FS Weekly Recap: McLaren, Maini, Montoya and more
- DIVEBOMB Motorsport
- 13 minutes ago
- 11 min read
Written by Jasmin Low, Liam Ploetner, Vyas Ponnuri and Meghana Sree
Welcome to Feeder Series Weekly Recap, a series bringing you all the news from the world of junior racing series. The Formula 2 season may be complete, but that doesn’t mark the end of the news line just yet. DIVEBOMB brings you all the news from the past week….
Formula 2
McLaren announce Verschoor, Fornaroli and Costoya in revamped Driver Development Programme
Ahead of the final race of the Formula 2 season, McLaren announced the signings of F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli and F2 record race winner Richard Verschoor to join their Driver Development Programme, as well as 2025 FIA European Karting Champion Christian Costoya.
Fornaroli won the Formula 3 Championship in 2024 with Trident before going on to win the Formula 2 title as a rookie with the Invicta team. Fornaroli has not previously been in a driver academy and his performances in F2 and F3 have certainly warranted hype.
Verschoor is quite the opposite to Fornaroli, having competed in F2 since 2021 with MP Motorsport, Charouz Racing System, Trident and Van Amersfoort Racing, taking eight victories, four of which came this season. He was a member of the Red Bull Junior Team from 2016-17.
Costoya is set to make his single-seater debut in the 2026 F4 Middle East Championship and is seen as one to watch in the future due to his impressive record in karting, which includes winning the 2025 Karting European Championship and the WSK Euro Series. The latter has been won by the likes of Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli and Arvid Lindblad.
The trio join the likes of Pato O’Ward, Matteo De Palo and Ella Lloyd in the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
Alex Dunne sticks with Rodin Motorsport for the 2026 F2 season
Rodin Motorsport have confirmed that Alex Dunne will partner fellow ex-McLaren junior Martinius Stenshorne for the 2026 F2 season. The decision comes after Dunne completed a successful rookie campaign with the UK-based squad, in which he took a trip to the podium eight times, including two race wins.
Speaking on the announcement, Dunne shared his excitement toward continuing with Rodin and the positive relationship he has formed with the team:
“I’m really happy to be staying with Rodin for the 2026 season,” commented the Irishman. “I’ve built a great relationship with the whole team and the way we work together is really positive.”
Dunne, who spent a brief period sitting pretty atop the championship standings earlier in the season, will look to improve on his fifth-placed championship finish as he moves into his second year in F2.
“I’m confident that we will be fighting for the title next year.” remarked Dunne, who will undoubtedly use the experience gained in his rookie season in his pursuit of the title in 2026.
Sebastián Montoya remains with PREMA for sophomore F2 campaign
Feeder Series legends PREMA Racing have announced that they will field Sebastián Montoya for a second year in Formula 2.
The signing marks the continuation of Montoya’s longstanding legacy with the team, having made his single seater debut and climbed his way up the Feeder Series ladder with the Italian outfit.
The Colombian finished 12th in the 2025 F2 championship, outscoring his teammate Gabriele Minì by 19 points. With Minì set to leave the team for MP Motorsport, Montoya will line up alongside the already confirmed Mari Boya who will make the move from Campos Racing after finishing third in the 2025 F3 championship.
Team Principal Rene Rosin commended the 20-year-old for being a “great team player,” which will serve Montoya well as the more experienced driver of next year’s pairing.
Montoya expressed his gratitude to the team for their continued support:
"I'm really happy to be with the team again in 2026. I think the work we have done this year has been incredible, we had some ups and downs, but the biggest thing has been the learning process and how we've merged together.”
Montoya and PREMA share a common goal of continuing to push for even better results in the coming year.
“I think the mindset for next year is just to keep our head down, keep pushing, and see what it brings.”
Laurens van Hoepen to make full-time F2 debut with Trident
Laurens van Hoepen is set to take the next step in his racing journey, with Trident confirming that the Dutchman will compete in the 2026 F2 championship as a full-time driver with the team.
The announcement marks a natural progression in van Hoepen’s journey with the Milanese team, after receiving an early call-up to the series and competing in the final three rounds of the 2025 season.
Earlier in 2024, van Hoepen competed in his second F3 season with ART Grand Prix, finishing 12th overall with two podium finishes.
“I’m excited to compete in next season’s FIA Formula 2 Championship with Trident Motorsport. The experience gained in the three appearances I made in this championship has been very useful in preparing for this step,” said van Hoepen after having gained valuable experience at three circuits which are not present on the F3 calendar.
“Together with the technical staff, we made progress that will be fundamental for next year. We have an intense and challenging season ahead of us.”
MP Motorsport reveal 2026 F2 driver line-up; Alpine and Red Bull juniors in the mix
MP Motorsport revealed its 2026 line-up over the past week, with existing driver Ollie Goethe continuing at the team in orange heading into next year. Goethe joined forces with veteran Richard Verschoor at the beginning of 2025.
