The 2026 Formula 2 season is shaping up to be one of change and opportunity. A rearranged grid, a wave of Formula 2 rookies, and several high profile moves promise a championship defined by ambition rather than stability.
For teams and drivers alike, this winter is about positioning: who takes the next step, who arrives with something to prove, and who goes back to what was once their home.
F3 champion Rafael Câmara joins F2 reigning champions: Invicta
After being crowned Formula 3 champion, Câmara will be promoted to Formula 2 with Invicta Racing. The Brazilian Ferrari Driver Academy will try to emulate what his fellow countryman, Gabriel Bortoleto, did in 2024 with the same team and take the F2 title.
Invicta Racing is now a team that continues to establish itself as a benchmark for championship success, and pairing the reigning F3 champion with Joshua Dürksen underlines that intent. Dürksen decided to take the next step in his career and follow the natural progression after several seasons with AIX Racing.
Campos Racing commits to an all-rookie lineup
Following Pepe Martí’s graduation to Formula E and Arvid Lindblad making his debut in Formula 1, Campos Racing will commit to an all-rookie lineup for the 2026 season. Noel León, after a solid Formula 3 campaign with PREMA, where he achieved six podiums, will join the Spanish team.
He will be partnered by Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov, who replaced Martí for the final two rounds of the 2025 Formula 2 season. The Red Bull driver had already tasted what it means to race in Formula 2, scoring his maiden points and a podium during those appearances. Fresh from finishing runner-up in the 2025 Formula 3 season, the Bulgarian enters 2026 as one of the most closely watched prospects on the grid.
Colton Herta steps into Formula 2 with Hitech
One of the most talked about moves of the winter sees Colton Herta enter Formula 2 with Hitech. The nine-time IndyCar race winner arrives with a clear objective: to secure the Super Licence points required for his future role as a reserve driver for the Cadillac Formula 1 Team.
The American will be racing alongside Ritomo Miyata, who switches from ART Grand Prix to bring consistency and technical understanding to a team blending global experience with championship aspirations.
Mari Boya secures a seat with PREMA Racing
After a successful Formula 3 season, the Spanish driver will be joining the Italian team that previously featured winners like Oscar Piastri and contenders like Oliver Bearman, now in Formula 1.
Boya will be taking Gabriele Mini’s seat as the latter will move to MP Motorsport. Alongside the Spanish driver, Sebastian Montoya will remain with the team for his second season.
What about the rest of the grid?
Further down the grid, Kush Maini’s move to ART Grand Prix adds another layer of intrigue to an already fluid driver market. Nicolás Varrone is also set to return to single-seaters after an unfulfilled stint in the World Endurance Championship, joining Van Amersfoort Racing for 2026.
After a difficult 2025 campaign disrupted by mechanical issues, Dino Beganovic will leave Hitech and return to familiar ground at DAMS Lucas Oil, the team with which he first made his mark. The Swedish driver, who impressed during his Formula 2 rookie season, will be partnered by Roman Bilinski following Jak Crawford’s departure.
Taken together, these moves point to a particularly compelling season ahead: proven race winners seeking validation, rookies carrying momentum, and established names repositioning themselves for the next step.
Formula 2 in 2026 will not simply be about outright speed, but about who adapts fastest on a grid where almost everyone is beginning a new chapter.
