Invicta Racing’s Joshua Duerksen produced a masterclass in race craft to finish a historic Components 2 weekend sweep on the Italian GP, prevailing in a tense, strategic duel in opposition to teammate Rafael Camara.
Beginning alongside pole-sitter Camara on an all-Invicta entrance row, the Paraguayan navigated multi-car battles, crew order dynamics, and two Security Automobile restarts earlier than withstanding late strain to cross the road first.
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The primary win of the weekend for Duerksen
Yesterday, Joshua Duerksen already sealed an exhilarating Components 2 Dash Race victory at Monza.
Ranging from fourth, the Paraguayan sliced via the sphere and executed a daring transfer on Trident’s John Bennett into the Rettifilio chicane to grab the lead on Lap 9.
Duerksen then absorbed intense strain and navigated two Security Automobile restarts to cross the road first forward of Bennett and Oliver Goethe.
In the meantime, the championship battle took a dramatic twist when title contender Rafael Camara spun and stalled early on, bringing out the primary Security Automobile.
Nikola Tsolov capitalised on his rival’s retirement, combating his method as much as fifth place to achieve a vital title benefit.
Time for the Italian GP F2 Function Race
Invicta Racing locked out the entrance row for the Italian GP Function Race, with championship contender Rafael Camara on pole place alongside teammate Joshua Duerksen.
Duerksen pounced instantly in the beginning, taking the lead from Camara after the pole-sitter ran extensive into Flip 1.
Behind them, Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak made an excellent getaway from fifth on the grid to cost as much as third. In distinction, it was a dismal begin for each Rodin Motorsport drivers: Alex Dunne dropped from third to fourth, whereas Martinius Stenshorne plummeted from fourth to seventh.
Duerksen then suffered a heavy lock-up into Flip 1, however he prevented main harm and maintained his lead over his teammate. Additional again, Inthraphuvasak set the quickest lap of the race as he closed down on the rear of Camara’s Invicta.
On Lap 4, Camara carried large overspeed down the principle straight, diving previous Duerksen at Flip 1 to retake the lead of the race.
This prompted Invicta to radio Duerksen, instructing him to work along with his teammate. He moved again previous Camara to reclaim the lead because the pair regarded to handle their tempo out entrance.
In the meantime, Inthraphuvasak and Dunne continued to observe the main pair carefully from third and fourth.
Pit Stops began
Duerksen ran extensive via the second Lesmo, prompting Invicta to instantly name him into the pit lane for his necessary pit cease. A cluster of drivers adopted swimsuit, with Dunne, Noel Leon, and John Bennett all pulling into the pits.
Race chief Camara made his necessary cease shortly after. He re-entered the observe behind Duerksen, however crucially stayed forward of Dunne, who had efficiently jumped Inthraphuvasak through the pit cycles.
Camara struggled on chilly tyres out of the pits, shedding time to Duerksen and coming beneath intense strain from Dunne behind. Inthraphuvasak was additionally struggling severely to change on his tyres after his cease, dropping locations to Leon, who climbed to an efficient fourth, earlier than being picked off by Bennett, Ritomo Miyata, and Nikola Tsolov.
In the meantime, Camara started recovering his rhythm, trimming Duerksen’s lead right down to 2.1 seconds. Invicta reassured the Brazilian over the radio that he would have the strategic benefit over his teammate towards the top of the race.
Security Automobile deployed
The battle on the high was abruptly halted when Colton Herta misplaced management and stopped within the gravel at Parabolica.
Herta rapidly climbed out of his automotive unharmed, however the incident prompted a direct Security Automobile deployment, neutralising the sphere and shutting the gaps out entrance.
The Security Automobile interval drew to a detailed with Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. attempting to benefit from the neutralisation to dive into the pit lane for his necessary cease, switching to the choice purple supersoft tyres for a late-race cost.
Inexperienced once more
As racing resumed, Duerksen executed a flawless restart to tug 1.3 seconds away from Camara. In distinction, the pole-sitter instantly discovered himself beneath extreme strain from Dunne behind.
Nevertheless, Dunne locked up into Flip 3 and ran off line, shedding third place to León within the course of. Duerksen continued to deal with the strain out entrance masterfully, whereas Camara labored to fend off Leon.
He stabilised his tempo and introduced the hole right down to 1.1 seconds behind race chief Duerksen, briefly pulling away from Leon.
By lap 23, Camara sat simply 0.6 seconds behind Duerksen, with Leon tucked up behind the lead pair and holding DRS benefit.
Invicta Racing knowledgeable Duerksen over the radio that he and Camara have been clear to race one another. Duerksen responded with sturdy tempo to maintain each Camara and Leon from mounting an assault.
Additional again, Dunne dropped out of Leon’s DRS practice, falling 1.5 seconds behind the rostrum battle and coming beneath hearth from Bennett. Armed with DRS down the principle straight, Bennett used a powerful overspeed into Flip 1 to brush previous Dunne and declare fourth place.
Last laps for the F2 Function Race
Ritomo Miyata was knowledgeable over crew radio that he was lapping sooner than each Bennett and Dunne forward. Miyata launched an assault into Flip 1 however couldn’t discover a well beyond the Rodin automotive, permitting Tsolov to shut in and be part of the multi-car battle.
Up entrance, the hole on the lead closed to simply 0.4 seconds as Camara mounted one remaining push in opposition to Duerksen, whereas Leon dropped again barely in third.
On the principle straight, Miyata made his transfer stick, stripping fifth place from Dunne. Down the entrance stretch for the ultimate time, Duerksen held off Camara as soon as once more with very good defensive positioning.
Joshua Duerksen crossed the end line to take a sensational Italian GP F2 Function Race victory!
Camara secured second to finish an Invicta 1-2 end forward of Leon in third. Bennett took fourth, adopted by Miyata in fifth, Dunne sixth, Tsolov seventh, Inthraphuvasak eighth, Oliver Goethe ninth, and Nicolas Varrone rounding out the highest ten points-paying positions.
READ MORE – Components 2 2026 Italian Grand Prix – Function Race Outcomes
