The first Formula 2 Feature Race of 2025 was cancelled after significant rainfall in Melbourne prevented any action to take place.

ART’s Victor Martins was hopeful of kickstarting the F2 season having landed pole position on Friday, but the elements took over.

With the prior Formula 3 Feature Race having been brought to an early conclusion due to the conditions, it seemed unlikely that any racing would take place.

The first delay was initially thought to be caused by Richard Verschoor’s MP Motorsport having a technical issue, but a few minutes later, the formation lap began.

However, the next delay would be announced by race control before the Safety Car had brought the field round.

The next formation lap began over half-an-hour later, with the laps now turning into ‘time remaining’, 16 minutes to be precise.

But with Verschoor’s team-mate Oliver Goethe spinning midway through the formation lap, it seemed that the race would be curtailed again.

It was, and race control was to then quickly announce the cancellation of the race, with the rain continuing to fall and time now rapidly running out.

With no points being given, F2 will arrive in Bahrain next month with Joshua Duerksen championship leader after his Sprint Race victory on Saturday, with last year’s F3 title-winner Leonardo Fornaroli second and Britain’s Luke Browning third.

READ MORE – Rafael Camara takes Melbourne F3 Feature Race win in tricky conditions

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AIX Racing’s Joshua Dürksen won the first Sprint Race of the new Formula 2 season in Melbourne after a chaotic race occurred at the Australian Albert Park circuit.

The Paraguayan led home Invicta Racing’s Leonardo Fornaroli and Hitech’s Luke Browning in a race impacted by several incidents.

Two safety cars were brought out after both Trident drivers, Max Esterson and Sami Meguetounif, crashed out.

Jak Crawford and Victor Martins also retired in a less than positive maiden outing in 2025 for the duo.

Durksen begins his F2 season, as he finished his last season having back-to-back race wins across two campaigns.

Reigning Formula 3 World Champion Fornaroli started the Sprint race on pole, and Dürksen joined him on the front row – Hitech’s Browning started from third on the grid.

Gabriele Mini initially took pole in qualifying but obtained a three-place penalty for the Sprint and Feature race for impeding Crawford, relegating him to 13th on the Sprint grid.

At lights out Fornaroli was slow off the marks with Dürksen leading into Turn 1, Martins went wide at Turn 1 but rejoined.

Alpine academy driver Kush Maini dropped down the order on the first lap, after going wide at Turn 10.

Martins retired in his ART Grand Prix machine on Lap 2 as he lost the rear of the car into Turn 5 and tumbled into the barriers and the VSC was called out.

Crawford’s retirement came on Lap 4 as two of last year’s front runners suffered DNFs.

Dino Beganovic pulled off a great move going into Turn 11 around the outside of Roman Stanek to gain temporary fifth place.

Esterson in the Trident car caused the first Safety Car of the race, as he lost the rear on entry to Turn 6, beaching himself in the gravel.

The race was back underway with green flag race conditions on Lap 11, with Dürksen having a good getaway from Fornaroli.

Beganovic had a huge spin at Turn 9, luckily avoiding oncoming cars, the Hitech driver got the car back going but dropped down to 15th place.

The second Trident of Meguetounif had a similar spin to Beganovic at Turn 9 and 10, but couldn’t catch the car and hit the barriers in the gravel, bringing out a second Safety Car of the Sprint race on Lap 15.

Dürksen had gained a two-second lead, which was eradicated.

The Paraguayan performed another solid restart getting away from Invicta’s Fornaroli, building up a one second gap, breaking the DRS train.

Mini got the fastest lap on Lap 21, chasing his Prema teammate Sebastian Montoya in sixth but to no avail.

Alexandre Dunne showed good pace throughout as he passed Arvid Lindblad and got into the ninth position, an amazing recovery from 16th on the grid.

Dürksen cruised home in the final few laps to top off a great drive from the Paraguayan as the two rookies behind him, Fornaroli and Browning, claimed their maiden F2 podiums.

MP’s Richard Verschoor was pressurising Browning but couldn’t get past him and had to settle for fourth with Fornaroli’s Invicta team-mate Roman Stanek rounding out the top five.

Montoya and Gabriele Mini finished sixth and seventh respectively as Red Bull junior Pepe Marti got the final point up for grabs, finishing in eighth place.

Dunne and Lindblad rounded out the top-10.