The German driver started to hit his straps in the final two weekends of his rookie season, grabbing pole in Lusail. His joy was short-lived, though, as he would lose pole after being found guilty of impeding Rodin Motorsport’s Martinius Stenshorne during the session.
While Goethe faced an engine failure in the sprint after starting fourth, his weekend at Yas Marina reaped more rewards. Qualifying sixth for the weekend, this translated into a fourth position start in the sprint. Goethe came home fifth after losing a battle with Dino Beganovic in the final laps.
A strong showing in the Feature Race saw Goethe come home fifth, once again, scoring his best result of the year on a Sunday. While 15th in the standings and 37 points is certainly not a direct reflection of Goethe’s talent, there’s no doubt the Red Bull junior now has a solid base to build on, when he takes to the grid for 2026.
“I’m truly delighted to stay with MP Motorsport for my second year in FIA Formula 2”, Goethe said after his announcement. “Over the years, the team has become a second home away from home for me, and through all the adversity, our bond has only grown stronger this year.
“Now, having experienced a full season of F2, my plan is to capitalise on all the knowledge that I’ve gained over the year and build on that with the experienced engineering crew at MP. First, I’m aiming to give this season the best possible finish, and then it’s full speed ahead to 2026!”
Only days later, MP Motorsport announced Alpine junior Gabriele Minì as Goethe’s teammate for 2026. The Italian driver moves over from PREMA Racing, once again looking to build on a strong end to his rookie campaign.
Despite scoring a podium on F2 debut in Baku in 2024, Minì’s campaign did not get off to the fastest of starts. A string of points scores would eventually translate into a podium finish in the Monaco sprint, alongside fellow Alpine junior Kush Maini.
While it took a while for Minì’s campaign to truly kick off, a sprint podium at Spa-Francorchamps and a run of four consecutive points scores through Monza and Baku saw him finally showcase his potential.
Minì scored a podium in the season finale at Abu Dhabi, his best finish in an F2 Feature Race, a strong end to the campaign leaving him with plenty to look forward to in 2026.
“I’m very excited to be able to join MP Motorsport for my second full season in FIA Formula 2”, Minì said, speaking on the news.
“Their drivers have been strong rivals all throughout my career in single-seaters, and definitely in F2 as well, so it’s good to be switching to their side for next year!
“I know it’s a Dutch team, but teaming up with MP is some sort of homecoming as well, as their engineering team is led by three highly regarded Italians who have won several titles in Formula 2 and know all about winning. I can’t wait to get to work with them and the rest of the team, and head out to Melbourne fully prepared for our first race together.”
Ritomo Miyata moves to Hitech for 2026 alongside IndyCar racer
Hitech completed their driver line-up for 2026, bringing together two drivers with plenty of success in two disciplines across the planet. Former Super Formula champion Ritomo Miyata has joined the team in 2026, partnering Colton Herta, who moves into the series from Andretti’s IndyCar operation.
Miyata has faced a major learning curve through his F2 career, moving from predominantly Japanese tracks to the less-familiar European track layouts. His first F2 campaign with Rodin Motorsport did not yield much, as the Japanese driver focused on learning the series.
Despite scoring points on debut in Bahrain and a pair of fifth position finishes in a chaotic European weekend, the unfamiliar European stages saw Miyata unable to match his competitors, eventually ending the season 19th in the order, scoring 31 points across the season.
The move to ART Grand Prix for 2025 brought fewer points finishes, but the bigger result. Qualifying on the front row in Friday’s 30-minute session, Miyata finally earned his maiden F2 podium in a wet weekend in Belgium, despite spinning out from the race lead at one point.
He rounded out the season with eighth in a chaotic Abu Dhabi Feature Race, taking his final tally to 30 points, and 17th in the standings.
Miyata will certainly be looking to improve on his showings when he joins 2025 runners-up Hitech in 2026, looking to take the team towards the Constructors’ title.
“I’m really excited to be joining Hitech for the 2026 FIA Formula 2 season. My first campaigns in F2 have been invaluable for my development, allowing me to gain experience with the cars, tyres, and circuits, and to refine my racecraft against some of the strongest young drivers in the world,” Miyata said, speaking on his announcement.
“Hitech has proven itself as one of the most competitive and professional teams in Formula 2, and I’m confident it’s the perfect environment to continue developing, challenge at the front, and deliver consistent results every weekend.
"I’m also grateful to Morizo-san, Toyota Gazoo Racing and everyone who has supported me on this journey. My goal is to keep improving, achieve podiums and strong race results, and continue pushing toward the highest level of this sport.”
John Bennett joins Trident for 2026
A year after making the surprise step up from GB3 to Formula 2, John Bennett will be leaving Van Amersfoort Racing, as he heads to Italian outfit Trident for 2026.
