John Bennett Claims Maiden F2 Sprint Win at 2026 Austrian GP

John Bennett grabbed his first Formula 2 win in dramatic fashion at the Red Bull Ring, executing a last-lap pass on Sebastian Montoya to clinch the sprint race victory. Rafael Villagomez secured third for VAR and his first points of the season, while championship hopefuls Alex Dunne, Gabriele Mini, and Rafael Camara all scored as Nikola Tsolov endured a frustrating ninth-place finish.

Why it matters:

The outcome shakes up the title fight at a critical juncture. Dunne, Mini, and Camara capitalized on Tsolov’s scoreless finish to gain ground, but the personal milestones stole the spotlight. Bennett and Montoya proved they have the pace to lead, while Villagomez finally got his 2026 campaign off the mark.

The details:

• Maiden victory: Bennett denied Montoya a first win of his own with a perfectly timed last-lap overtake to secure the top step.
• Podium return: Villagomez’s third place gave VAR a much-needed result and his first points of the year.
• Championship ripple: Tsolov’s ninth-place finish left him empty-handed, allowing rivals Dunne, Mini, and Camara to strengthen their standings.
• Opening lap chaos: A collision at Turn 3 wiped out Emerson Fittipaldi Jr., Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, and Oliver Goethe, bringing out an early Safety Car.
• Mid-race interruptions: Joshua Dürksen retired before a Virtual Safety Car was triggered by Colton Herta’s stricken Hitech. Ritomo Miyata, in the team’s other car, was hit with a five-second penalty for a VSC infringement.

What's next:

The focus now shifts to the Feature Race, where Tsolov needs a strong rebound to limit the championship damage. Bennett will aim to carry his momentum forward, while Montoya looks to convert his sprint pace into a first victory.