Formula 2

Formula 2 is the final stepping stone before reaching Formula 1. Most drivers on the current F1 grid have competed in this junior category before being promoted to the pinnacle of motorsport.

Formula 2 runs as a support event during Formula 1 weekends. In 2025, the calendar features fourteen races. The race format is slightly different from F1: there is one free practice session, followed by qualifying on Friday. On Saturday, a sprint race is held with a reversed grid for the top ten qualifiers. On Sunday, the feature race takes place with the starting order determined by Friday’s qualifying. The 2025 Formula 2 grid consists of 22 drivers in 11 teams, with each team fielding two drivers.

The points system in Formula 2 is similar to Formula 1, with a few differences. Pole position for the feature race earns two points. In both the sprint and feature race, the driver who sets the fastest lap receives one point if they finish within the top ten. Points are awarded to the top eight finishers in the sprint race and to the top ten in the feature race, matching the F1 scoring structure.

The current version of Formula 2 has been around since 2017, but the history of the series goes back much further. From the aftermath of World War II until 1985, the category existed with cars that were smaller, lighter, and cheaper than F1 machinery.

In 1985, the category was renamed Formula 3000, which later became the GP2 Championship in 2005. In 2009, the FIA reintroduced the Formula 2 name for a new series designed as a direct pathway for young talent to progress to Formula 1, although at that stage it was still run under the GP2 brand.

In 2017, in an effort to make the route to Formula 1 clearer, the GP2 name was officially replaced with Formula 2, creating the championship format we know today.

Most F1 drivers began their careers in karting and progressed through various junior categories before reaching the top level. Formula 2 serves as the final step before F1. Max Verstappen is a notable exception, making the leap directly from European Formula 3 to Formula 1.

Since 2017, 21 drivers have graduated from Formula 2 to Formula 1. The 2025 season marks a record number of rookies moving up from F2 to F1, with Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Bearman, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, and Jack Doohan all stepping up at the start of the year. Doohan has since lost his seat at Alpine.

The current Formula 2 season features a thrilling title fight. Richard Verschoor, racing for Dutch outfit MP Motorsport, is in his fifth season and a serious contender for the championship. The Dutchman leads the standings and has already secured multiple race wins. His main rival appears to be Alexander Dunne, although in F2 anything can happen. Dunne impressed during FP1 in Austria with McLaren. Expectations were high for Arvid Lindblad heading into the season, but the Brit has so far underperformed, currently sitting sixth in the standings.