FIA Formula 2 Champions: where are they now?
- Bella Rosen
- 2 hours ago
- 7 min read
When the FIA Formula 2 Championship had its inaugural season in 2017, its main goal was to prepare young drivers for a future career in Formula One, often considered the pinnacle of motorsport. So far, five drivers have won in their F2 rookie season, and three of them won Formula 3 and F2 in consecutive years.
With most of these drivers backed by an F1 team through a driver academy or development programme, they have had access and opportunities to test F1 machinery and participate in practice sessions at a young age.
To date, there have been nine F2 champions, with each of them carving their own path in the racing world. While some were fortunate enough to get promoted to F1, others have had more success in series like Formula E, the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and IndyCar.
Charles Leclerc: 2017 Champion with PREMA Racing
The year after he won the F2 Championship, Charles Leclerc made his Formula 1 debut with Sauber while still part of the Ferrari Driver Academy. After one season, he was promoted to Ferrari to partner Sebastian Vettel. His first race win was the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix, which he dedicated to the late Anthoine Hubert, a friend and fellow F2 driver. Leclerc also won the Italian Grand Prix that same year, which gave him the nickname “Il Predestinato.”
In 2022 Leclerc recorded his best championship finish when he was runner-up in the World Drivers’ Championship. He won the Monaco Grand Prix in 2024, becoming the first Monegasque driver to ever win their home race. He currently has nine wins, 27 pole positions, and 54 podiums. Leclerc will remain with Ferrari after signing a multi-year contract earlier this year.
George Russell: 2018 Champion with ART Grand Prix
As a member of the Mercedes Junior Programme, George Russell began in F1 with Williams Racing in 2019. He remained at the team for three years, getting a podium during the red-flagged 2021 Belgian Grand Prix that was fully run behind the Safety Car.
In 2020, Russell was able to replace the ill Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes at the Sakhir Grand Prix. While Russell led most of the race, he ended up in only ninth place due to a team error and tyre puncture. He was promoted to Mercedes for the 2022 season and won his first race at the Brazil Grand Prix that same year.
Russell’s career-best finish overall so far is fourth in the World Drivers’ Championship in both 2022 and 2025. He has seven wins, 12 pole positions, and 29 podiums, and currently runs third in the 2026 standings. His current contract lasts through the end of the 2026 season.
Nyck de Vries: 2019 Champion with ART Grand Prix
After winning the F2 Championship, Nyck de Vries raced in Formula E from 2019-2022; he was the 2021 Formula E Drivers’ Champion. In 2022, De Vries participated in three Free Practice sessions in F1 with Williams and Mercedes.
That same year, he filled in for appendicitis-stricken Alex Albon at the Italian Grand Prix. De Vries qualified in 13th, ahead of other Williams driver Nicholas Latifi, but started eighth due to other drivers’ penalties. He finished the race in ninth place and won Driver of the Day. As a result, he was signed to AlphaTauri for the 2023 season. After 10 races, he was in last place in the standings and had failed to score any points, so he was replaced with Daniel Ricciardo mid-season.
Since 2024, De Vries has been racing in Formula E. He finished the 2026 season in ninth place with 115 points.
Mick Schumacher: 2020 Champion with PREMA Racing
The son of seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael, Mick Schumacher won F2 on his second attempt as a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. That same year, he served as the test driver for Alfa Romeo and Haas, both of which used Ferrari engines.
Schumacher was signed to Haas for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The team did not score any points in his rookie year and he finished 19th in the standings. In 2022, he saw his first points at the British Grand Prix and had a career-best finish of sixth place in Austria, before losing his seat at the end of the season.
For the 2023 season, Schumacher served as a reserve driver for Mercedes and McLaren, and continued his role with Mercedes for the following year. He drove for the Alpine Endurance Team in WEC in 2024 and 2025. He made the switch to IndyCar for the 2026 season, signing with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, where he was named the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year and is currently 24th in the standings with one top-ten finish.
Oscar Piastri: 2021 Champion with PREMA Racing
Oscar Piastri was the first driver in history to win Formula Renault, F3 and F2 in consecutive seasons. After winning F2 as part of the Alpine Academy, he served as the Alpine reserve driver in 2022.
When Fernando Alonso announced that he would move to Aston Martin for 2023, Piastri was announced as Alpine’s newest driver; however, this was disputed by Piastri himself through a viral tweet. He soon signed for McLaren, replacing countryman Daniel Ricciardo.
