In 2017, the GP2 Series (2005-2016) was rebranded as the FIA Formula 2 Championship, paving the way for the modern era of motorsport. Like GP2, Formula 2 continues to serve as a direct feeder series into Formula 1. However, clinching the feeder series title does not guarantee future success, or even a seat, in Formula 1.
F2 has produced a number of big names who have gone on to compete in F1 and challenge for the world title. These include Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto, all of which have retained their seats in F1 for the 2026 season. However, a few of their fellow F2 Champions such as Nyck de Vries, Mick Schumacher, Felipe Drugovich and Théo Pourchaire, have not been as lucky.
A mixture of failing to deliver performances expected of an F1 driver and missing out on an F1 seat altogether has resulted in them making the switch to other motorsport series to advance their careers. The drivers all still share one dream, however and making it to F1 remains the ultimate goal. If at first you don’t succeed, then try, try again.
Let’s take a look at where the modern era of F2 Champions find themselves in their motorsport careers today. This is the first part of a two-part series covering the careers of the 2017-2024 F2 Champions. In Part I, we focus on the 2017-2020 F2 Champions: Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Nyck de Vries and Mick Schumacher.
Charles Leclerc (2017)
Monaco’s “Golden Boy” Becomes First-Ever F2 Champion
Was it always inevitable that a driver born and raised in Monaco – one of the most historic and glamorous motorsport locations in the world – would go on to become one of the most globally recognised and successful drivers of the modern motorsport era?
Charles Leclerc graduated from GP3 after dominating the 2016 season with ART Grand Prix. Ahead of its inaugural season in 2017, he joined Prema Racing in F2.
The Monegasque driver made a name for himself as a future superstar by putting on a dominant display in his rookie season. Achieving seven victories and seven pole positions, he finished a remarkable 72 points ahead of his closest rival in the Championship, Artem Markelov. Charles was crowned winner of the first-ever F2 season, and claimed his second successive title victory.
Despite his unwavering success, 2017 was a life-changing year for Charles and the Leclerc family for another reason. In Azerbaijan, Charles claimed his third win of the season just days after the death of his father, who he dedicated his win to. He proved that even when hit with an unimaginable sense of grief, you can use it as motivation to work hard and achieve your dreams, whilst making loved ones proud. Charles’ resilience and bravery is a reason why so many involved in motorsport admire him.
Alfa Romeo Sauber: Where Charles’ F1 Journey Began
Following his F2 title win, Charles was signed by the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for his debut F1 season in 2018. His role within the Ferrari Driver Academy played a part in this move. He lined up alongside the more experienced Marcus Ericsson.
In his season with Alfa Romeo, Charles exceeded expectations by finishing in the points on several occasions. His most impressive points haul was in Azerbaijan, where he finished in P6. He scored 39 points overall, placing 13th in the Drivers’ standings and outperforming his teammate.
Charles’ incredible form during his rookie season – in a car supposedly lacking competitiveness – did not go unnoticed by Ferrari. They signed Charles ahead of the 2019 season. This made him the first Ferrari Driver Academy graduate to be promoted to the senior Ferrari team since the scheme was launched in 2009. He would partner four-time F1 World Champion, Sebastian Vettel, replacing another World Champion, Kimi Räikkönen.
Fulfilling a Childhood Dream as a Ferrari Driver
When stepping foot in the Ferrari car for the first time, Charles became one of their youngest ever drivers, and the first Monegasque. As expected, he did not fail to impress in his first season in scarlet-red. He became both their youngest ever pole-sitter and winner by the end of the 2019 season.
His first pole position for the Tifosi and in F1 came in Bahrain. He led the two Ferraris in Qualifying, faster than his teammate by 0.294 seconds. Charles had to wait until the Belgian Grand Prix for his first F1 win, however.
The Monegasque converted his third F1 pole position into his first race win at Spa-Francorchamps. This made him F1’s third-youngest race winner at the time. However, the weekend was overshadowed by the tragic passing of F2 driver and Charles’ friend, Anthoine Hubert. Like he did with his father in F2, Charles dedicated this win to Anthoine.
