Rafael Villagómez delivered one of his strongest drives of the 2025 F2 season in the Lusail Round Sprint Race at the 2025 Qatar GP, securing a hard-fought third place after an evening defined by tyre management, late Safety Cars, and a decisive last-lap duel. Starting from P3 on the reverse grid, the Van Amersfoort Racing driver navigated a complex race of changing grip, intense defensive pressure, and strategic positioning — showcasing the progress he and his team have made throughout the year. Villagómez discussed his race during the post-Sprint Press Conference attended by Pit Debrief.
Villagómez on his last-lap overtake: “I just had to go for it”
The F2 Sprint Race at the 2025 Qatar GP culminated in a dramatic showdown for the final podium place, with Villagómez reclaiming P3 from Campos Racing debutant Nikola Tsolov in the final moments. His opportunity emerged at the last restart, where he tucked in closely behind Tsolov and prepared a calculated final-lap challenge. Forced off the track during his initial attempt, Villagómez recovered immediately, regrouped, and launched a decisive counterattack into Turn 2 — a move that ultimately secured his place on the podium.
When asked about his overtake, Villagómez replied: “Yeah, actually quite tricky to be honest. After the second restart, we were a little bit more close than on the first one. Obviously knowing that on the first one he went kind of early as expected on a track like this. I was also expecting something a little bit more early. So, I did a good job on the restart and then of course I took the chance and I just had to go for it. I haven’t seen anything about the overtake, any replay or anything, so I cannot comment much on that.”
The VAR driver’s podium briefly appeared at risk, as both he and Tsolov were called to the stewards after the chequered flag. The review was concluded quickly, with officials determining that no further action was necessary. Both drivers agreed the exchange amounted to a racing incident, confirming Villagómez’s hold on third place.
A difficult start sets up a recovery drive
While his dramatic last-lap overtake ultimately secured a podium, it was far from the only challenge Villagómez faced during the Sprint Race. As the lights went out, the Mexican driver quickly came under pressure. Caught behind the intense battle for the lead between MP Motorsport’s Richard Verschoor and AIX Racing’s Joshua Dürksen, Villagómez was unable to defend and was swept aside by Tsolov, who claimed third. This forced Villagómez into an early defensive fight against PREMA Racing’s Sebastián “Sebas” Montoya in P5. The opening laps were frenetic, with drivers jostling for position while also managing the early onset of tyre wear.
Reflecting on the start, Villagómez admitted that the first half of the race was more challenging than he had anticipated, particularly compared with the cleaner run enjoyed by Verschoor, who went on to win the Sprint Race despite losing a position to Dürksen at the start.
“Yeah, I wish I had a race like Richard. It was pretty clean. For us it was a tricky start. Then the pace at the initial laps was pretty strong and we started to suffer a little bit with the deg and from there on, middle of the race, it was about managing. Sebas [Montoya] was also pretty quick. So yeah, I had to make sure I defended from him but also I wanted to make it to the podium because starting from P3 that was the aim.”
This early pressure forced Villagómez into a delicate balancing act — pushing enough to stay in contention, but not so hard that he compromised the tyres too early.
Tyre behaviour stable despite weekend concerns
Managing his tyres effectively was a central part of Villagómez’s early strategy, particularly given the frenetic opening laps. Heading into the 2025 Qatar GP weekend, tyre management had been one of the dominant storylines. Pirelli’s decision to impose a strict 25-lap maximum on all F1 compounds had heightened awareness across the paddock, highlighting just how punishing Lusail can be on rubber. Those concerns deepened further on Friday evening when several teams reported small cuts, thought to have been caused by gravel dragged onto the racing line as drivers pushed track limits during practice.
Given the sensitivity around tyre durability, Villagómez was asked whether he had experienced anything similar to the issues highlighted in F1. His response mirrored that of race-winner Verschoor and runner-up Dürksen, both of whom reported a largely trouble-free Sprint from a tyre perspective.
“Same for me, I think we had no problems all weekend. If anything, they behaved pretty well.”
With tyre integrity proving more stable than early fears suggested, Villagómez was able to divert his full attention to the other major challenge of the Lusail circuit — managing airflow and performance in the notoriously disruptive dirty air during close racing.
Dirty air and the challenge of close racing
Heading into the Lusail Round of the 2025 F2 season, high tyre degradation wasn’t the only challenge on drivers’ minds. The circuit, originally designed for motorcycle racing, posed unique difficulties for single-seaters, particularly in terms of overtaking and the effectiveness of DRS. While Lusail’s high-speed layout is visually spectacular over a single lap, the turbulent air it generates makes close racing incredibly difficult.
As the race progressed, Villagómez found himself battling in the midfield, where he had to manage not only his pace but also the limitations of following closely through the sweeping corners. The dirty air created significant disruption, forcing him to adapt his driving style to maintain performance while staying close to other cars.
