The sun had slid low over the circuit as the clock wound down and the field hurled itself toward a single final chance. In that compressed, frenzied window dino beganovic found the grip, the line and the composure to deliver a 1: 28. 695 on his last attempt — a lap that turned a session of shifting provisional leaders into a clear, season-opening result for DAMS Lucas Oil.
How did Dino Beganovic secure pole in Melbourne?
Beganovic set the benchmark early with an initial 1: 29. 953 before the order shuffled through multiple improvements from rivals. Campos Racing drivers briefly climbed to the summit, with Nikola Tsolov posting a 1: 29. 381 that looked set to hold. Two red flags interrupted momentum, however, and when the session resumed with just three minutes on the clock Beganovic produced the decisive improvement to a 1: 28. 695, taking his second Formula 2 pole position and the top spot for DAMS Lucas Oil.
What stopped qualifying and who was affected?
Two separate incidents brought the session to a halt. A snap for Mari Boya at Turn 10 left the PREMA Racing driver in the barriers. Shortly afterwards Gabriele Minì halted on track with an issue on his MP Motorsport car. Marshals and teams responded by deploying the red flags, and drivers filtered back into the pitlane for fresh tyres before returning to the track. The interruptions reduced available running time and meant the final running resumed with only three minutes left — effectively allowing just one final timed lap for contenders to make their moves.
Who lines up behind the pole-sitter and what does the grid look like?
Rodin Motorsport enjoyed a strong qualifying day, with rookie Martinius Stenshorne taking P2 and Alex Dunne P3; both had held provisional pole at different moments before Beganovic’s final lap. Campos Racing split the Rodin pairing in the top five, with Noel León ahead of teammate Nikola Tsolov. The top ten was completed by Rafael Camara for Invicta Racing in sixth, followed by Kush Maini, Oliver Goethe, Joshua Duerksen and Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak in P10. The compressed final phase and the succession of quick improvements meant provisional pole changed hands multiple times in the closing seconds before Beganovic’s decisive effort.
The first race of the 2026 season is set to follow the qualifying weekend, with the Sprint Race scheduled to begin at 14: 10 local time.
How did teams and drivers respond to the chaos, and what comes next?
Teams reacted to the stoppages by bringing cars in for tyre changes and recalibration of runs, prioritizing one clean flying lap once the session restarted. The final laps under time pressure highlighted execution under stress: Beganovic rebounded after slipping back in the middle phase of qualifying to deliver the freshest improvement when it mattered. Others, like Minì and Boya, were taken out of their own running by mechanical issue and contact respectively, altering the competitive picture and leaving engineers to regroup ahead of the races.
For the DAMS Lucas Oil team, the pole is an early statement of pace. For the Rodin Motorsport drivers who split the front row, it confirms a competitive start. For those who recovered from the barriers or a halted car, the session underlined the fine margins that will shape the weekend.
Back at the pitlane where the day had begun in routine, the final image of the session — a solitary time on the board, Beganovic’s 1: 28. 695 — now hangs over the paddock. That last-gasp lap gave dino beganovic the lead heading into the weekend and left teams reshuffling strategy around a narrow, suddenly clarified pecking order.
