The final piece of the 2026 Formula 2 (F2) grid fell into place with the confirmation of Rafael Villagómez at Van Amersfoort Racing, bringing months of speculation to a close and completing a 22-driver grid that blends seasoned F2 names, highly touted rookies, and a handful of genuinely unexpected arrivals.
The frontrunners
Rafael Câmara enters the season as one of the title favourites after claiming the Formula 3 championship at the end of 2025, and he will line up at Invicta alongside Joshua Dürksen. Meanwhile, PREMA welcome Mari Boya, who finished third in that same F3 standings. Over at Campos Racing, the team retain Nikola Tsolov, whose contribution proved instrumental in their championship-winning F3 campaign last year. Tsolov partners Noel León, also promoted from F3, and together they give the Spanish outfit one of the more exciting driver pairings on the grid.
Notable rookies
Martinius Stenshorne joins Rodin after an impressive 2025 F3 season that yielded two wins, three second places, and fifth in the final standings, where he will race alongside Alexander Dunne. Elsewhere, ART Grand Prix field a fully Asian line up, pairing Thai driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak with Kush Maini, who enters his fourth year in the category. Over at Trident, Laurens van Hoepen lines up alongside John Bennett, while MP Motorsport bring together Oliver Goethe and Gabriele Minì.
The Wildcard: Colton Herta
Perhaps the most eye-catching signing of the off-season is Colton Herta. Already an established name in IndyCar, the 25-year-old has chosen to compete in F2 as part of a concerted push to secure a Formula 1 drive. To that end, he joins Hitech, where he partners Ritomo Miyata, who returns to the grid in place of Dino Beganovic.
Experience from unexpected places
Nicolas Varrone brings a markedly different background to the field. A double class winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a Hypercar competitor with Proton Competition as recently as 2025, the Argentine makes a striking switch to single-seater racing at Van Amersfoort Racing, where his seat alongside Villagómez was the last on the grid to be confirmed. Meanwhile, AIX Racing retain Cian Shields for a second full season and add Emerson Fittipaldi Jr., son of the two-time Formula 1 world champion, who steps up after a modest Eurocup-3 campaign. Over at DAMS Lucas Oil, the returning Dino Beganovic lines up alongside Roman Bilinski.
With title contenders, ambitious rookies and some bold recruitment decisions all present, the 2026 F2 grid shapes up as one of the most intriguing in recent memory. Attention now turns to Melbourne and the start of what promises to be a fiercely competitive campaign.