Piastri finished in ninth place overall in 2023, his rookie season, with two podiums and one Sprint Race win. In his second season, he won his first race at the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix; he ended the season as fourth in the driver standings, while McLaren won the World Constructors’ Championship.
The 2025 season saw Piastri fighting for the World Drivers’ Championship with his teammate, Lando Norris. Even though Piastri led for most of the year, he finished in third place in the championship. With seven wins and 16 podiums, he finished 13 points behind Norris, who was crowned the driver’s champion.
Piastri has struggled this year and is currently in seventh place in the 2026 standings. He is contracted to remain with McLaren through at least the 2028 season.
Felipe Drugovich: 2022 Champion with MP Motorsport
After winning the F2 Championship, Felipe Drugovich became the first member of the Aston Martin Driver Academy. As the team’s reserve driver, he was able to test the AMR21 at Silverstone and participate in FP1 at Abu Dhabi and the post-season test in 2022.
In 2023, Drugovich replaced Lance Stroll during pre-season testing after Stroll suffered injuries from a cycling accident. Drugovich continued his roles with Aston Martin in 2024, driving in two practice sessions and the Pirelli tyre test.
After a one-off appearance in Formula E during the 2024-2025 season, he was signed as a full-time driver for the following year, with his contract lasting through at least the end of 2027. He finished the 2026 season with 65 points and in 14th place.
Théo Pourchaire: 2023 Champion with ART Grand Prix
As a member of the Sauber Academy, Théo Pourchaire tested with Alfa Romeo, participated in Free Practice at the Circuit of the Americas and did post-season tests in Abu Dhabi in 2022. He was then promoted to the Alfa Romeo reserve driver role for 2023 and 2024 before leaving the Sauber program at the end of 2024.
Pourchaire also made his IndyCar debut in 2024, filling in for the injured David Malukas at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. He was then signed to a full-time race seat with Arrow McLaren, but was replaced by Nolan Siegel after the seventh round.
In 2025, Pourchaire drove in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and achieved his first podium at the 4 Hours of Imola; he also participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and had a one-off appearance in WEC the same year.
This season, he is driving in WEC and is currently in 19th place with three points. Earlier this month, he was signed to the Opel GSE Formula E Team for the 2026-2027 season.
Gabriel Bortoleto: 2024 Champion with Invicta Racing
As part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme, Bortoleto won the F2 Championship in his rookie season. He has been managed by A14, Fernando Alonso’s driver management company, since 2022.
Bortoleto left the McLaren programme in 2025 to sign with Sauber and make his Formula 1 debut. In his first F1 race, he outqualified his more experienced teammate, Nico Hulkenberg. When Sauber was rebranded to Audi for the 2026 season, they kept the same driver line-up. Bortoleto currently sits 14th in the standings with 10 points.
Leonardo Fornaroli: 2025 Champion with Invicta Racing
A current member of the McLaren Driver Development Programme, he serves as the McLaren reserve driver; he shared this role with Pato O’Ward until O’Ward stepped down in July 2026.
Fornaroli has had opportunities to test the MCL60 at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Silverstone Circuit, and the Circuit of the Americas. He completed his first Free Practice session in Spain this year, finishing in fifth. Most recently, he participated in Hungary’s Free Practice session and ended in 16th place.
2026 Formula 2 Championship
With five rounds left in the 2026 F2 season, only 22 points separate the top three drivers. As silly season continues, Formula 1 teams can look to F2 to evaluate their options for future drivers.
Nikolas Tsolov, who is currently leading the standings, is a member of the Red Bull Junior Team. Neither Racing Bulls driver has been confirmed for 2027, and Tsolov is emerging as a contender for one of the seats. In a press conference at the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix, Alan Permane, the Racing Bulls’ Team Principal, stated that Tsolov is “next in line.”
Gabriele Minì, the current runner-up, is a member of the Alpine Academy. While Pierre Gasly has been confirmed for next year, there is still speculation about who his teammate will be. Additionally, rumors have recently increased that third-place Rafael Câmara may join Haas to partner Oliver Bearman.
With many seats still open for the 2027 F1 season, the top three F2 drivers will be hoping to finish the season with solid results in order to get a well-earned promotion.
Edited by Morgan Holiday
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