Reflecting on the early stages of the race, Villagómez agreed with on-radio comments made by Montoya, who had mentioned the intensity of the early laps, describing the drivers as “pushing like animals.” Villagómez explained the high-speed nature of the race and the challenges of managing pace and tyre wear under such conditions.
“Yeah, I agree a little bit with Sebas. These two [Verschoor and Dürksen] were pretty, pretty quick. Definitely, the dirty air has an effect. The further you go, the more it has an effect. For me, it was more about kind of managing and not doing any mistakes or having any slides. I definitely saw that the moment you had a slide, it became super tricky, so I can see why he was saying that, because when you’re not trained, everything just becomes super tricky.”
The effect of Lusail’s layout on car performance
Villagómez also reflected on the track layout itself, noting how it posed particular challenges in terms of car handling and race strategy. He highlighted the variations in track conditions between Free Practice, Qualifying, and the race itself, offering insight into how both F2 and F1 drivers struggled with the impact of dirty air throughout the weekend.
“Yeah, obviously, it’s a beautiful track. High downforce track. Like I said, for one lap in Qualifying, it’s amazing. Then for the races, it has its own challenges. Of course, with the dirty air, it’s pretty difficult. So you’ve got to be pretty clever in where you push, also which axle to use. But yeah, it’s pretty difficult. We also saw a little bit of a more tricky race in F1 and F2, just due to the dirty air.”
The demanding nature of the Lusail circuit meant that every move had to be calculated, and Villagómez, like many others, had to adjust his approach depending on the conditions. From tyre management to positioning in the turbulent air, the layout and its unique challenges played a major role in shaping the race strategy.
Cautiously optimistic ahead of the Feature Race
With the podium secured and his confidence growing, Villagómez turned his focus to the upcoming Feature Race. The longer race would undoubtedly present new challenges, particularly with fluctuating temperatures and changing track conditions. However, Villagómez remained calm and measured, acknowledging the opportunities and obstacles that lay ahead.
Reflecting on his team’s performance in Lusail, Villagómez noted the positive results from 2024, where his teammate, John Bennett, finished P8 in his debut Feature Race at the track.
“Yeah, last year John [Bennett] did a really good job. First time he jumped in the car and he went into the points.”
This positive history at Lusail, combined with the strong pace the team had shown in Free Practice and Qualifying, gave Villagómez confidence in his team’s ability to perform, despite the circuit’s tricky nature.
“Definitely, we had the pace since Free Practice and Qualifying, and then today I don’t think we were really far off.”
However, despite the promising signs, Villagómez remained pragmatic. He recognised that there was always room for improvement, both personally and as a team. Looking ahead, he expressed confidence in VAR’s ability to adapt and learn from the data gathered during the Sprint Race.
“Of course, we can always do better, myself and the team, and we just need to look into the data, you know, learn from today. Of course, it’s completely different conditions tomorrow, so we’ll see. I’m sure we can do a good job.”
Season-long improvement behind Qatar success
Rafael Villagómez’s optimism heading into the 2025 Qatar GP Feature Race is not just rooted in his strong performance during the Sprint Race. While his dramatic last-lap podium finish certainly boosted his confidence, the Mexican driver emphasised that his success was the result of consistent season-long development, rather than a single moment of inspiration. Reflecting on lessons learned from previous successes — including his podium finish at the Barcelona Sprint Race — Villagómez, in response to a question from Pit Debrief, detailed how ongoing learning and mid-season reflection have shaped his approach to the season.
“I would say just the whole year. You keep on learning as a driver and as a person in all areas. And of course, the aim is to become better and better each day. So I wouldn’t just pinpoint on Barcelona. Of course, we had quite decent results since Monza and then Baku. So obviously, a summer break helped quite a lot to look back into the year and see where the opportunities.”
This arc of improvement has been matched by progress within the Van Amersfoort Racing team, which Villagómez was quick to acknowledge.
Van Amersfoort Racing’s growing form boosts confidence
Since Monza, VAR and Villagómez have consistently found performance gains that have translated into stronger qualifying sessions and more competitive race results. Their upward momentum has been noticeable to both paddock observers and the driver himself.
“Obviously, they’ve been doing an amazing job. Like I said before, since Monza, something together with the team and myself has clicked, definitely. We’re always struggling a little bit more on Qualifying. In the races, we knew we had a good car, but we could never really get it. But since Monza, that hasn’t been the case. Obviously, coming here, I knew from last year, they can do a really good job. But also from, I have more confidence from Baku. So yeah, I have to say they’re doing an incredible job.”
While the Feature Race will present new challenges, Villagómez’s focus remains on continuous improvement, confident that his team’s ongoing development and his own lessons learned will guide him toward more success in the coming stages of the season.
