Feeder Series Preview: Silverstone
- DIVEBOMB Motorsport
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Written by Trisha Lynnette, Meghana Sree and Morgan Holiday
Three Feeder Series categories will see action this weekend at the Silverstone Circuit: Formula 2, Formula 3 and F1 Academy.
Formula 2
Round 7 of the 2026 Formula 2 championship will take place this weekend at the iconic Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom, following up the second weekend of a double-header for the grid.
Last time out in Austria, we saw a new F2 race winner, John Bennett. The Trident driver qualified ninth on Friday, which put him in position to start second in Saturday’s Sprint Race. He battled in the podium positions before making the race-winning move on Sebastian Montoya on the penultimate lap of the race to take his maiden win in the category.
The title fight between Gabriele Minì and Nikola Tsolov continues to rage, the gap between them now down to just two points. In Austria, Tsolov outscored Minì, though the Italian driver was never far behind. It’s Minì’s consistency that has kept him in the title fight thus far. While he only has one race win to Tsolov’s four, Minì has more podiums and only one finish outside of the points.
But consistency isn’t enough for Minì at the level Tsolov is currently competing at, and he’ll need to step it up a notch heading into Silverstone if he wants to retain the championship lead.
Another driver looking for a good weekend will be American driver Colton Herta. After floating near the top 10 in the standings, a points-less weekend in Austria moved Herta back to 15th place overall. As the one American driver on the grid on 4th of July weekend, he’ll be hoping for a big result to catapult himself back up the standings. Especially considering that last year’s F2 season did see an American, Jak Crawford, take the Feature Race win on Independence Day weekend.
Also last year at Silverstone, eventual champion Leonardo Fornaroli took a win in the Sprint Race. Only one driver on the current F2 grid won here last year, Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak taking the Formula 3 Sprint Race win from reverse grid pole position.
Heading back to this circuit for 2026, it’s one that all the drivers are familiar with, though that doesn’t mean it won’t be a challenge. Silverstone Circuit is a challenging one to master, and drivers will be tested on their ability to manage their tyres as well as stay on top of their car at this technical track.
The track measures 5.891 km (3.660 mi) and has 18 turns, a sharp contrast from the Red Bull Ring, the last track the drivers raced on. They’ll tackle Free Practice first at 10:00 local time in the UK on Friday morning before heading into qualifying at 14:55.
The reverse grid Sprint Race will take place at 13:45 on Saturday, followed by the full-length Feature Race on Sunday morning at 11:15.
Formula 3
Formula Three heads to Silverstone this weekend for Round 5 of the 2026 championship, with track activity running from 3rd to 5th July. The historic Northamptonshire circuit is one of the sport's most celebrated venues, and it arrives at a pivotal moment in what has been a fiercely contested season so far.
Ugo Ugochukwu leads the drivers' championship with 78 points after four rounds, having increased his advantage at the top with a second-place finish in last weekend's feature race at the Red Bull Ring. The Campos driver has been the most consistent performer in the field this year and arrives at Silverstone with a 16-point cushion over his nearest rival.
That rival is now Freddie Slater, who climbed from fourth to second in the standings with a podium finish in Austria's feature race. The Briton holds 62 points and will be racing in front of a home crowd this weekend, giving him every reason to push for a result that could further tighten the title picture.
His Trident teammate Noah Strømsted, meanwhile, was the standout performer at Spielberg. The Dane had endured a difficult start to the season, but his feature race victory in Austria - coming from fourth on the grid - lifted him seven places in the standings to sixth on 41 points, drawing level with Brando Badoer of Rodin Motorsport.
Third in the championship is Théophile Naël, who sits on 52 points but arrives at Silverstone under pressure after a damaging weekend in Austria. The Campos driver had claimed three consecutive pole positions heading into Spielberg, only to qualify 24th and fail to score across either race. His advantage over fourth-placed Bruno Del Pino has been trimmed to just three points, with the Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR) driver on 49. It is a championship that remains very much alive across the leading group, with only 29 points separating Ugochukwu at the top from Del Pino in fourth.
A circuit that demands precision
Silverstone is one of the most technically demanding circuits on the calendar. Its sequence of high-speed corners - Copse, Maggotts, Becketts and Stowe - require exceptional aerodynamic stability, precise car setup and unwavering commitment from the driver. There is little margin for error at the speeds these cars reach through the circuit's sweeping bends, and a well-sorted chassis will be essential across the weekend.
