“A lot of different stuff”: Stenshorne on debut F2 appearance in Baku for Trident

Written by Vyas Ponnuri

The tail end of every Formula 2 season sees newer faces step up from the lower rung of Formula 3. While it was F3 champion Leonardo Fornaroli and Christian Mansell last time around, this year sees McLaren junior Martinius Stenshorne and Laurens van Hoepen make an early leap into F2. 

Stenshorne graduates after a strong fifth position finish in F3 in 2025 | Credit: McLaren

In the lead-up to the Azerbaijan round of the 2025 F2 season, Trident announced a reshuffle of its driver roster during the season for the second year running. Regulars Sami Meguetounif and Max Esterson made way for two F3 graduates in Stenshorne and van Hoepen. 

Teams often pursue such a move to bed drivers into F2, the longer-term aim being to get the drivers up to speed with the ins and outs of the championship. With faster cars, longer races, such an experience can be valuable for aspiring drivers looking to graduate up to F2, something Stenshorne revealed ahead of his maiden F2 outing. 

“We thought it would be good to have some experience in the car and also experience this track of course. So yeah, I went to Trident on Monday, Tuesday after Monza, the race weekend, and then did a couple of days in the simulator. So yeah, that's about it,” Stenshorne mentioned, speaking of how his move to the Trident outfit came about. 

The Norwegian racer will tackle the mighty Baku Street Circuit for the first time in his racing career. With its sweeping corners, long straights and the tight and twisty castle section, it’s no easy beast to tame, let alone a maiden F2 outing in itself at the venue. 

However, although Stenshorne mentions the step up to F2 as ‘A lot of different stuff’, he mentions the work Trident have put in behind the scenes to get him up to speed for the race weekend. 

“Yeah, for me, it was the first time with Trident, of course. We did a couple of days in the simulator to learn the track and the car, and all the procedures of the F2 car. Quite a lot of different stuff. But apart from that, the usual simulator work,” Stenshorne mentions. 

“Yeah, they have done a lot, of course,” Stenshorne mentions when speaking of Trident’s preparation efforts in the run to the weekend. 

“I didn't know much about the F2 car before I came to them. Yeah, they have helped me with all the procedures and a couple of days on the sim to get used to everything. They've been great so far. They've taught me everything well. So, hopefully, everything goes well for the rest of the weekend,” he concluded. 

When asked what could be the most challenging learning ahead of his maiden F2 weekend, Stenshorne mentioned the handling of the F2 car, as compared to his F3 ride in 2025, mentioning the turbo and braking abilities as the most difficult aspect to get used to. 

“(I think) Learning the car is going to be the most difficult thing, with the carbon brakes and the turbo engine, and all this on top of the track evolution.

“So we're going to get more and more grip every lap we do. It's an extra element to keep the track up. So yeah, I think those two things are going to be the most difficult,” Stenshorne mentioned. 

With F2’s Feature Race on Sunday featuring the mandatory pit stop, a rule not featured in F3, it is another aspect Stenshorne will have to learn ahead of his maiden F2 weekend. “It's going to be a new experience for me as well with the pit stop,” he mentions. 

Stenshorne will have to get used to the mandatory pit stop in F2, which isn’t the case in F3 | Credit: Hitech 

While Trident have signed Stenshorne solely for the Baku weekend, the McLaren junior still has the task of adapting to the speedy F2 car. With just a single practice session, Stenshorne aims to ‘get as much experience and as many laps’ in his weekend, to build up the momentum and add to the Italian team’s pair of points in 2025. 

“Yeah, that's going to be the difficult part, adapting as quickly as possible. I think result-wise, we haven't really set ourselves a target,” Stenshorne mentioned. 

“It's mainly about getting as much experience and as many laps as we can, and then the results are just a bonus. But, of course, it would be good to have some points also for the team. They haven't had so many this year, so we're really going to try to give them some points,” he concluded. 

There’s also the matter of a new teammate for his maiden F2 weekend, with Stenshorne teaming up alongside former ART F3 racer Laurens van Hoepen. The Dutchman finished 12th in the championship in 2025, with podiums in Monaco and Monza along the way. 

Stenshorne recollects memories of racing alongside van Hoepen during their karting days almost eight years prior, with the duo having branched off on their respective junior careers ever since. 

“Yeah, we have,” Stenshorne mentions when asked by DIVEBOMB if he had met up with van Hoepen during the race weekend. 

“I know Laurens (van Hoepen) quite well. We already raced together back in 2017, so it's been quite a while. It's been good so far. We've been together on the simulator. More than that, not too much, to be honest. So, we will see a bit during the weekend, but I'm sure it will be great,” Stenshorne mentions, looking ahead.  

While Stenshorne will be looking to add yet more accolades to his top five F3 finishing position in 2025, the road ahead is certainly filled with challenges. He will be looking to get up to speed with Trident’s F2 machinery, looking to make the most of his time as a Formula 2 racer in 2025. 

Starting in the top ten for Sunday’s Feature Race and third for the Saturday sprint gives the Norwegian racer a chance at scoring his maiden F2 points during the race weekend.