With two race wins and 10 podiums, Charles claimed P4 in the Drivers’ standings with 264 points. In only his second season in F1, he placed ahead of his World Champion teammate by 24 points. He also helped Ferrari to secure P2 in the Constructors’, behind a dominant Mercedes.
F1 Career Highlights
Charles remains at Ferrari in 2026, marking his eighth season racing in red and his ninth in F1. He has built up some mega stats in those nine years, entering 171 Grands Prix and scoring 1672 points in total.
Yet to win a World Championship title, Charles has given it his all every single season. His closest F1 title challenge came in 2022, when he led the Championship fight early on. Despite this, he finished runner-up at the end of the season, losing out to Max Verstappen by a margin of 146 points.
He Wins in Monaco, He Wins in Monza
In his time in F1, the Monegasque has secured eight race wins, 50 podiums and 27 pole positions. The most notable of these wins both occurred during the 2024 season.
After missing out on the win in previous years after starting on pole, due to issues with the car and failed strategies, he finally reigned victorious at his home race in Monaco. Achieving his childhood dream of winning the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, he became the first Monegasque driver to win at home since the F1 World Championship began.
Later in the season, Charles secured a stunning victory in front of the passionate Tifosi fans at Monza – Ferrari’s home Grand Prix. With Ferrari getting strategies wrong more often than right, their one-stop strategy paid off this time. Charles managed to hold off the two McLarens to finish ahead at the chequered flag. This is his second Italian Grand Prix win whilst racing for Ferrari – the first being in 2019.
After a difficult season in 2025, Charles will want to help bring Ferrari back towards the front in 2026. He may have outperformed his new teammate, seven-time World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton, last time out, but can he affirm his status as Ferrari’s number one driver?
George Russell (2018)
Wrapping Up His Rookie Season in Style as F2 Champion
The Norfolk-born George Russell stormed to F2 victory in his rookie season in 2018. After graduating from GP3 to F2 with ART Grand Prix, he increased his winning streak with the team, claiming back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.
Signing to the Mercedes Junior Programme in 2017, the Championship-winning team spotted his talent and winning mentality early on.
In 2018, George proved the Silver Arrows right. He did so by achieving the highest points haul of an F2 Champion at the time (287 points). This meant that he ended the season an impressive 68 points ahead of his closest rival in the Championship fight – his fellow Brit, Lando Norris.
The young Brit faced tough competition throughout the season from some of F2’s most successful and renowned graduates. A healthy rivalry existed between George and his close friends, Lando Norris and Alexander Albon. These are the two drivers George graduated from F2 to F1 with, all fulfilling their childhood dreams in the same year (2019). To this day, they continue to push each other to the limit.
Despite this competition, George was unstoppable during his F2 campaign. A total of seven wins – four of which were consecutive – 12 podiums, six pole positions and six fastest laps suggested he was a force to be reckoned with when he progressed to F1 the following year with Williams.
A Boy From King’s Lynn Makes His F1 Dream a Reality
Already having experience in F1 from participating in two FP1 sessions for Force India and four tests for Mercedes, George’s dominant F2 campaign sealed him a multi-year deal with Williams in F1 for the 2019 season. He would partner Robert Kubica, becoming the first British driver to race full-time for Williams since Jenson Button in 2000.
George went on to complete three seasons with Williams – each year learning and progressing as an F1 driver. In his debut season, Williams faced the challenge of being unable to fight for points. This saw Russell and Kubica finish rock bottom of the standings. Nevertheless, George put his all into his performances, proving why he earned his seat in the first place.
In 2020, George’s 2019 teammate was replaced by Nicholas Latifi. It would be another year of struggles for Williams. Yet again, they placed last in the Constructors’ standings, both drivers failing to score.
Nevertheless, George gained the name “Mr Saturday” this year, due to his ability to outperform his machinery in Qualifying. He made nine Q2 appearances in the Williams in 2020 – a year which proved to be very significant for his future in F1.
A Call-up to Mercedes to Replace Hamilton at Sakhir, and a Maiden Podium at Spa
At the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, George was called upon to replace an unwell Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes.
