Dino Beganovic on the 2026 season, learning from Hamilton and Leclerc and gaining confidence with Ferrari

Dino Beganovic feels he is driving at his highest level yet, even if the results do not reflect that just yet.

The DAMS Lucas Oil has had a mixed season, filled with a few highs, such as taking pole position in Melbourne and scoring podiums in the Miami and Monte Carlo Feature Races.

But there have also been some lows, the Swede having stopped on track while contending for the wins in Melbourne and Montreal. A few rounds later in Spielberg he scored zero points.

Beganovic was back contending at the front before the summer break, finishing on the podium in the Spa-Francorchamps and Budapest Sprint Races, bringing a close to a mixed first part of the year.

“Things started very well this year,” says Beganovic. “Taking pole in Melbourne but then it was not the result we deserved with the DNF. Then we had a good podium in Miami, coming back into the fight.

“In Montreal we were in a very strong position in the Feature in P2 before another issue. So we started the year very well and also the podium in Monaco helped. But without those DNFs we would be looking in a much better spot.

“Austria also wasn't ideal. We lacked quite a bit of pace in general and it was just a very tough weekend for us, definitely the worst one so far.”

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DEALING WITH THE FRUSTRATIONS

Beganovic is currently seventh in the Standings with 79 points and had those DNFs not happened, it is likely he would have been somewhere within the top five in the Standings and closer to championship leader Nikola Tsolov.

Currently, the 22-year-old is 88 points behind the Bulgarian, and while mathematically still in contention, he acknowledged he is disappointed to have missed out on a few points.

“It is frustrating,” Beganovic says. “But also at that moment it was quite nice to see the potential we have had. So I was not stressed in Melbourne or Montreal that we didn't really get the points, which maybe sounds weird, I was calm knowing the performance was there.

“I know that we can do it in the races and we can have a good weekend when we have a good car and are in a perfect spot, like we had in Melbourne with pole.

“We just need to maximise everything, maximise those points and that's maybe what is the most frustrating, that we couldn't do it. It’s possible we could be looking back at the end of the year at those races and seeing what could have been different.”

HIS OWN IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

What may also be adding to Beganovic’s frustration about being unable to maximise results is that he feels he is driving at a high level.

In the final seven rounds of the 2025 season, the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy member finished in the points in 11 out of 14 races – winning the Baku Sprint Race and finishing third in the Feature the next day.

Beganovic feels he carried that form into this campaign, using his experience to improve each season.

“The end of last year was pretty good and I'm driving quite similar to that level,” he explains. “I’m trying to bring my experience from last year and also from my two years in Formula 3, trying to be smart in all the battles and to come back well in the races.

“But then this year has been a bit more about qualifying and we haven't really got that right. However from a personal point of view I improve every year, and I am a more complete driver now.

“I’m smarter on track and in battles and know how to manage a race weekend from my side and also from my team's side.”

LEARNING FROM HAMILTON AND LECLERC

While the main focus has been on his F2 season, Beganovic has also been continuing his duties with Ferrari, taking part in tests and also Free Practice 1 sessions.

But the Swede does not just use the time in F1 to drive, he values it as a chance to learn from Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

The 22-year-old talked about driving the seven-time world champion’s car for the first time in Barcelona and what he has taken from both drivers into his current F2 campaign.

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“It's not a driver line-up to joke around about,” he says. “It's obviously Lewis and Charles, who are very highly rated in Formula 1 and in racing in general. So it's great to be up against them, to be next to them and to learn from them, and also to compare yourself to them in the data.

“But it's crazy. My first FP1 this year in Barcelona I took Lewis' car. It was the first time I was driving his car because I had two FP1s last year that were both in Charles' car.

“Lewis was super nice to me and he opened my eyes a lot as well. He's pushing the team a lot and he's so motivated. It's very inspiring because he's done so much in his life and career but he's still wanting to win probably as much as he ever wanted too before.

“It's very inspiring to see that and also Charles as well is pushing to get that world championship with Ferrari. It's very cool and that is the stuff I am taking with me too.

“For example, I am trying to lead DAMS in F2 so I am like a sponge. I also got some advice about the new car because there are a lot of new things to think about, especially driving-wise, so I’ve been learning a lot.”

TAKING CONFIDENCE FROM THOSE F1 OUTINGS

As much as he is learning Beganovic is also there to show what he can do, and after a season that has had some tough moments, he admits his confidence levels took a hit.

The 22-year-old concedes that he can be “hard” on himself when results do not go his way but feels his time driving for the Italian team have been a “good reminder for me to have my confidence up”.

The Swede his performances in Barcelona and Austria have helped to rebuild his belief, especially as he looks to mount a comeback in the F2 championship.

“Austria, for F1, was very good for me,” he says. “I was very confident on the medium and close to Lewis, so it's something I need to remember sometimes, that everything is possible and I'm there for a reason, and it's always very nice to be able to compare.

“It was also at two tracks that have the closest qualifyings of the year because we've driven there so much and they're quite short tracks, so everybody knows them. It's always amazing to get in the red car and to show what I can do.

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“I am going to continue using this to try and come back stronger for the rest of the season. Obviously, the gap has increased to the championship leader, which is not the best.

“But we have to take it race by race and not really think about the championship. We need to maximise what me and the car can do in every weekend and in every situation.”