Having taken part in the post-season Formula 3 tests in 2024, Bennett was thrust into one of motor racing’s most intense events in Qatar. Partnering 2025 teammate Rafael Villagómez, Bennett managed to qualify ahead of the Mexican on debut, before scoring a fine eighth in the Feature Race.
While his performance earned a full-time seat in F2, the journey for Bennett was undoubtedly long. A steep learning curve awaited, as Bennett hadn’t raced on several tracks on the calendar, while the bigger F2 car proved tougher to handle as compared to the smaller GB3 cars he had raced. As he had mentioned to DIVEBOMB earlier this year, it was a ‘flipped-around’ reality to adapt to.
Bennett scored a point for his tenth-place finish in the Feature Race at Monza, but could not match teammate Villagómez, who took two podiums and scored 43 points in the standings.
Now heading to Trident alongside Laurens van Hoepen for 2026, Bennett will hope to make use of his year of experience to aid the Italian team’s charge in the upcoming season.
“I’m extremely happy to race with Trident Motorsport in the 2026 FIA Formula 2 Championship. "I am very grateful for this great opportunity and to fight in the second tier. I can’t wait to get on track and achieve excellent results together,” Bennett said, speaking on his announcement.
Kush Maini joins ART Grand Prix in 2026
Indian racer Kush Maini will be taking part in a fourth Formula 2 campaign, as he joins ART Grand Prix for the 2026 F2 season. Maini has raced for Campos, Invicta Racing and DAMS in his three-year F2 stint, experiencing sporadic success.
Despite doing only a year of Formula 3 racing, Maini was promoted to Campos’ F2 outfit alongside Ralph Boschung in 2023. He scored a maiden podium in the sprint race at Albert Park, holding off the chasing Arthur Leclerc in the final laps to claim his podium.
After a season of learning, Maini moved into Invicta Racing, partnering Gabriel Bortoleto in 2024. While a first pole in Jeddah, a series of five podiums and a maiden win in Hungary followed, Maini failed to score a single point in the final five F2 weekends. After sitting in a fine position in the top 10, he slid down to 13th in the standings, with 74 points to his name.
A move to DAMS did not yield much success either. Despite victory in Monaco, that was the only race in which the Indian racer would reach the rostrum. He would finish 2025 down in 16th, with 32 points to his name, rounding out the year with seventh in Abu Dhabi.
A move to ART Grand Prix might come with uncertainty, but Maini is certainly looking forward to the challenge, as well as partnering with new teammate Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak.
“I’m very happy to be joining such a historic team like ART Grand Prix," said Maini. "My first contacts with the engineers and mechanics have been very positive. I appreciate the determination and the human atmosphere within the team, and I can’t wait to start working with them and see what we can achieve together."
F1 Academy
Jade Jacquet joins the grid for 2026 with Williams
Jade Jacquet will make her F1 Academy debut in 2026, supported by Williams in the ART Grand Prix-operated car.
The French driver is also set to join the Williams Racing Driver Academy, following the footsteps of Lia Block. Block meanwhile departed the programme after her final F1 Academy season this year as she prepares to return to rally.
Jacquet began her international karting career in 2023, and made the leap to single-seater racing earlier this year. Joining the French Formula 4 series in 2025, Jacquet collected 12 top 20 finishes and additionally clinched the Female Trophy at the Dijon-Prenois circuit.
The 16-year-old also took part in F1 Academy’s first ever Rookie Test this September, where she recorded the 11th fastest time in the morning session and improved to the seventh fastest for the afternoon run.
Reacting to her jump to F1 Academy, Jacquet shared: "I’m super excited to be joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy and F1 Academy for the 2026 season.
“The team has been very welcoming and I’m looking forward to working with them to learn as much as I can throughout my debut season. Thank you to Atlassian Williams Racing for believing in me and I can’t wait to get on track.”
FREC
FREC calendar announced; includes five current F1 tracks
The Formula Regional European Championship announced their calendar for the 2026 season, including a mix of two and three-race weekends, which will be announced at a later date. This comes after Misano and Catalunya were both removed from the 2026 calendar.
The calendar itself features eight rounds. The season begins at the Red Bull Ring in Austria from the 24th to the 26th of April. They will be supporting the DTM series that weekend and in Zandvoort.
Following this is a month-long break before the first of two double-headers of Zandvoort and Spa-Francorchamps at the end of May, with a 300km trek for the teams and drivers to complete to get there. Spa marks the first of two occasions where the series will race on the same package as the GB3 Championship.
Three weeks later, they travel to the Temple of Speed, visiting Monza for the first of two Italian rounds in 2026.
Then they visit the Hungaroring on the first weekend of July alongside GB3, among other series. This weekend is the last to be at a 2026 Formula One circuit.
Two weeks later is a round at the Circuit Paul Ricard, which formerly hosted the French Grand Prix.
The season then ends with a double-header of Imola and Hockenheim from the 4th to the 6th of September and the 11th to the 13th.