READ MORE – Victor Martins inherits F2 pole position following Gabriele Mini penalty

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Prema Racing driver Gabriele Mini has been stripped off his pole position for the opening round of the 2025 Formula 2 season in Melbourne, Australia.

Victor Martins will now start the Feature Race from pole, with Richard Verschoor promoted to second place due to Jak Crawford’s multiple 10-place grid penalties.

The Italian racing driver was summoned to the Stewards for impeding the DAMS Lucas Oil racing driver at Turn 4.

The officials concluded that Mini had obstructed Crawford, leading to a three-place grid penalty applicable to both races as part of the 2025 rule changes.

Mini, therefore, will start the Feature Race from fourth as Roman Stanek is also promoted into third place.

The Invicta Racing driver inherits third due to Crawford’s grid-drop and the same penalty being applied to Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Dunne as part of a scandal from pre-season testing.

The two drivers, along with their team-mates Kush Maini and Amaury Cordeel, plus the Trident duo of Sami Meguetounif Max Esterson, have been handed 10-place grid penalties for both races.

Rodin, DAMS and Trident were all found guilty of having an air pressure sensor installed by drilling spec parts to illegally measure aerodynamic loads in pre-season testing.

Hitech pair Dino Beganovic and Luke Browning are promoted to fifth and sixth respectively because of the grid penalties handed out.

Joshua Durksen will start from seventh for AIX Racing, Leonardo Fornaroli in eighth for Invicta, Sebastian Montoya ninth for Prema, and Ritomo Miyata rounding off the top 10 for ART.

Fornaroli will start the Sprint Race from pole, Durksen second and Browning third.

Mini, Crawford and Dunne all drop outside of the top 10 for the Sprint Race.

READ MORE: Gabriele Mini grabs maiden F2 pole ahead of Victor Martins in Melbourne

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Prema Racing driver Gabriele Mini clinched pole position for the opening Formula 2 Feature Race of 2025 after setting the fastest time at the Albert Park circuit.

ART Grand Prix racing driver Victor Martins qualified in second, with Jak Crawford finishing in third.

The Frenchman was the quickest driver in an interrupted Free Practice session to kick start the 2025 F2 season.

Alex Dunne, Oliver Goethe, Arvid Lindblad and Amaury Cordeel all suffered separate incidents in the opening session of the season.

Heading into Qualifying, a scandal involving six drivers had already seen multiple grid penalties handed out for both the Sprint Race and the Feature Race.

Crawford and Kush Maini from DAMS Lucas Oil, Cordeel and Dunne from Rodin Motorsport, plus Trident duo Sami Meguetounif and Max Esterson have been handed 10-place grid penalties.

The penalties were handed out after the three teams involved were found guilty of having an air pressure sensor installed by drilling spec parts to illegally measure aerodynamic loads in pre-season testing.

It allowed the teams to gather data illegally that other teams wouldn’t have.

Moving onto the action on track, Martins set the early pace with a 1:31.012s as contact between Goethe and Esterson occurred at Turn 13.

The American-British racing driver lost a part of his front wing after making contact with the MP Motorsport car.

Mini and Leonardo Fornaroli set lap times good enough for second and third, keeping Martins on his toes.

Soon after, his provisional pole position was snatched by multiple drivers.

First up, Joshua Durksen for AIX Racing momentarily went quickest before Martins improved, however, Crawford then set a fastest lap time of 1:30.184s.

Mini improved with a lap time of 1:30.178s to go quickest before Fornaroli shot up into first place.

The Invicta Racing driver improved once again with a lap time of 1:29.948s as he led from Mini in second, Crawford in third, Martins in fourth and Verschoor rounding off the top five with just over 10 minutes to go.

Lindblad for Campos Racing was struggling down in 16th place, as well as Sebastian Montoya down in 19th for Prema.

With the grid heading out for their final runs, Luke Browning improved to go into fourth before Martins regained provisional pole with a 1:29.523s.

Crawford narrowly missed out on beating Martins, as the American was 0.064s off his time.

Lindblad finally set a competitive time to go into sixth before others improved.

Mini went up into third, but his lap time was set during yellow flags in the final sector as his fellow Alpine junior Kush Maini spun in the DAMS car.

However, the Italian racing driver improved once again to go fastest with a lap time of 1:29.286s.

