Feeder Series Weekly Recap: A bumper week for Aston juniors
- DIVEBOMB Motorsport
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Written by Trisha Lynnette, Natasha Pinto and Vyas Ponnuri
Welcome to Feeder Series Weekly Recap, a series bringing you all the news from the world of junior racing series. As the Formula 2 season concludes, the focus now shifts to drivers who have secured their place in the series for 2026. DIVEBOMB gives the lowdown in their latest recap….
Formula 2
Roman Bilinski graduates to Formula 2 with DAMS in 2026
Roman Bilinski has officially been confirmed as the first driver signed for the upcoming season, marking the start of DAMS Lucas Oil's 2026 lineup.
In 2025, Bilinski made his Formula 3 debut with Rodin Motorsport, where he had a strong rookie campaign. With three podium finishes and a memorable Sprint Race victory at Monza, he finished the year in 11th place overall. He became one of the grid's more prominent newcomers thanks to his performances.
In 2020, the Polish driver made his single-seater debut in the British F4 Championship, placing eighth. His performance earned him a spot on the grid once more for 2021, but halfway through the season, he had the opportunity to switch to GB3.
The move proved effective as he claimed three race wins and caught the attention of teams further up the junior ladder, eventually securing a seat in the Formula Regional European Championship.
However, he was unable to duplicate the success he had demonstrated in GB3 and British F4 as his years in FRECA proved to be more difficult than anticipated.
He took part in the Formula Regional Oceania Championship at the beginning of 2024. He reaffirmed his competitiveness by delivering a solid and steady campaign that resulted in him winning the overall title, his maiden single-seater title.
Bilinski returned to FRECA for the 2024 European season and placed 14th with 52 points. His season was cut short as he suffered two fractured vertebrae in a road accident before the Zandvoort round. He underwent surgery, forcing him to miss the rest of the season while he recovered.
Now, the Polish driver is set to begin his new chapter in Formula 2, expressing both pride and determination as he prepares for the challenge ahead.
“Joining such a historic team as DAMS Lucas Oil is a real honour,” Bilinski said. “Formula 2 is an incredible challenge and I’m ready to give everything to represent the team at the highest level.
“I’ve learned a great deal over the past few years and I’m eager to turn that experience into results on track. I would like to thank DAMS Lucas Oil for giving me this opportunity and for placing their trust in me.”
Mari Boya confirmed to make his debut in Formula 2 with PREMA Racing
PREMA Racing have confirmed that Mari Boya will step up to Formula 2 in 2026 for his maiden season.
The Spaniard had an extremely successful third year in the Formula 3 season this year. Boya appeared on the podium five times, placing first in the Silverstone sprint. This earned him a shot at the fight for the championship title alongside his teammate Nikola Tsolov and Rafael Câmara.
He eventually placed third in the Championship and helped his team, Campos Racing, bring home the team’s championship title. This gained him a good reputation, which led to PREMA Racing acquiring him for the 2026 season.
Boya created a lasting impression since his debut in the 2020 Spanish F4 season, where he placed second overall. His other notable wins include placing second overall in the 2023 Eurocup-3 season as well as in the 2025 Macau Grand Prix.
He expanded his racing career with consecutive campaigns in the 2023 and 2024 Formula Regional Middle East Championships, securing fifth place in the standings in both seasons. He also participated multiple times in the Macau Grand Prix, placing within the top 10 each time.
Earlier this year, Boya was announced to have joined Aston Martin’s Driver Academy for 2026, after his successful Formula 3 season that saw him finish third.
The driver has had a strong progression and is shown to display great speed on track. He is a team player and has been consistent throughout his years in single-seater series. There is no doubt that the driver will fare well in the 2026 F2 season.
"Super excited about joining PREMA for my rookie FIA Formula 2 season,” said Boya. “Really eager to start working with the team. I feel I have a great opportunity, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things go.”
“I'm particularly happy to have longer races than in F3, which I really like, and also pit stops and tyre deg to deal with. Let's hope for a good season."
Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak to make his F2 debut in Abu Dhabi for Trident
Trident have announced yet another change to their F2 driver line-up in 2025, with Campos F3 racer Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak making an early step-up to the series. The Thai driver will replace James Wharton, who joined Trident for the Qatar weekend.
Inthraphuvasak formed a significant part of Campos’ title-winning run in F3 in 2025. The Thai driver scored three victories during the season. This included two F3 sprint wins at Silverstone and Hungary, followed up by a maiden Feature Race win at the season finale in Monza.
The third of his victories was enough to guarantee a spot in the top 10 in the standings, providing Inthraphuvasak an opportunity to step up to F2 full-time in 2026. The Thai driver will become the second driver from his country to race in F2, following in the footsteps of Alex Albon. Inthraphuvasak will be racing for ART Grand Prix in 2026, although his teammate isn’t known yet.
For Abu Dhabi, the Thai driver will be partnering Laurens van Hoepen, who stepped up to Trident’s F2 operation at Baku.
“I'm really excited to be racing in the final round of the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Trident Motorsport. It's a great opportunity, and I want to thank everyone who made it possible. I'm looking forward to making the most of this weekend and preparing as best I can for next season,” Inthraphuvasak said, grateful to all those who enabled him to make an early step-up to F2.
F1 Academy
Mathilda Paatz joins F1 Academy with Aston Martin
Having started single-seater racing in the F4 French Championship during 2024, Mathilda Paatz stepped up to several other series, including the Formula CEZ Championship and the E4 Championship. The German driver finished in eighth in the Formula CEZ Championship this season, alongside securing a second-place podium position at the Red Bull Ring.
Paatz made her F1 Academy debut as a wild card entry in Montreal, where she sat in the driver’s seat of the Gatorade-sponsored car. She finished with a highest position of 11th place, while she was not able to finish two of the three races. The 17-year-old will make her full-time debut in the 2026 season, taking over the Aston Martin car from Tina Hausmann.
“I’m really proud to be representing Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team in F1 ACADEMY next year. This is something I’ve worked incredibly hard for, and my focus now is on preparing for the season ahead,” Paatz said, speaking on her announcement.
"There will be lots to learn, including several new circuits, but I feel confident knowing I have so much support from Aston Martin Aramco and PREMA Racing.
"I had a great first day at the AMRTC in Silverstone, meeting so many incredible people from the Aston Martin Aramco team. I immediately felt at home and everybody was very welcoming. I couldn’t be happier, and I can’t wait to get racing!” Paatz concluded.
