In Formula 2, talent alone is never enough – timing is everything.
For the 22 drivers lining up in F2 this season, this is more than a title fight. It is an audition timed to perfection with at least seven F1 driver contracts expiring at the end of the season.
In its 10th anniversary year, F2 welcomes 11 rookies, accounting for half of the grid.
Some of these drivers come with impressive junior résumés, but will this be enough to fight with the returning drivers for the elusive title and future F1 seats?
Among the 22 contenders, five names stand out.
Alex Dunne
The 20-year-old Irishman returns in 2026 for his second season in F2, racing with Rodin Motorsport.
2025 was an up-and-down rookie season for Dunne. He led the championship fight early after the sixth round, but after a mixture of disappointing performances and bad luck, he was ultimately out of contention for the title.
Dunne was also plagued by mid-season drama after parting ways with the McLaren Junior Driver program suddenly in September.
Rumours emerged that he had been signed by Red Bull’s Helmut Marko, without approval from the rest of the team, and ultimately, the contract was terminated, leaving him without backing from an F1 team.
He had also been rumoured to potentially be up for an F1 seat for 2026 with either Cadillac or Racing Bulls, but ultimately, this amounted to nothing but rumours, as he did not have enough Super Licence points.
Nevertheless, Dunne’s 2025 rookie campaign saw him score an impressive two race victories, six further podiums, and one pole position, finishing fifth in the championship standings.
Dunne has just been signed to Alpine’s junior program, and with current Alpine F1 driver Franco Colapinto’s contract expiring at the end of the 2026 season, could Dunne build on his impressive rookie season to secure the title and F1 driver seat for 2027?
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Joshua Dürksen
Starting his third season in F2, the 22-year-old Paraguayan has moved teams from AIX to Invicta Racing.
Dürksen’s junior career began differently from some of the others on the grid by skipping F3 and making the jump straight into F2 from Formula Regional championships.
Dürksen’s 2025 F2 campaign was underwhelming considering his promising talent.
He finished only ninth in the drivers’ standings come the end of the season despite winning the opening sprint race in Melbourne and the final feature race in Abu Dhabi.
With a difficult season for the AIX team, Dürksen’s performance took a hit, and he didn’t have the chance to prove himself fully.
Despite this, he managed the two victories and a further eight podiums.
For 2026, Dürksen’s season is looking more promising with his move to Invicta Racing, the reigning teams’ championship.
Having won the teams’ championship back-to-back in 2024 and 2025, Dürksen – partnered with Invicta and a rookie team-mate – has a strong chance at title contention this year.
Dürksen has also been signed as a Test Driver for the Mercedes F1 team for the 2026 season, and with both Mercedes drivers’ contracts expiring at the end of the season, could Dürksen impress enough to upset a currently strong driver line-up?
Rafael Câmara
Câmara has been hailed as one of the most promising drivers heading into 2026 for his rookie season.
The 20-year-old Brazilian is the reigning F3 champion, securing four race wins and five pole positions in the 2025 season.
Having won the FRECA title the previous year, Câmara is looking to make it three back-to-back title wins.
Lining up alongside Dürksen for Invicta Racing this year, Câmara has a tough battle ahead with his more experienced team-mate, but racing for the current on-form team will help his chances at the title.
Câmara, as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, will also have his eyes set on an F1 seat.
With Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton rumoured to depart F1 soon and Haas driver Oliver Bearman reportedly set to replace the eight-time world champion, could Câmara prove himself enough to pick up that seat at the Ferrari customer team known for supporting Ferrari Academy drivers?
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Colton Herta
Herta’s arrival at F2 has sparked much attention in the paddock.
A renowned IndyCar driver, the 25-year-old American has returned to Europe to start his rookie season at the Hitech team.
With seven full seasons, eight wins, a highest finish of second in the championship, and the record for the youngest ever winner in IndyCar under his belt, all eyes are on him to see how he fares in F2.
Lining up alongside a team-mate who is entering his third season in F2 and driving with the team that finished runner-up in the teams’ championship last year only puts more pressure on Herta.
Signed up as the Cadillac F1 team’s test driver for 2026, could Herta impress enough to make the move to the American F1 team so desperate for an American driver?
Nikola Tsolov
The 19-year-old Bulgarian is another full-season rookie who is poised to be a title favourite in 2026.
Having stepped in to replace Pepe Martí in the final two rounds of the 2025 season, Tsolov impressed immediately by scoring his maiden F2 podium in third place at only his second weekend.
Even with his late move to F2, Tsolov still managed to finish as runner-up in the 2025 F3 season, achieving a record-equalling four wins, a further two podiums, and multiple pole positions.
Tsolov will be competing at Campos Racing, the third-best team in 2025, for the 2026 season alongside a fellow rookie.
With such an impressive junior career and F1 backing as a Red Bull junior, Tsolov is a real contender for the 2026 title.
And with both of the F1 Racing Bulls’ drivers out of contract for next season, he could stand a strong chance at securing a seat in Red Bull’s sister team if his performance lives up to expectations.
In 2026, F2 won’t just showcase talent. It will expose who is ready and who is running out of time.
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SportJustSport writers 
Aidan Leo