Bennett Wins F2 Sprint After Last‑Lap Chaos in Spielberg
Montoya loses victory in dramatic finale as title contenders gain crucial points
What a race. The F2 Sprint Race Spielberg served up everything you could ask for. Crashes, safety cars, bold moves, and a jaw-dropping final lap that gave Trident’s John Bennett his maiden Formula 2 victory at the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix.
Leon Sets the Scene in Qualifying
Before we get to the sprint, let’s talk about Friday. Noel León claimed his maiden F2 pole position during qualifying at the 2026 Austrian GP with a brilliant lap of 1:15.544. It was a huge moment. León claimed Mexico’s historic first F2 pole position. Read more about how that happened in our dedicated piece: Noel Leon F2 Pole in Spielberg: How a Bold Strategy Call Changed Everything. You can also learn more about the driver himself in our Noel Leon F2 Driver Profile.
Alex Dunne and Nikola Tsolov qualified second and third. Standings leader Gabriele Minì and Rafael Câmara rounded out the top five at the Red Bull Ring. Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, Ollie Goethe, Rafael Villagomez, John Bennett and Sebastian Montoya completed the top 10, with the latter two set to start the reverse-grid sprint from the front row.
Chaos at Turn 3 on Lap One
With the reverse-grid format in play, Sebastian Montoya and John Bennett lined up on the front row and led the field down to Turn 1. But the calm did not last long.
Heading into Turn 3, several drivers were caught up in an incident as Rafael Câmara tagged the rear of Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, sending both the Thai driver and Goethe into a spin. A safety car was deployed to recover the ART car.
Once the race resumed, Montoya lunged down the inside of Bennett to take the lead. It looked like the PREMA driver was in control. Then things got complicated again. Colton Herta found himself stopped at the side of the track, triggering a virtual safety car.
Bennett Strikes on the Final Lap
With Montoya out front and the laps counting down, it seemed like a Montoya win was coming. But Formula 2 always has a surprise ready. A decisive last-lap lunge from Bennett saw him claim the lead from Montoya. The Trident driver crossed the line to take his first F2 win and podium.
It was a stunning result for the young Briton. John Bennett, born 15 September 2003, currently competes in the FIA Formula 2 Championship for Trident, having last raced for Van Amersfoort Racing. In 2025, he was the first driver to step directly up to F2 from GB3, and finished 22nd in the final standings. You can find out more about his former team in our Van Amersfoort Racing F2 Team Profile.
Meanwhile, Sebastián Montoya fought hard at the Red Bull Ring, the PREMA Racing driver ultimately crossing the line fifth. It was a bittersweet afternoon for the Colombian after leading so much of the race. His teammate at Campos Racing rivals were also in the mix across the field.
Championship Picture After Spielberg
After missing out on the top step in Barcelona, F2 championship leader Gabriele Minì will be looking for another win in Austria. The sprint result keeps the title fight very much alive heading into the Feature Race on Sunday morning.
The Red Bull Ring weekend features Formula 2 practice, qualifying, sprint, and feature race sessions across the three days, as well as the Porsche Supercup on Sunday before the Grand Prix. With the Austrian Grand Prix 2026 in full swing, there is plenty more action still to come at Spielberg.
What Comes Next: Silverstone on the Horizon
The Feature Race runs on Sunday morning before the F1 grand prix itself. All eyes will be on León. Starting from pole for the feature, the Campos Racing driver will be desperate to convert his qualifying pace into points. For Minì, clean laps and a podium could be decisive.
After Austria, the series heads to Silverstone for what promises to be another massive weekend. Check out our full preview: British Grand Prix 2026: Silverstone Race Guide, Circuit Facts and Key Storylines. Don’t miss it.
