The 2025 Formula 2 season is well over the halfway stage, and as ever, the championship has delivered unpredictability, drama, and a glimpse into Formula 1’s future. With nine different race winners – six of those winning multiple races – a fiercely contested title fight, and several rookies making instant impacts, the story of the season so far is one of opportunity, pressure, and resilience.
Unlike Formula 1, where McLaren continues to dominate, F2’s season is still hotly contested in both drivers and teams’ championships. The lead has already changed hands multiple times, and the top five in the standings are separated by fewer than just 30 points; hardly a comfortable margin in a series where fortunes can swing in a single weekend.
The Chronicle Headlines – F2 2025 Part 1
- Fornaroli Leads the Charge – Invicta’s Leonardo Fornaroli has set the benchmark with consistent drives, just like in his winning F3 campaign last year. The rookie has combined race wins with consistent points hauls to hold a narrow lead in both the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships.
- Crawford & Verschoor Keep It Tight – Jak Crawford’s winning strategic drive in Monaco and Richard Verschoor’s trio of victories ensure that Fornaroli’s advantage is anything but comfortable; both drivers have been applying pressure as the season heads into its closing stages.
- Dunne Makes History – Alex Dunne delivered Ireland’s first-ever Formula 2 victory in Bahrain and impressed in McLaren’s F1 car, but penalties and disqualifications have cost him crucial points in his rookie campaign. The youngster, however, still sits in P5.
- Lindblad Breaks Records – At a mere 17 years old, Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad became the youngest F2 race winner in history at Jeddah and followed it up with a dominant pole-to-win performance in Barcelona.
- Browning’s Close Call – Luke Browning’s could have ended prematurely in Austria when Sami Meguetounif’s car flew over his cockpit by inches; a frightening reminder of the sport’s risks and the developments in driver safety. However, the Williams junior has since bounced back to sit in P4 in the Championships – one point ahead of Dunne.
Championship Contenders
At the sharp end, Leonardo Fornaroli leads the standings for Invicta Racing. The Italian, who graduated from Formula 3 in 2024 as champion, has been the picture of consistency. Despite lacking the experience of some rivals, Fornaroli has maximized nearly every race finish. Three victories and a string of podiums have ensured Invicta not only tops the Drivers’ standings but also leads the Teams’ Championship.
Close behind is Jak Crawford, who has begun to convert his pace into results. The American, now in his third F2 season, won in Imola and Monaco with a mix of aggressive racing and well-judged strategy. Crawford’s ability to stay calm in chaotic conditions like Monaco, where a perfectly timed pitstop during a race that caught out more experienced drivers, underlined growing maturity from the DAMS driver.
Richard Verschoor is another seasoned driver holding his own at the top-end of the table. The Dutchman has built his campaign on racecraft, picking up three victories across Jeddah, Barcelona, and the Red Bull Ring. His experience and ability to capitalise on rivals’ mistakes make him a dangerous contender as we head into the last few races of the season.
Lurking just behind the leading trio are two rookies who have redefined expectations: Alex Dunne and Arvid Lindblad.
Breakthrough Rookies
Alex Dunne has been one of the most talked-about drivers of the year. The Irish teenager’s campaign was off to a flying start with a Feature Race victory in Bahrain, becoming the first Irish driver ever to win in Formula 2. Backed by McLaren, Dunne has since juggled his F2 campaign with F1 duties, including an impressive FP1 outing in Austria where he ended up fourth in the timesheets.
However, Dunne’s season has been far from smooth; the Rodin driver was disqualified in Austria – and a post-race penalty stripped him of victory at Spa, dropping him to tenth. These setbacks have prevented him from mounting a stronger challenge to Fornaroli, but the flashes of brilliance in the youngster are undeniable. At just 19, he looks destined for bigger stages – and speculation is swirling over a potential move to F1 in the coming years, as teams like Cadillac look to scout out drivers to complete their lineups.