Verschoor initially went third before Mini went quicker to take pole position right as the session reached its conclusion.

With the chequered flag waved, Fornaroli went for a spin, but it was the man who finished runner-up to him in last season’s Formula 3 Championship who would go on to claim pole position.

Mini will start the first Feature Race of the season from pole with Martins in second place.

Crawford qualified in third but will start further back due to his grid penalty.

Verschoor set a lap time good enough for fourth place, and Dunne improved late on to go into fifth place, completing the top five.

Invicta’s Roman Stanek finished sixth, Dino Beganovic seventh for Hitech with his team-mate Browning in eighth.

Durksen finished in ninth, and the reigning F3 World Champion Fornaroli rounded off the top 10 to secure reverse-grid pole position for the Sprint Race.

READ MORE: Who are the 22 F2 drivers competing in 2025?

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The junior category is now in its ninth season under the FIA Formula 2 Championship name, with Invicta Racing prepared to defend the Teams’ Championship.

Gabriel Bortoleto was crowned the champion in 2024, and he is one of four graduates moving up into a full-time seat in Formula 1 this year.

His replacement will be Leonardo Fornaroli, who enters F2 as the reigning Formula 3 World Champion.

The Italian racing driver aims to follow Bortoleto’s path and achieve consecutive championship victories to secure his future in F1.

Jak Crawford, the highest-ranked returning racing driver from last season, retains his seat with DAMS Lucas Oil.

Alongside Crawford, eight other drivers have retained their seats, including Victor Martins, who is competing in his third season in the racing category.

But who are the 22 racing drivers set to compete for the coveted crown in 2025?

Invicta Racing – Fornaroli and Stanek

The British squad has an all-new lineup for the upcoming season.

Fornaroli and Roman Stanek replace the Sauber-F1 bound Bortoleto and Kush Maini – who moves to DAMS.

A consistent competitor, Fornaroli became the first driver in the history of F3 to not win a single race en route to becoming World Champion.

His partner, Stanek, endured a far less successful 2024, scoring points on only three occasions.

However, he did manage to secure his first victory in F2 with a Sprint Race win at Melbourne.

Campos Racing – Marti and Lindblad

Pepe Marti left it late to secure his first win in the series, taking the Sprint Race victory in Abu Dhabi.

The Spaniard spent most of 2024 in the shadow of Isack Hadjar, who finished as runner-up to Bortoleto last season.

With Hadjar moving up into F1, Marti’s new team-mate this year will be the highly rated Arvid Lindblad.

The British-Swedish racing driver won four races last season for his debut F3 campaign.

The Spanish squad will have an all-Red Bull junior line-up as it sets out to improve on its second-place finish in the 2024 F2 Teams’ Standings.

MP Motorsport – Verschoor and Goethe

Richard Verschoor enters his fifth season in the junior series.

In 2024, the Dutchman returned to the team where he made his debut in F2, and with four wins to his name, he is always a driver to watch closely.

Partnering the 24-year-old will be F3 graduate Oliver Goethe, who competed for Campos last season.

The Danish-German racing driver also auditioned for the Dutch squad in 2024 for six races, scoring 12 points.

Hitech TGR – Beganovic and Browning

The British team employs a rookie line-up for 2025, with both Dino Beganovic and Luke Browning stepping up from F3.

The duo replaces the outgoing Amaury Cordeel and Paul Aron, who finished third in 2024 with just a single victory, as the Estonian consistently scored points.

After a mixed F3 campaign with Prema, Beganovic shone for DAMS in F2 last year, scoring 22 points across the final four races and claiming a first podium finish in the series.

His team-mate will be the British youngster, who continues with Hitech after a short stint with ART Grand Prix last year.

Browning took two victories last season on his way to finishing third in the F3 standings.

Prema Racing – Mini and Montoya

The Italian outfit has an all-new driver pairing for 2025, with both Oliver Bearman and Andrea Kimi Antonelli making the step up into F1.

Whilst one Italian leaves, another replaces him, as Gabriele Mini continues with Prema for his debut F2 season.

Mini finished runner-up to Fornaroli for the F3 title last season before standing in for Bearman in Baku, grabbing his first F2 podium finish.

His partner will be Sebastian Montoya, who competed for Campos in 2024, finishing 17th out of 34 drivers last season.