Mr Saturday lived up to his name, qualifying P2 for the race. On Sunday, he led the majority of the race, but ended up losing his lead. A pit strategy mix-up and a late slow puncture resulted in him tumbling down the order to P9, denying him of a maiden win. However, a truly phenomenal performance in the Mercedes reaffirmed his star quality.
George’s final season at Williams in 2021 was full of many highs. Not only did he help Williams to secure P8 in the Constructors’, he consistently outperformed Latifi, earning 16 points and 15th in the Drivers’ standings.
It was this season that George claimed his first podium in F1, retaining his P2 position in Spa Qualifying in Sunday’s race. He would go on to achieve a further four points finishes, closing his final chapter at Williams full of confidence.
Rising to the Challenge of Partnering Mercedes’ Main Man: Sir Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes were in awe of the Brit’s results in a Williams car lacking performance. They offered him a full-time seat with the team, replacing Valtteri Bottas ahead of the 2022 season. George would face an extremely difficult challenge at Mercedes. He would partner the most successful driver of the 21st century, seven-time World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton.
However, in his debut season with the team, George would prove everyone wrong. He ended the 2022 season in P4, ahead of Hamilton by 35 points. George stood on the podium eight times, but Hamilton beat him with nine in total. 2022 saw Hamilton endure his first winless campaign of his career, whilst his teammate secured both Mercedes’ sole pole position and win of the season in Brazil – more on that later.
2023 was a tough season for all, unless your name is Max Verstappen. In a season dominated by the Dutchman, George and Hamilton pipped Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to P2 in the Constructors’ – just three points in it after the conclusion of the season finale in Abu Dhabi. The following season (2024) saw George return to the top step for the first time since his maiden win. He clinched wins in both Austria and Las Vegas.
F1 Career Highlights
George remains committed to leading Mercedes back to Championship-winning ways after Hamilton’s departure from the team. He will compete in his fifth season with the Silver Arrows in 2026, alongside his 2025 rookie teammate, Kimi Antonelli.
In his eight years in F1, George has entered 152 Grands Prix, securing 1033 points, five race wins, 24 podiums and seven pole positions. The most memorable of his five wins will always be his maiden win in Brazil in 2022.
An Emotional Maiden Grand Prix Win at Interlagos
Brazil holds a special place for Mercedes. Hamilton has won three times here and is popular with the nation. His special tributes to childhood hero Ayrton Senna, as well as the work he has carried out within the country, have contributed towards him receiving honorary citizenship.
In 2022, it was George’s turn to win the Brazilian fans over, whilst also fulfilling his childhood dream. After winning the Sprint race, he completed the double, taking the chequered flag in P1 in Sunday’s Grand Prix for the first time in his F1 career.
The emotions came pouring out over Mercedes’ team radio almost instantly. In this moment, it was clear just how much this meant to the young driver. Hamilton came home in 2nd, completing the team’s only one-two of the season. A successful weekend all-round for the Silver Arrows and, arguably, their highlight of the 2022 season.
If you had told a young George that he would be teammates with his idol, Hamilton, let alone share the podium with him for his maiden win, he probably wouldn’t have believed you. The iconic photograph of George as a boy, admiring and waiting for an autograph from the F1 World Champion, makes this a full circle moment.
Arguably, 2025 confirmed the driver from King’s Lynn as a Championship contender, ending the year ahead of his rookie teammate in P4 with 319 points. He also helped Mercedes to return to P2 in the Constructors’. He will hope to carry his consistent run of form from 2025 into the 2026 season.
In a season which will see a massive change in regulations and the machinery the drivers race in, could George finally come out on top as World Champion?
Nyck de Vries (2019)
F2 Champion Three Years in the Making
Nyck de Vries was promoted from GP3 to F2 in 2017, ahead of its inaugural season. With two wins to his name, racing for ART Grand Prix in the 2016 GP3 season, the Dutchman earned himself 6th place in the Drivers’ Championship standings. Promising performances during a challenging season earned him his first F2 seat with Rapax.
