F2 2026 grid reveals Rafa Câmara, Colton Herta, Alex Dunne and Nikola Tsolov as main candidates for promotion in F1

The 2026 season of Fórmula 2 starts this weekend in Melbourne and highlights four drivers who have accumulated recent achievements and direct connections with F1 teams. Esses names are already attracting attention in the pre-season tests carried out in Barcelona and represent the main bridge to the main grid of the maximum category in the coming years. The Invicta Racing and Hitech have rookies who led test sessions while the Rodin and Campos rely on raw speed proven in previous stages.

Rafael Câmara arrives as F3 2025 champion and protects from Ferrari. Colton Herta leaves IndyCar after nine victories to seek super license points. Alex Dunne and Nikola Tsolov complete the quartet with a history of podiums and interest from Red Bull and Alpine.

• Rafael Câmara runs along Invicta Racing alongside Joshua Dürksen.
• Colton Herta defends Hitech alongside Ritomo Miyata.
• Alex Dunne integrates Rodin Motorsport with Martinius Stenshorne.
• Nikola Tsolov remains at Campos Racing with Noel Leon.

The complete F2 2026 grid is already defined with 11 teams and 22 drivers. The opening at Albert Park coincides with the Austrália F1 GP and offers the first real observation opportunity for team directors.

Rafa Câmara seeks to repeat his path as champions at Invicta

The 20-year-old Brazilian led the times in the Barcelona test and carries the F3 title won with four victories in main races and five poles. Essa combination has already won F2 titles for the two previous F3 champions who passed through Invicta. Câmara still needs to improve its performance in the sprint races where it scored few points last season.

The Ferrari academy is closely monitoring his performance in 2026. The debutant driver in F2 has a favorable environment in the team that promoted Gabriel Bortoleto and Leonardo Fornaroli. Especialistas point to consistency as a decisive factor in fighting for the title from the beginning.

FIA Formula 2 2026 – Entry List ✅
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Colton Herta adapts IndyCar experience to F2

The 25-year-old American recorded the 11th pre-season time of Barcelona with a difference of just 0.571 seconds to the leader. Ele left IndyCar where he was runner-up in 2024 to accumulate super license points and justify leaving the American category. The Hitech offers a solid structure for the rookie who works as a test driver for the Cadillac in F1.

Herta needs to finish in the top eight of the championship or accumulate appearances in free training to reach the 40-point limit. The test driver for the new American team faces additional pressure because of his status as a future driver for Cadillac. Adapting to the F2 car represents this season’s main technical challenge.

Alex Dunne gets a second chance with support from Alpine

The 20-year-old Irishman finished fifth in F2 2025 despite losing 43 points due to technical incidents and collisions. Ele carried out free training for McLaren and is now part of the Alpine academy with a clear goal of winning the championship. The Rodin Motorsport offers a stable environment for the driver who led the championship at the start of last season.

Dunne demonstrated speed at various stages and attracted interest from Red Bull before the gym change. The second year in F2 requires greater consistency in long races to make way for teams like Alpine or Racing Bulls. Observadores point out that no sophomore has won the title since Mick Schumacher in 2020.

Nikola Tsolov relies on Red Bull’s pipeline for growth

The 19-year-old Bulgarian repeated his impressive speed in the Barcelona tests and achieved a podium in F2 2025 in Abu Dhabi. Ele was runner-up in F3 with five victories and is now competing for Red Bull’s only junior spot in the category. Campos Racing has produced recent graduates such as Isack Hadjar and Arvid Lindblad.

Tsolov outperformed his teammate in qualifications at Catar and Abu Dhabi last season. Consistency in the sprint and feature races will be decisive for the only Red Bull representative in F2. The team offers a structure that favors the rapid development of drivers with raw speed.

F2 2026 grid mixes rookies and experienced players in search of title

The 2026 season has a high proportion of newcomers moving up from F3 and other categories. Equipes like Prema Racing and DAMS maintain a mix of newcomers and experienced pilots while MP Motorsport and ART Grand Prix bet on continuity. The calendar includes 14 double rounds focusing on traditional F1 tracks.

Invicta Racing appears as the favorite for the title due to the sequence of successes with rookies. Hitech and Campos seek to repeat recent promotions for F1. Rodin Motorsport bets on Alex Dunne as the main name in the fight for the championship.

The super license requirement remains strict and requires top 8 in the championship or a combination of points and free practice. Cada driver of the main quartet needs to accumulate consistent results since opening in Melbourne to keep options open in 2027.

Barcelona tests confirm the speed of the main names

Collective training in Barcelona showed Rafael Câmara at the top of the timesheets. Colton Herta was close to the leaders despite being a rookie in the category. Nikola Tsolov repeated strong performance in simulated qualifications while Alex Dunne focused on adapting to Rodin’s car.

These initial results do not define the championship but indicate balance between the four prospects. Equipes from F1 monitors telemetry data and lap times to plan future recruitments. The long season still holds typical F2 surprises.

Prospects for a place in F1 depend on immediate performance

Each of the four drivers has direct ties to F1 academies or teams. Rafael Câmara is supported by Ferrari while Colton Herta is already part of the Cadillac program. Alex Dunne changed to Alpine and Nikola Tsolov represents Red Bull as the only junior in the category.

Success in F2 2026 opens the door for free practice and official testing. Pilotos who finish on the championship podium gain immediate visibility in the F1 paddock. The window of opportunity remains short and requires results from the first rounds.

Fórmula 2 maintains the tradition of revealing talents who will debut in F1 the following year. The 2026 grid follows the pattern with names already monitored by team leaders.