DAMS Lucas Oil – Crawford and Maini

Crawford stays with the French outfit for 2025 after finishing fifth last season, with Maini making the move from Invicta.

The American finished on the podium six times whilst also taking the Feature Race victory in Spain.

Maini enters his third season in the category, and the Indian racing driver was also one of the many victors in 2024.

However, inconsistency and a poor end to the season saw him finish lower than Crawford in the standings in 13th place.

ART Grand Prix – Martins and Miyata

The French combination continues yet again, as Martins enters his third season with ART in F2 alongside Ritomo Miyata.

The 2022 F3 World Champion was one of the favourites for the 2023 F2 titles, yet he finished in fifth place in the standings.

Last year, he took a step backwards, finishing in seventh, but could 2025 finally be his year?

Miyata joins ART from Rodin Motorsport, where he finished in 19th place after 28 races.

Rodin Motorsport – Cordeel and Dunne

Christian Mansell was set to compete for Rodin Motorsport before announcing he would step away from racing ahead of the upcoming season.

It would have been his debut season in F2 after racing for Trident towards the end of the 2024 campaign.

His replacement will be Cordeel, who leaves Hitech, and Alex Dunne will complete the line-up for 2025.

The Irishman achieved two podium finishes in F3 last year racing for MP Motorsport.

AIX Racing – Durksen and Shields

With an impressive 2024 F2 campaign, winning the Sprint Race in Baku and the Feature Race in the Abu Dhabi finale, Joshua Durksen returns with AIX Racing for 2025.

The Paraguayan-German racing driver surprised his competitors on his way to finishing 10th in the Drivers’ Standings.

His partner for the upcoming season will be Cian Shields.

The British driver makes the step up from F3 to join AIX, after he competed in the final four races of the 2024 F2 season with the Emirati-German squad.

Trident – Meguetounif and Esterson

Sami Meguetounif and Max Esterson complete the 2025 F2 line-up for Trident.

The Frenchman won two races with the same team in F3 last season on his way to finishing eighth in the Drivers’ Standings.

His partner will be the American-British racing driver, Esterson, who graduates to Trident from Jenzer Motorsport.

The 22-year-old replaced Verschoor after he departed the team before the final two rounds of the 2024 season.

Van Amersfoort Racing – Bennett and Villagomez

John Bennett and Rafael Villagomez will race for Van Amersfoort Racing in 2025.

Bennett stepped up for the final two rounds of the 2024 F2 season with VAR, taking over from the departing Enzo Fittipaldi.

Villagomez retains his seat with the Dutch team after finishing 24th last season, scoring 13 points.

VAR finished last in the standings after scoring 78 points across the season.

READ MORE: Christian Mansell to ‘step away from racing’ weeks before F2 debut

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Christian Mansell has announced he is to “step away from racing” for personal reasons, just weeks before his scheduled Formula 2 debut.

The Australian, who was due to race for Rodin Motorsports this year in what would be his first full F2 campaign, made the announcement on his social media channels.

Mansell made his F2 debut last year at Baku with Trident, and competed in the final six rounds of the campaign, scoring 10 points.

The Australian competed in the races upon the conclusion of the Formula 3 championship [his third year competing in the series], in which he finished 5th in the standings.

In the statement posted on both his X and Instagram accounts, Mansell concluded: “I will keep you updated as to future plans.”

There is no indication as of yet as to the reasons behind the decision, with fans speculating on social media already that a lack of funding or his health [Mansell is a Type 1 diabetic] might be the cause.

The news will come as a disappointment to his ever-growing fanbase, which has grown in recent years, not only because of his racing abilities, but due to his outspoken support of various social issues, including LGBTQ+ rights and disabilities.

Rodin has announced it will “share further details on our line-up soon”.

READ MORE from Motorsport Week on F2

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Hitech’s Dino Beganovic has revealed his close relationship with Gabriel Bortoleto and the “surreal” nature of being in the Ferrari Driver Academy ahead of the 2025 Formula 2 season.

The Swedish driver made his debut in the junior category for DAMS Lucas Oil at the Qatar Grand Prix, qualifying in an impressive fourth place for the Feature race and taking his first points with a fifth place finish.

Beganovic went one better in Abu Dhabi, earning his first podium in the series thanks to the disqualification of Paul Aron, taking 22 points across his first two rounds in F2.

Following in the footsteps of Aron, Beganovic leaves Prema Racing after five years with the Italian team to join Hitech for the 2025 season.