In his debut season (2017) Nyck finished a respectable 7th place in the Drivers’ standings. A mid-season team switch from Rapax to Racing Engineering allowed him to achieve his first taste of F2 glory in Monaco. There’s no better way to celebrate your first win than at motorsport’s most renowned circuit.
For 2018, Nyck made the switch to Prema Racing. He improved on his result from the previous year, climbing three places in the Drivers’ standings to 4th, and bagging himself three wins.
It took Nyck three attempts, but he finally clinched the F2 title in 2019. Making the move back to ART Grand Prix – who he previously raced for in GP3 – he dominated the season. He secured the title with three races to spare, achieving 266 points overall, four race wins, and a record number of podiums (12).
F1 Career Over in the Blink of an Eye
Nyck’s F2 success didn’t earn him a seat in F1 straight away. Instead, he graduated from F2 to a full-time drive in Formula E with Mercedes-Benz EQ for 2020. During his rookie season, he racked up four points finishes and a podium.
The following season saw the Dutchman claim his first win in FE in the opening race of Season 7. That same year (2021) he was crowned the first FIA-sanctioned FE World Champion, outscoring main title rival Edoardo Mortara by seven points. Nyck’s success in both F2 and FE continued to prove why he was worthy of a seat in F1, attracting interest for a potential appearance in the future.
During the 2022 F1 Italian Grand Prix weekend, Williams’ Alex Albon had to suddenly withdraw due to suspected appendicitis. Nyck was called upon by Williams to act as a last-minute substitute. This opportunity proved crucial in determining the next stages of Nyck’s career. Qualifying inside the top 10, he crossed the line in Sunday’s Grand Prix in an impressive P9, scoring points on debut. The Dutchman made a name for himself in F1 after this tremendous performance.
Alpha Tauri seized the opportunity to permanently sign Nyck for the 2023 season. However, after just 10 races, he was dropped by the Red Bull junior team and replaced by Daniel Ricciardo ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. The reasons given include his struggle to make an impression alongside his more experienced teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Nyck was also surrounded by a backdrop of speculation and pressure from the media on his future with the team.
Returning to Formula E and a New Adventure in Endurance Racing
Following his short stint in F1, Nyck returned to his roots in FE with Mahindra Racing for the 2023/24 season (Season 10). His main goal: to clinch a second World Championship. Despite a delayed start, he ended the year with a best finish of 4th in London – a year full of lessons.
Continuing with the outfit for the GEN3 Evo era, the Season 7 Champion had arguably his best season since returning to FE. He returned to the podium with Mahindra, finishing 2nd in Monaco. He added another two 2nd place finishes to this, rounding out the year with two visits to the podium in the London double-header.
During this time, he also signed with Toyota Gazoo Racing in the Hyperclass of the World Endurance Championship (WEC). In his first season with the team, they achieved 2nd place in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and 3rd overall in the WEC standings.
Now, alongside racing in FE and the WEC, Nyck also has responsibilities with McLaren as a Test and Simulator Driver. He has been associated with McLaren for a large part of his career, joining the McLaren Young Driver Programme when he was just a boy, proving that even during his karting days, he was deemed the next big thing.
An abrupt ending to Nyck’s F1 career after just 10 races proves just how brutal F1 can be. Success does in fact come in different forms. Nyck has shown resilience and the ability to bounce back by not hesitating to take on new challenges outside of F1. With his success in FE and the WEC and close ties to the McLaren F1 Team, could we see Nyck given a second chance in F1 in the near future?
Mick Schumacher (2020)
Another Schumacher is Champion: Following in His Father’s Footsteps
The Schumacher name carries immense expectation and pressure. Michael Schumacher, the seven-time F1 World Champion, left his son a huge legacy to live up to. During his stint in F2, Mick showed the world his potential to follow in his father’s footsteps. Clinching the F2 title in only his second season, he continued to write his own success story to go alongside his father’s.
Mick made the step up to F2 for the 2019 season after winning the GP3 title the previous year. His rookie season with Prema Racing was challenging, as it consisted of him getting used to the different, heavy-feel of the F2 cars. Despite this, he secured his maiden F2 win in the sprint race at the Hungaroring.
