiums. It’s been a couple of rounds now where it hasn’t been going so well, but we’ve done some big changes which I think will show.“
Tyre management complicated Stenshorne’s defence of the lead
Stenshorne had to balance tyre management with the need to defend his position during the opening stages of the F2 Sprint Race at the 2026 Belgian GP. Montoya initially placed him under pressure before Dürksen emerged as his main challenger following the first Safety Car period.
“Yeah, I had to do quite a lot as well, but it was quite difficult because Montoya behind me in the beginning was pushing quite hard, so then I had to as well push quite hard to keep the lead. Then I got the big gap which was suddenly gone after a safety car. But yeah, I think the pace was not bad, just difficult to stay in the lead with the DRS. So I think if we had some more laps with the DRS, it would be possible to fight back.“
Dürksen moved across the Kemmel Straight as he attempted to break the tow after taking the lead. Race Control noted the Invicta Racing driver for making more than one change of direction but decided that the incident required no further investigation.
Stenshorne also saw no major issue with Dürksen’s defensive driving.
“He was weaving quite a bit to make sure I wasn’t coming back, but I think there was no problem with that.“
Supersoft tyre presents a challenge for Sunday’s Feature Race
Pit Debrief asked the podium finishers about degradation on the medium compound and the strategic variation that the supersoft tyre could create during the Feature Race.
Stenshorne felt that the medium tyre performed reasonably well during the F2 Sprint Race at the 2026 Belgian GP, although its performance began to decline towards the end. However, his limited qualifying running suggested that the supersoft could prove much harder to manage.
“Yeah, the medium today I think was alright. There was a bit of a drag towards the end, but I think tomorrow with the super soft it’s going to be quite difficult. I could already feel it. We did one and a half push, I would say, yesterday with the red flag. And already on the second lap we did then it was starting to become quite difficult. So I think tomorrow that will be a bit of a challenge.“
Rodin’s “big changes” deliver an immediate improvement
Stenshorne endured a downturn in results after regularly competing near the front during the opening four rounds of the campaign. Rodin therefore made significant changes before the Belgian GP in an effort to recover its early-season competitiveness.
The 20-year-old felt the adjustments had already produced encouraging signs during practice and qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps.
“Yeah, a bit like Dino [Beganovic] was quite good in the first four rounds and then it dropped off a bit. But yeah, like I said before, we did some big changes before this event and I think it already showed in FP. We were up there in the top three the whole session qualifying. I think I didn’t maximise everything, so I think there was more on the table, but I think the change we did for sure helped.“
Although Stenshorne felt that he had not extracted the maximum from qualifying, his F2 Sprint Race performance at the Belgian GP confirmed that Rodin had taken a step forward.
Early move into the lead came at a cost
Stenshorne made a strong start from the front row and immediately targeted the lead. After Montoya initially retained first place, the Rodin driver used the Kemmel Straight to complete the move during the opening lap.
He achieved his first objective of the race, but the effort required to escape from the cars behind affected the later stages of his stint.
“Yeah, I think our start was quite good. Obviously going into P1 quite early on, that was the goal as well. But I think after that I had to push quite a lot to keep him behind. And I think that made it a bit more difficult after the safety car came out. But yeah, the goal was to go for the lead early on and we did well.“
The first Safety Car removed the advantage Stenshorne had worked to establish and allowed Dürksen to attack once racing resumed.
DRS proves decisive on the Kemmel Straight
The Kemmel Straight traditionally rewards drivers who can remain within range through the technical middle sector before using the slipstream and DRS on the run towards Les Combes.
The Sprint Race demonstrated the size of that advantage. Dürksen closed on Stenshorne after the restart and passed him once DRS became available, while Stenshorne then used the same assistance to remain close to the race leader.
“Yeah, not too much to add, but I think it showed quite clearly when the car in front doesn’t have DRS and the car behind us does how big of an effect it has when Joshua overtook me and how I could stay with him as well. So yeah, for sure, it’s very powerful.”
Drivers also needed to consider their positioning before the detection point, as leading onto the straight often left them vulnerable to an attack from behind.
Podium restores confidence before the Feature Race
Stenshorne’s return to the podium provided an important confidence boost after his difficult run of races. When Pit Debrief asked whether the result strengthened his belief that he could move further through the field in Sunday’s Feature Race, he said Rodin only needed to refine a few details.
“Yeah, I feel confident for tomorrow. Obviously, this race helps the confidence a bit after some tough events. So yeah, I think tomorrow we can do well. Some small things to fine-tune, but for sure, if we figure them out, we can fight for tomorrow.“
Tyre management will play a greater role in the longer Feature Race, particularly with the fragile supersoft compound creating the possibility of different strategies.
Leading at Spa brings a unique mental challenge
Stenshorne experienced both sides of the fight at the front. He led during the first half of the race before following Dürksen after losing the position. Running second offered a clear straight-line advantage, although the chasing driver still needed to remain close through Spa-Francorchamps’ high-speed middle sector to benefit fully from DRS.
“Yeah, I did a bit of both today, of course. For sure, it’s a bit easier when you’re in P2 with the DRS. You catch up quite easily on the straight. Of course, then it’s difficult to stay close in sector two. But if you can do that, for sure, it’s a big gain. I tried to get free of the DRS early on, and we managed to do it. But all the work was gone after the safety car. But yeah, that’s the way it is.“
The interruption ultimately changed the complexion of Stenshorne’s race. His early pace had carried him outside DRS range, but the Safety Car eliminated the gap and handed Dürksen another opportunity.
Stenshorne targets a positive end to the first half of the season
With the summer break approaching, Pit Debrief asked Stenshorne what he hoped to achieve over the remaining races before the pause.
After several challenging rounds, he wants to use his Spa podium as the foundation for a strong run of results and enter the break with renewed momentum.
“Yeah, I think going into the summer break with some good results is always nice. If you go into it having a tough couple of rounds, it’s going to feel a bit longer. So for sure, like any other races, we will be pushing maximum before the summer break to end the first half on a high and look forward to the second half.“