Motorsport Week spoke exclusively with the 21-year-old, who is hoping to make his mark with his new team and insists the experience of last season helped in “proving some people wrong”.

“Definitely, I mean, having the opportunity to do those two rounds in F2, the whole aim was just to have some experience going into this year, gain as much experience as possible and just have a baseline of where we can work from,” Beganovic said.

“Obviously, we have a very good baseline to work from now.

“It went very well and I’m very, very happy with how it went after a tough season in Formula 3.

“I’m very happy that, jumping in a new car and just doing well and proving some people wrong, I think it was very important for me, but also some other people to see what I’m capable of.

“It’s a good starting point of what we can build on this year with my new team, Hitech.”

Beganovic ‘thankful’ for ‘close’ relationship with Bortoleto

The Linkoping-born racing driver made his debut in single-seater racing back in 2020 for the Italian Formula 4 Championship with Prema Powerteam.

His team-mate that season was Bortoleto, who has since gone onto become the F2 World Champion in 2024.

The Sauber-Formula 1 bound driver and Beganovic and have been close ever since, even sharing advice with each other on and off the track.

“Yeah, Gabriel and I, we are good friends since a long time,” he added.

“We were teammates in F4 and I think that’s where it kind of kicked off, being very good mates since then.

“Him having lived in Milan for a while, it was quite easy for us to meet and also having some weekends together, but also on track.

“When we were competing, maybe not sharing everything, for example, in Formula 3 in regional.

“But like I said, always mates outside the track and my best mate, and definitely for the last two rounds [of last season].

“Obviously he was in a very good position to win the championship, which he did in the end.

“He didn’t see me as a threat in that way and could share some stuff with me, which I’m very thankful for.

“It’s some stuff that can take races to learn and sometimes you need to do them yourself before and understanding that this is what happens when you do that, if you change some stuff with your driving in race scenario, quali scenario.

“So he definitely did give me some tips in that and I’m very thankful for that – it’s very nice to have this relationship with him.”

Switch to Hitech feels like ‘the right move’

Beganovic partners fellow F3 graduate Luke Browning at Hitech for the 2025 season, a driver he has lots of “respect” for.

Another driver he respects is his former team-mate Aron, who finished third for the British team in the F2 Drivers’ Standings in 2024.

However, he admitted he only played a “small part” in his decision to leave Prema, citing the need for change as the main reason for his exit.

“Well, I’ve been in Prema for five years, since I started my single-seater career in F4 after karting,” Beganovic explained.

“We definitely had a good couple of years together, winning the Formula Regional Championship in 22’ and having a strong first year in F3 as well.

“I don’t want to go into details of exactly why [I made] the change, but Hitech feels like the right move for me for this year.

“And looking at Paul, how well he did last year as well, I’ve been teammates with him for three seasons.

“He’s a very good driver and I’ve heard a lot of good things about the team, Hitech.

“So it did play maybe a small part, but not the biggest one.

“I just felt like I needed a change and some things that could have been better also last year in my second year of F3 as well with Prema.

“But I think it’s healthy to change the environment a bit and I’m very happy with at the moment what we are doing in Hitech and what we are building on.”

Beganovic: ‘It’s many driver’s dream to be a Ferrari driver’

Beganovic joined the Ferrari Driver Academy back in 2020 and he reportedly made his debut in a Ferrari F1 car in the team’s behind closed doors test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The two-time F3 race winner touched on the “very special feeling” of being a Ferrari academy driver.

“Well, it’s many driver’s dream to be a Ferrari driver,” he said.

“I joined the Academy in 2020, so we’re starting our sixth year together, which is surreal actually.

“It’s a very special feeling to have them behind me and feeling the support of, I would say, the most iconic brand or team as well in motorsport.

“Just having them believe in you and giving you all the opportunities is very nice.

“They’ve definitely been a big part of my journey so far, giving some insights from Formula 1 if they have some different experience.

“If we are going to a new track, for example, for me in Qatar last year, it was helpful to get some insights from the Formula 1 team.

“Definitely using their simulator, both the F2 and F3 one, but as well as I’m doing a lot of work in the F1 sim.

“It definitely helps me as a driver, improving every time I’m in the sim and every lap I’m doing in the sim.