Dunne’s Online Troubles
After a crash in Monaco that saw Dunne accidentally create an 11-car incident, 19-year-old revealed he had received a torrent of abusive messages online. “It was really bad and quite upsetting,” he admitted, saying he deleted social media apps from his phone to cope. His openness about the mental side of the sport resonated with many fans and fellow drivers, and has brought back to the surface a recurring theme in the sport. Spectators subject drivers to online abuse, regardless of their discipline or age.An issue, the FIA says, will not be tolerated.
Then there’s Arvid Lindblad, the Red Bull junior who is still only 17. Lindblad made history in Jeddah as the youngest F2 winner ever, before claiming his first Feature race victory from pole in Barcelona. He has quickly developed a reputation for composure under pressure, rarely rattled despite his age. Red Bull has been careful not to brand him the “next Verstappen,” but insiders suggest they see him as a long-term cornerstone of their junior programme, having applied for a superlicense for the youngster earlier this year.
Beyond the Frontrunners
Beyond the headline names, several other drivers have carved out their own stories.
- Luke Browning, the Williams Academy driver, may not have grabbed headlines with wins, but his consistency keeps him in the top five. His season nearly ended in Austria when Sami Meguetounif’s airborne car narrowly cleared his cockpit – a reminder of the sport’s inherent risks and the impressive safety features imposed in the sport. Browning later admitted the Halo saved his life, calling it a “three-inch margin from disaster.” The Brit rebounded the very next day with a points finish.
- Kush Maini continues to balance his F2 commitments with his role as Alpine’s F1 reserve driver. His position is historic: he is the first Indian driver in over a decade to be directly affiliated with a Formula 1 team. While race results have been mixed, the broader significance of his presence has not gone unnoticed.
- Dino Beganović, Ferrari’s junior, took his first pole position at Imola. Though inconsistent in races, his qualifying speed has marked him as one to watch.
- Roman Staněk and Oliver Goethe have also chipped away with occasional podiums, keeping MP Motorsport and Invicta strong in the Teams’ standings.
Team Shuffles and New Faces
One of the defining features of 2025 has been the sheer turnover in the grid. With four F2 drivers stepping up to Formula 1 this season – Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Bearman, Isack Hadjar, and Kimi Antonelli – several top teams were forced into complete rebuilds.
- Invicta Racing, despite losing both drivers over the winter, struck gold by signing Fornaroli and bringing back Staněk.
- Campos Racing replaced Hadjar with Lindblad, who has already exceeded expectations.
- Prema Racing, after losing Bearman and Antonelli, fielded an all-new line-up with Gabriele Minì and Sebastián Montoya.
- AIX Racing became the first Emirati-licensed team in Formula 2, signing Scottish rookie Cian Shields and giving the grid a new cultural footprint.
The turnover has refreshed the championship, making the field more competitive and unpredictable than in recent years.
The Road Ahead
As the season resumes after the summer break, the margins at the front are razor-thin. Fornaroli has the points cushion, but Crawford and Verschoor are well within striking distance. Dunne and Lindblad remain the wildcards but are still in the running; if either can string together consistent finishes, they could upset the apple cart. Meanwhile, teams like Prema and Rodin will be eager to convert flashes of promise into regular points.
The 2025 Formula 2 season so far has delivered everything fans expect from the series: unpredictability, emerging stars, and a title fight that refuses to settle. It has also reminded us that F2 is more than just a stepping stone to Formula 1; it’s a championship in its own right, with drivers facing the same pressures, scrutiny, and risks as their F1 counterparts.
Fornaroli’s consistency, Crawford’s resurgence, Verschoor’s opportunism, Dunne’s resilience, or Lindblad’s precocious talent, the second half of the season promises to be just as compelling. The drivers head back to the track from the 5th to the 7th of September in Monza to pick up the pace as the finish line approaches.
Featured Image Credit: Dutch Photo Agency / Red Bull Content Pool