Tyre management will also play a significant role. Silverstone places considerable energy loads through the Pirelli rubber, and both the hard and soft compounds are coming in for the weekend. The soft is likely to be the preferred option for the feature race, but drivers will need to monitor graining and degradation carefully, particularly in the race's later stages when the track conditions can change quickly.
The British weather factor
As is customary at Silverstone, the forecast adds an element of uncertainty to proceedings. Conditions are expected to be generally overcast throughout the weekend, with the possibility of light rain on Saturday - the day of the sprint race. Should the weather intervene, it will place a premium on adaptability, both from the drivers and from the teams on the pit wall. Those who can read the changing conditions quickly and make the right tyre calls could find themselves well placed in the championship order come Sunday morning.
F1 Academy
F1 Academy 2026 will return this weekend, and for the first time in its history, the next round heads to the historic Silverstone Circuit where it all began for Formula One.
We go into the weekend following an exciting round in Montreal that saw a pivotal change in the race weekend format, including the addition of a third race termed the ‘Opening Race’ with full points on board, similar to the Feature Race.
While the new format will not be featured this round (though it will return in Austin), this weekend promises to be just as thrilling and action-packed.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of F1 Academy’s British debut, including championship stories, details on this round’s Wild Card Driver and more.
Key Stories
The defining headline going into the weekend is the round itself, this being the first time F1 Academy steps foot in the UK for a competitive session.
Still, most drivers are well-acquainted with the track owing to the April in-season testing that was held at the venue, and several drivers have also participated in the British Formula 4 Championship that visits Silverstone as well.
Another top story is this being the home round for a number of drivers on the grid, including championship challenger Alisha Palmowski as well as Ella Llloyd, Ella Stevens, Megan Bruce and Rachel Robertson.
In other news, this round’s Wild Card entry has been revealed as Chiara Bättig, the Swiss driver set to make her F1 Academy debut this round with the series’ Official Partner Wella Professionals.
The 16-year-old is a three-time Swiss Karting Champion in OK Junior, and is currently competing in British F4. Despite this being her F1 Academy debut, Bättig has notable experience at Silverstone, having finished on the podium after scoring third in the reverse grid Race 2 in British F4.
She is also a three-time Swiss Karting Champion in OK Junior, and was then selected as an F1 Academy Discover Your Drive karter in the Champions of the Future Academy Program International Series.
Speaking ahead of her F1 Academy debut in Silverstone, the Swiss driver shared: “I’m excited to challenge myself, learn from every session, and show what I’m capable of on such a big stage with the support of Wella behind me. I’m focused on making every lap count and leaving a strong impression.”
Another hot topic heading into this third round is the Drivers’ Championship standings, currently led by Palmowski after her near-perfect consistency across the opening two rounds that include two dominant wins in Montreal.
Leading with 78 points ahead of Audi driver Emma Felbermayr on 53 points, Palmowski will be eager to extend her advantage on home turf to boost her title campaign.
The fight for third in the standings is also gaining traction, with Bruce leading that battle on 37 points, Payton Westcott just one point behind, Mathilda Paatz a further point behind her, and Nina Gademan sitting at 30 points. Keep an eye on these drivers as they each vie for the best of the rest position in the championship as we approach the halfway point of the season.
Another driver not to forget is McLaren driver Lloyd, who was heavily tipped as a championship favourite following an impressive rookie season last year, but hasn’t hit the ground running in 2026. The Welsh driver occupies eighth in the standings but will hope to reignite her title ambitions this round, at a track she has plenty of mileage around.
Track Preview
Silverstone is a track that’s quintessential of motorsport venues: exhilarating, challenging and rewarding when tackled with talent.
Making its debut on the F1 Academy calendar this year, the circuit is a thrilling combination of heavy braking points, sweeping turns and iconic straights.
From the Hamilton Straight that leads into Abbey and Farm to the brake-heavy Brooklands that flows into the long, 180-degree right-hander of Luffield, this track is a delight to watch racing around and an even more enjoyable track to drive at.
With landmark points such as the high-speed esses of Maggotts and Becketts, the speedy right-hander at Copse, and the stretching Hangar Straight that’s perfect for overtaking opportunities, Silverstone is sure to present a unique challenge for the F1 Academy grid this weekend — and that’s not even considering the ever unpredictable British weather.
Session Timings (in GMT)
Free Practice: Friday, 07:40
Qualifying: Friday, 18:00
Reverse Grid Race: Saturday, 18:05
Feature Race: Sunday, 10:00
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