Despite a slow start to the 2024 FIA Formula 2 season, AIX Racing’s Joshua Dürksen had a relatively successful rookie season. After several points finishes, including two P3 finishes in Imola and Monza, and wins in Baku and Abu Dhabi, the Paraguayan driver, finished 10th with 87 points. This impressive performance has earned Dürksen a second chance to fight for the F2 title. He will continue with AIX racing as he fights for the 2025 FIA F2 drivers’ championship title.
AIX Racing capable of fighting for top positions
While speaking to the media, including Pit Debrief, Dürksen stated that the most significant lesson that he had learnt from his 2024 rookie season was to enjoy and be grateful for the opportunity to race in F2.
“I think the main thing I learned last year is just to really enjoy and just be grateful for this opportunity of racing in Formula 2.”
He also identified learning to focus on himself and smaller goals as by achieving these smaller goals, he would automatically reach the “main goal.”
“And just really focusing on myself and just focusing on the day-by-day work. And just by getting my mini-goals reached, the main goal gets automatically reached. So this is the main thing I think I learned last year and this is for sure something I want to apply this year.”
He added, “I think if I can keep going like I did last year for sure, this season can be a pretty good one.”
Dürksen “quite positive” going into 2025
When asked about his confidence going into the 2025 F2 season, Dürksen stated that AIX Racing, despite being seen as an underdog compared to more traditionally successful teams, has the quality to achieve great results. He added that he worked well with his team and stated that maintaining this good relationship would help the team achieve their goals for 2025.
“Well, I think I’m quite positive. I’m quite sure that we can have a great season this year. Like I said, if we just keep working as we did, especially at the end of the year, I’m quite sure that we can do again a great job and of course fighting [for] the top positions. I know the quality is there.”
“The guys are really great. We work really well together. And I think, yeah, if we just keep working like we’re doing, I’m quite sure that we will have a great season this year.”
Dürksen expecting a competitive 2025 F2 season
However, despite his experience and confidence, Dürksen expects stiff competition in 2025 due to the exceptional talent expected to be present on the grid. This, he believes, will be not unlike the “crazy” competitiveness in 2024.
“I think this season will be as crazy as last year. If you just see the names, it’s just everywhere great drivers. I mean, all the drivers that are there, I think everybody is capable of winning. So I’m expecting it to be like last year.”
With such “great” drivers present on the 2025 F2 grid, Dürksen does not think that there will be any single driver who dominates the season. Instead, he expects there to be multiple winners in 2025, perhaps even matching the 18 winners in 2024.
“So I don’t think there will be one driver who will win everything. I think it will just be like, each race weekend will be like, you don’t know who’s going to win now. So this will make, of course, ourselves to just focus on our work and just to do our best.”
“But yes, I’m expecting at least also 18 different race winners this year.”
High-speed corners a favourite for Dürksen
While Dürksen will be aiming for strong performances at of the 14 tracks at which he will race in 2024, he will favour his chances at some more than others. When responding to a question from Pit Debrief, Dürksen expressed a preference for high-speed corners and “fast” circuits. He highlighted the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg as a favourite, noting that he had “a nice touch” there.
“I think some circuits that fit my driving style would be Red Bull Ring. I don’t know why, but I’ve always done good there since my four years [in formula racing].”
“Last year, I just missed [pole position] by eight-thousandths. So something is fitting there. I’m sure it’s just the flowing, long corners, the high-speed corners.”
“I always liked the high speeds and with Red Bull Ring, somehow I just got a nice touch. And yeah, I always enjoy high-speed corners, fast circuits. So I think all of these tracks quite fit my driving style.”
Dürksen aims “to keep growing” with AIX Racing
With a full season under his belt, Dürksen goes into the 2025 F2 season as the more experienced of the AIX Racing line-up, with rookie Cian Shields as his teammate. It is a stark difference from the Paraguayan’s own rookie season where he partnered with the similarly inexperienced Taylor Barnard. As a team leader of sorts, Dürksen enters the 2025 F2 season with a bit more responsibility on his shoulders, and with added expectations from both his team and himself.