“With my feedback as well being very precise and good from early days in my career, I think it’s strong because eventually if you get the opportunity to jump in an F1 car, in an F1 team, you need to be prepared to do those stuff well.

“Giving feedback and having a good relationship with your engineers, mechanics and so on.

“Being and breathing in the air of Ferrari in Maranello is something special.”

Young Swede aims to be top F2 contender in 2025

Spearheading the F2 title fight next season will be the likes of the reigning F3 champion, Leonardo Fornaroli, Arvid Lindblad and Gabriele Mini.

After two consistent sixth-place finishes in back-to-back F3 seasons, Beganovic is hoping he can challenge at the front in F2 and he revealed how he will use his good friend Bortoleto as an inspiration.

“Well, that’s my goal and that’s what I’ve been working on and I’m working on right now to always be there in the top because I think the best example of winning a championship is Gabriel, having won F3, having won F2,” he revealed.

“Not a super good start in the F2 year.

“I mean, obviously he did take pole in Bahrain, but after that he didn’t score a massive amount of points.

“But he always was in the points.

“In the end, he had a very strong second half.

“So, looking at this every year, always being there in the top and taking points, that’s how you win championships.

“I’m looking to do that, but first we need to see where we are in Barcelona and then from there we will have a clear point what our expectations will be.

“But I’m definitely looking to be a contender this year.”

READ MORE: Ferrari junior Dino Beganovic joins Hitech as 2025 F2 grid takes shape

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Formula 1 has released a behind-the-scenes 50-minute documentary on F1TV for fans to discover the journey of the 2025 rookies through the single-seater pyramid.

Titled ‘Rookies,’ the documentary charts the progression through FIA Formula 3 and Formula 2 of the five newbies joining the F1 grid this season.

Alpine’s Jack Doohan, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto (who is reigning F2 Champion and the 2023 F3 title-winner), Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar (2024 F2 vice-champion), Haas’ Oliver Bearman and Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli are the stars of the documentary.

‘Rookies’ takes fans behind the scenes of these young stars’ extraordinary journeys, compiled with never-before-seen footage, exclusive interviews and insight from FIA Formula 2/ FIA Formula 3 CEO Bruno Michel.

WATCH THE TRAILER

“I’m incredibly proud to see the progression of the 2025 Formula 1 rookies from our F3 and F2 Championships, where they have been prepared for the highest level of motorsport,” said Michel.

“They have all fought exceptionally hard for their positions on the F1 grid, and it is testament to their commitment, to the level of preparation provided by our Championships and to the support of the F2 and F3 teams, that they have reached the pinnacle of motorsport.

“I wish Gabriel, Isack, Oliver, Andrea, and Jack the very best for the future.” 

WATCH ROOKIES ON F1TV

Ian Holmes, Director of Media Rights and Content Creation at Formula 1, added: “This year is truly unprecedented as we welcome five new drivers from Formula 2 to the Formula 1 grid.

“I am delighted that we can share the story of their careers so far as they prepare to take the step up to the pinnacle of motorsport,” Holmes continued.

“The drive, determination, and passion of these five rookies are a testament not only to their own talent but also to the F3 and F2 Championships, their junior teams, and their supporters.

“I can’t wait to see them line up on the grid in Melbourne.”

READ MORE – Why are F1 rookies Oliver Bearman and Franco Colapinto so prepared to step up?

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John Bennett will continue with the Van Amersfoort Racing team in Formula 2 for 2025 after debuting in the final two rounds of the 2024 season.

Bennett stepped up to replace Enzo Fittapaldi before the penultimate round in Qatar, finishing 12th in the Sprint race before taking his first points in the series with an eighth-place finish in the Feature race.

The 2024 GB3 Championship runner-up has previous experience with the team taking part in a FIA Formula 3 post-season test back in October.

He made his debut in single-seater racing in 2022 with Elite Motorsport in the UK-based GB3 series, earning his first podium in the final round.

With Rodin the following year, he struggled to perform before making the switch to JHR Developments in 2024 – narrowly missing out on the title by 22 points, finishing second.

Soon after, he made his debut in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship and the Formula Regional European Championship.

Now the 21-year-old has a full-time seat in the feeder series F2, to which Bennett couldn’t hide his excitement ahead of the 2025 season.

“I am delighted to be racing with VAR in Formula 2 for 2025,” Bennett said in a statement on the VAR website.

