In an exclusive interview, 2022 Formula Regional European champion, Dino Beganovic discussed his racing career so far as he prepares to join F3 in 2023.
Hailing from Linköping, Sweden, Beganovic has quickly established himself as part of an emerging Nordic generation in motorsport at just 18 years-old and is now preparing to graduate to F3 next season after having won the Formula Regional Europe title this season.
In this exclusive interview, Beganovic discussed his motorsport inspiration, “fantastic” karting, climbing the single-seater ladder and even spoke about his feelings on one day seeing the Swedish Grand Prix return to F1.
Who or what inspired you to become a racing driver?
Beganovic: “Basically it started with my dad being a car mechanic and he still is and has always been so into the sport, into motorsport because he has been working with cars his whole life and really interested in it.
“Racing is a part of it because it’s the next step he looks up to as a car mechanic who is inspired so much by fast cars going around and yeah it came from there, I one day got the opportunity after having watched Formula 1 on TV with my dad.
“A long time, I finally got the opportunity to try a go-kart in Linköping my hometown and after that I basically got stuck into it and we brought an used go-kart and started driving every Saturday and Sunday as much as we could and we started racing and that is where it began.”
Across your karting career, you claimed seven titles which all came across six seasons with Ward Racing. At that stage of your career, how helpful was it to enjoy consistency with the same team as you climbed the karting ladder with various successes?
Beganovic: “It means so much to have done my karting career with Ward Racing. I would call it more a family than a team as it was such an amazing time and I really miss it.
“I wish could bring back those fantastic days in karting, being with the team not only on the track but also off the track and we were really like a family and I enjoyed every single part of it.
“Obviously you need to enjoy something to have success and to perform at your best so I think we did it in the best way and that was making us motivated and giving us the results because we were so motivated that everyone had one goal which was to win and be at the top and we did it together and it’s fantastic to share those memories now with Joakim and the whole family.”
2020 saw you step up to single-seater racing in Italian F4 where you finished third overall with one win. Compared to initial expectations, what was it like to make that graduation and also compete in six ADAC F4 events too amidst a pandemic causing tighter schedules?
Beganovic: “Obviously it’s a huge step to go from Karting to F4 as it’s the biggest step that anyone has in their racing career, because it felt almost liike you started from zero as you obviously have the steering wheel and pedals but it just feels so different in style, team and driving.
“And you could see that some drivers were often really fast in karting but were not as good in Formula so would pussyfoot around or really just would get involved let just say, but yeah I think it was a huge step as it is a huge step for everybody.
“As for expectations, I didn’t really have too high expectations because of what I would get but obviously stepping up with the PREMA Powerteam in my first year with Ferrari Driver Academy, and with PREMA you cannot have low expectations with them.
“In the end, I was happy with P3 in the championship after a long year which was difficult for everyone in the world, and yeah I was pretty satisfied with the year and my eyes were already on the next step but it was difficult not to have high expectations as I enjoyed the year with PREMA.”
2021-22 saw you join Formula Regional Europe with PREMA where you made huge strides from your rookie season to win the title this season. Looking back now, how much does it mean to have made that huge stride in progress and clinch your first single-seater title?
Beganovic: “I think this title means so much to me because many successful drivers have won this championship having come from many F4 series around the world – not only in Europe but also America and so on and they come to race in this championship because F3 is a big step from Formula 4.
“And it is more like an European championship for all of these F4 drivers stepping up not to F3 but in the middle and it was super important to win this championship because as everyone saw, I think everyone can respect this championship because it’s really competitive with loads of good drivers and always difficult to stay at the top.
“And it felt like I was being hunted all the time because we were leading the championship from the start to the end but it was not an easy task and we saw a glimpse at the end of 2021.
“My first rookie season was not great at the beginning but towards the end of the season, I got my first pole position, my first podium, my first starting grid position, almost winning the race at Monza but after being taking out but yeah it was a glimpse of what was to come this season in 2022.”
During the last two seasons, you also participated in F3 Asia (FR Asia in 2022) in the Middle-East which provided a taste of different circuits. Out of all circuits that you have raced on so far in your career, which circuit has been your favourite and why?
Beganovic: “I would say I don’t have a specific circuit but I would say that I have a top three that I like the most, and I would say Spa, definitely Spa as it’s an amazing circuit and I love to drive there plus it’s a really nice track and I really like the old style tracks for driving the car with really low downforce pretty much the same spec as Monza but with much more corners than Monza and it’s a really cool track.
“I would also say Mugello which is quite the opposite of Spa and driving with high downforce but it’s just an amazing track in my opinion.
“Let just say third one could be Imola! Imola is a fantastic track as I won there in Formula Regional and Italian F4 so I always have good memories looking back at Imola and really love the track but I also kind of want to say Monaco as well after having scored a victory in Monaco with pole position and my luck overall so it is a mix of these four – let say top four tracks.”
Next season will see you and your FR Europe teammate – Paul Aron graduate into F3 together with PREMA, so what are your initial expectations for next season amidst continued consistency with PREMA in your junior career?
Beganovic: “I think we will try and carry on. I think the competition will be high next year as well like this year but I am racing the same guys as I basically have done my whole career.
“Nothing really changes in that way but obviously the car is so much different from Regional and from what I have raced before, the format is also different so life will be a really cool year and expectations are high from outside but also probably from my side.
“Expectations are higher and I want to do a good job and carry on the momentum because I really think I can do a good job especially with my team, PREMA, who I have been with since 2020 and have had that relationship for a really long time.
“As for Paul my teammate, I think we hae been pushing each other quite a lot over the last year and we both had the target to win the title and in the end, I came out on top but I think once again next year, we will be pushing each other really hard to bring the success I mean for ourselves but also for the team.”
You’ve been part of Ferrari’s Driver Academy since 2020 so what has it been like receiving advice and support in your development from an iconic F1 team?
Beganovic: “The support from the FDA has been amazing from the start and obviously quite a lot of things have changed during the years and quite a different line-up compared to when I first joined.
“I was the youngest and now I am almost the oldest in the FDA so quite a lot has changed but the support they have offered me is amazing and I really appreciate it because it is a huge thing to be a part of in my liife and also in my career to be part of the FDA, the driver academy and also part of the Ferrari family.
“So it is amazing to have the support of the FDA on track and off track and I can’t wait to carry on this relationship that we’ve been building so far.”
Finally, how much would it mean to race in F1 and bring the Swedish GP back onto the calendar after it was dropped following 1978 race?
Beganovic: “I mean it would be amazing to see a Formula 1 race in Sweden and for Sweden to have its own GP, it would be amazing to see all the fans from Sweden come and I think that they would be pumped up like ever before because not having a GP for so long will give them a boost especially for the first time racing here.”
“And it would be nothing more than amazing for everyone to see that and it would bring sparkle into Swedish motorsport even more.”
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