“I feel a bit more responsibility now because it’s my second year. So, of course, the team is expecting also a bit more of myself.”
However, Dürksen insists that his priority is to provide his team with “the best feedback possible” and to maintain a good relationship with them. This, he explained, would allow both him and AIX racing to maximise their performance, and likely their results in 2025.
“I’m just trying to give the team the best feedback possible, just really focussing on the car development and also just trying to get the guys on a good mood and just have a good relationship with them because I know that it’s really important to have the whole team connected so we can all work at our maximum level.”
Dürksen building a “good relationship” with Shields
He added that he had developed a very good relationship with his teammate as well, and had been working with him as they prepared for the season. Dürksen hopes to continue learning and growing together with Shields.
“And with Cian, yeah, we have a really good relationship. I’m getting well with him very nicely.”
“And, yeah, just basically with more running, with more experiences and just talking, we can share. We’re sharing information [with] each other. And then just like this, we can learn from each other and just keep growing together.”
Dürksen targeting 2025 F2 championship title
Despite the additional responsibilities now on his shoulders, and his prioritisation of his smaller goals, the Paraguayan has identified the 2025 F2 title as his target.
“I think this is the target. I think if we do these things right, I can be fighting for the championship.”
While he knows that there will be fierce competition, he believes that AIX Racing will be able to fight at the front of the grid if they continue developing throughout the season, as they did in 2024. This, he explained, would significantly improve his chances of taking the title.
“Like I said, if we just keep developing as we did last year, I’m very sure we can be fighting on top in the front rows.”
“For sure, there will be many different race winners. It will be really tough, I think, just to be always on top. But for sure, I think if I’m constantly around the top five, top seven, I will have great chances of fighting for the championship.”
“Because this is, at the end, where I was helping all the other champions. Just being consistently in the front, just getting points. And I think if I’m always connected with the front, I’m quite sure I can fight for the championship.”
Dürksen want to “show what he can do”
Regardless of whether or not he is able to claim the title, Dürksen hopes to impress behind the wheel of the F2 car as he believes that this will help improve his chances of making a step up to F1 in the future.
“I think if I do my job, if I do it correctly, if I get the results I need and the performance I need, I think I can have some chances at least to, I don’t know, to start some talks or something.”
He believes that strong, eye-catching performances are particularly important as he is not a member of any driver academy and needs to prove that his outstanding performances in 2024 were not coincidences. He hopes that by showing his potential, he will earn himself the opportunity to at least test an F1 car in the future.
“Of course, I’m not with any academy so it’s a bit more difficult on this side.”
“But for sure, if I do a great season, if I can show the people what I can do, that last year was not only a coincidence but that I can really do it, I think for sure the opportunities will arise and that I may have a chance to at least test one F1 car at any time.”
Home support a powerful motivator for Paraguay’s F2 driver
Regardless of whether or not Dürksen gains the attention of F1 teams or their associated academies, he will not be without support. Instead, he has the people of his home country—Paraguay—behind him. Though formula racing is not a common sport in Paraguay, Dürksen says that he received “amazing support” from the people of his home country.
“Well, yeah, of course, I’m coming from Paraguay. [In] Paraguay, formula [motor]sport is not really common. It’s mostly rally. Yeah, so basically in Paraguay, motorsport is not the biggest sport. We’ve got only one go-kart track and one racetrack in the whole country, which is barely used. I’ve done three years go-karting in Paraguay, and then I jumped to F4.”
“And it’s just really important for me to represent my country because the support I’m getting from there is just amazing.”
“And yeah, just more than ready for the season because of the support I’m getting from there. It’s just big, and it just keeps motivating me as well.”
Dürksen added that visiting his home country over the winter break had also helped him recover his energy which he hopes will help him as he begins his fight for the championship when the season opens in Melbourne.
“It’s just so big. And yeah, I’ve been in Paraguay in the winter here, which would be summer in Paraguay. I’ve been just enjoying a bit of time with my family, with my friends, just to recover a bit of energy and just disconnect a bit. But anyway, the work, I always keep working.”
“But yeah, it was just a really nice moment just to be at home, have this feeling of home and just get some new batteries for the season.”