“Since my first day testing in F3, it has been a great environment to work in.

“Thank you to the team for all their support, and I cannot wait to get started next year!”

Van Amersfoort Team Principal Brad Joyce added: “We are delighted to welcome John to our full-time Formula 2 line-up for 2025.

“His progression through the final rounds of the 2024 season demonstrated his ability to quickly adapt in challenging conditions.

“The team is certain that he is ready for this next step.

“We look forward to supporting him throughout the season as he continues to grow and compete at one of the highest levels of motorsport.”

READ MORE: Formula 2 CEO reflects on record season and F1 2025 graduates

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The Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel said the 2024 season was the “best season we ever had“ as Formula 1 will have five graduates from the series in 2025.

There were 18 different race winners and 21 different podium finishers in 2024 – both smashing the previous records held in F2.

Four of those race winners; Gabriel Bortoleto, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Oliver Bearman and Isack Hadjar – will all race in F1 next season.

Jack Doohan will be the fifth driver, who competed in F2, on the grid next year after he last competed in the junior series back in 2023.

Doohan served as a reserve driver in 2024 for Alpine, before competing in the final round in Abu Dhabi, and he will race for the Enstone-based outfit in 2025.

After Bortoleto was crowned champion last weekend in Abu Dhabi, Michel spoke about the historic season and the performance of the new F2 car for 2024.

“Well I think it’s been probably the best season we ever had in F2, let’s put it that way,” Michel told media including Motorsport Week.

“I think the level of the grid was absolutely amazing, I think the racing has been great all season long, very impressive races.

“And I think the result of that is that there are going to be quite a lot of drivers coming from Formula 2 to Formula 1 at the end of this season.

“Also the fact that we had two F2 drivers that started in F1 in the middle of the season, Bearman in Jeddah and Franco Colapinto for the rest of the season.

“They did well and they showed everybody that they were ready for F1 which is the main objective of Formula 2.

“So all together yeah I’m very very happy with this season and very happy with the new car.”

F1 teams make ‘big mistake’ by not hiring reigning Formula 2 winners

The 2024 F2 World Champion Bortoleto will race for Sauber next season, the first champion of the series to do so since Oscar Piastri – after he was promoted to F1 in 2023 after winning the junior category in 2021.

The 2023 and 2022 F2 champions Theo Pourchaire and Felipe Drugovich, have yet to secure a full-time seat in F1.

Bortoleto has broken the trend this year and secured a seat in the highest level of the sport which left F2 boss Michel delighted.

He said: “It’s fantastic because that’s what we are here for.

“Bortoleto has been winning F3 as a rookie then he’s winning F2 as a rookie.

“The precedent of this performance are Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Oscar Piastri.

“So I think the teams are not making a big mistake when you have a driver that is achieving this kind of result and is [not] going to Formula One.

“What is for sure is the last two seasons the number one problem we had is that there were no seats available in Formula 1 because the Formula One [teams] had not changed driver, except for Logan Sargeant – who is the only one that got to Formula 1.

“And the fact that whether it was Felipe Drugovich or Theo Pourchaire, they achieved their result in at least three years.

“And that is for sure less exciting for the Formula 1 teams than to see Gabriel arriving as a rookie and winning the F2 championship.”

Michel wants F1 teams to take ‘gamble’ on F2 rookies

Antonelli, after his first season in F2, will replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes whilst Bearman joins Haas for 2025.

When asked if F1 teams were taking a gamble by promoting the likes of Bearman, Antonelli and Bortoleto, he added: “Well I hope it’s not a gamble.

“I can tell you it’s not a gamble, it’s a very important choice for an F1 team.

“I would say that for a few years, the F1 team[s] have been a little bit difficult into taking F2 drivers because they thought that it was probably better for them to have more experienced drivers in the F1 cars.

“Because a difference of one position in the F1 championship makes quite a lot of money.

“So that was that was probably a quite defensive approach.

“I think what Ollie showed in Jeddah and what Franco showed for the rest of this season as well, has been showing that there are young drivers ready to come.

“Probably much more motivated and much more hungry than the drivers that have been there for quite a long time.

“So I think they’re making a very good decision there when they decide to do that.

“Now let’s see next year what happens but I’m quite confident about it.”

READ MORE: Gabriel Bortoleto: F2 title win in Abu Dhabi ‘the best feeling of my life’

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