Mini steals F2 pole
Gabriele Mini has taken the first pole on offer in the FIA Formula 2 season in qualifying at Albert Park.
Mini left it late and recorded his 1:29.286 on his very last lap of the session, but it was enough to deny Victor Martins.
The PREMA driver was just over a tenth clear of the ART Frenchman, while Jak Crawford and Richard Vanthoor slotted themselves onto the second row.
It was a frenetic session from the start with Max Esterson and Oliver Goethe even colliding at the penultimate corner as drivers jostled for position.
Martins set the early pace with a 1:31.012 and the Frenchman was also the first into the 1m30s window.
Crawford then hit back before Leonardo Fornaroli ended up as the fastest on the opening runs with a 1:30.136.
The Invicta driver then found more time and even dipped into the 1m29s window.
But Fornaroli would end up down in 10th, which is also Sprint pole, as many found time late.
Martins found more time but Mini found the most to snatch it by 0.114s at the death.
Before practice the F2 paddock was rocked by the news that DAMS Lucas Oil, Rodin Motorsport, and TRIDENT had all been further hit with penalties from pre-season testing.
Having initially been excluded from pre-season testing results in Catalonia, all three teams have been found 10,000 Euros and more critically received 10-place grid penalties.
Cars 11 (Crawford), 16 (Cordeel), 17 (Duane) and 23 (Esterson) were found with an air pressure sensor installed via the drilling of holes in the diffusor to convey the airflow beneath it into the pipeline of the pressure sensor, modifying a standard part in the process.
The Formula 2 sprint race takes place at 14.15 AEDT.
FIA Formula 2 Australia qualifying results
2025 Australian Grand Prix schedule
Thursday, March 13
Race 1 (19 laps) 1: B. Feeney 2: W. Brown +1.0924 3: C. Hill +3.7603
Race 2 (12 laps) 1 C. Hill 2: N. Percat +0.5745 3: W. Brown +0.8244
Saturday, March 15
Time Category Session
9.05-9.15 Supercars Qualifying 3
9.25-9.35 Supercars Qualifying 4
11.15 Formula 3 Sprint Race (20 laps)
12.30-13.30 Formula 1 Practice 3
14.15 Formula 2 Sprint Race (23 laps)
16.00-17.00 Formula 1 Qualifying
17.40 Supercars Race 3 (19 laps)
18.45-19.20 Carrera Cup Race 3
Sunday, March 16
Time Category Session
9.00 Formula 3 Feature Race (23 laps)
10.25 Supercars Race 4 (14 laps)
11.30 Formula 2 Feature Race (33 laps)
15.00 Formula 1 Grand Prix (58 laps)
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