Mick ended his rookie season in 12th in the Drivers’ standings. The lessons learned during this season would prove crucial for 2020 – the year he would go on to claim the F2 title.
During his Championship-winning year, Mick claimed significant victories in the Monza and Sochi Feature races. These wins were accompanied by 10 podium finishes. Mick showcased a high level of consistency during his title charge, achieving five consecutive podiums from Spain to Monza. His development from the previous season and consistency throughout 2020 would earn him his first F1 seat.
In a wild final race in Bahrain, Mick finished down in P18, whilst his title rival Callum Ilott also failed to score. This meant the young German was crowned F2 Champion, outscoring Ilott by 14 points. Before securing the F2 title, Mick had already been confirmed to make his F1 debut as a driver for Haas in 2021. After eight years, it was time to return the Schumacher name to F1 glory.
Famous Surname Returns to F1, But Only For Two Seasons
In 2021, Mick lined up alongside the Russian Nikita Mazepin. In his debut F1 season, Mick and Haas struggled. Both Mick and Mazepin failed to score points across the entire season, resulting in them and Haas placing rock bottom of both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings. One positive for the German to take, however, was that he outperformed his teammate throughout the season.
Haas’ woes continued into the new season. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to a decision being made by the team to terminate Mazepin’s contract before the beginning of the 2022 season. He was immediately replaced by Kevin Magnussen, who was making his return to Haas and F1 after a year out. The pressure was now really on Mick to fight for his place in the team, competing alongside one of the grid’s most senior and experienced drivers.
Although struggling again with reliability and performance issues, 2022 was a more positive year for Mick and Haas. He scored a total of 12 points this season. This included finishing an impressive P6 at the Austrian Grand Prix and P8 at Silverstone.
Mick placed 16th in the final Drivers’ standings, helping Haas to achieve P8 in the Constructors’. This was a massive improvement on the previous year’s result. However, he was outperformed by his more experienced teammate, who achieved 25 points to place 13th overall.
Despite promising flashes of speed and a vast improvement made in his second season, Mick was dropped by Haas at the end of 2022. A combination of performance issues and costly crashes resulted in Haas opting for a more experienced driver lineup for 2023. Nico Hülkenberg was the chosen replacement.
Sitting on the Sidelines as Mercedes Reserve Driver
A disheartened Mick was quickly given hope that his F1 dream was still alive after his departure from Haas. The Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team seized the opportunity to sign him as their reserve driver for the 2023/24 seasons. Significantly, Mercedes is the team Mick’s father ended his F1 career with, assisting with the development of the team that would later dominate the sport for many years.
Although gaining valuable experience, Mick failed to take part in a Grand Prix session during his two years with the team. He watched on as the British duo of Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell delivered results for the Silver Arrows. Mick’s chances of gaining a full-time seat in F1 were slowly fading further away.
Switch to Endurance Racing and a New Challenge Awaits in IndyCar
Mick announced his departure from Mercedes at the end of 2024, making the switch to Endurance Racing. He signed with the Alpine Hypercar team to compete in the WEC, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
Over two seasons, Mick returned to the podium. He secured his maiden WEC podium at the 6 Hours of Fuji in 2024, and continued this streak with several other podiums finishes.
It is no secret that Mick’s main goal remains to race in F1 again one day. Ahead of the 2026 season, which will see Cadillac enter F1 as the 11th team, Mick would have hoped for the opportunity to claim one of the two seats on offer. However, he was beaten (yet again) to a seat by two more experienced drivers: Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez.
Mick has decided to pursue the next stage of his career in IndyCar. After impressing in testing, he will be racing for the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team (RLL) in 2026.
By gaining experience in other motorsport series and achieving success, perhaps Mick will return to F1’s radar of drivers to watch. Will Mick bounce back and live up to his father’s legacy, or has his time in F1 passed?
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Part II of our series on F2 Champions is coming soon. This will cover the careers of the 2021-2024 F2 Champions: Oscar Piastri, Felipe Drugovich, Théo Pourchaire and Gabriel Bortoleto.
Feature Image Credits: Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, Red Bull Content Pool