It may be a while before Formula 2 returns to racing action, but this week it will take to the circuit in Bahrain for a three-day test between Wednesday and Friday. 

Formula 2 will be next going racing in Sakhir, at the Bahrain International Circuit, and that is where the testing will take place for three days, which will help the driver's development and will constitute as part of the championship's mid-season testing for the 2025 season.

It will be important for the teams and drivers to get the running and lap times completed with only one race having taken place out of the scheduled two in 2025 so far. This was due to extreme weather cancelling the feature race in Melbourne on Grand Prix Sunday.

Joshua Durksen and AIX Racing are therefore the only race winners out of the 2025 campaign with Leonardo Fornaroli and Luke Browning being the other two to appear on the podium rostrum.

The session will be the second three-day test to take place in 2025, for the FIA Formula 2 Championship, following the three-day pre season test in Barcelona back in February.

It will be a three-day for most teams and drivers but for the Rodin Motorsport, and one of the Trident and DAMS Lucas Oil drivers, they will only be allowed to participate in two days of the three. This was in line with the FIA implementing a punishment in Melbourne, which was from their disqualification from a day of testing in February.

This could be critical for Amaury Cordeel, Alex Dunne, Max Esterson, Jak Crawford as they will miss out on track time that could be crucial to their understanding of the 2025 Formula 2 machinery. Sami Meguetounif and Kush Maini will compete in all three days according to the Feeder Series information.

Formula 2 will be testing around the Bahrain International Circuit, which is located on a desert in Bahrain's capital city Sakhir. The track itself is very familiar to Formula 2, with it appearing on every single FIA Formula 2 season calendar - since the championship re-branded from GP2 for the start of 2017.

The circuit itself has 15 corners and has a lap distance of 5.412km. Around the Bahrain International Circuit there is DRS zones and three to be exact - into turn one, turn four and turn 11. These DRS zones would provide plenty of overtaking opportunities in terms of racing but there will be none of that for this mid-season testing.

Formula 2 will be sharing the Bahrain International Circuit between Wednesday and Friday, with FIA Formula 3, as that championship will also endure mid-season testing around that circuit - before racing there in April.

Teams will have the Soft and Hard tyre compounds with them for the upcoming three days of testing!

Each day will have two sessions, with each session lasting two and a half hours each. Here are the times for the sessions:

• Day 1 Session 1 26/03: 12:30-15:00 (UK: 09:30-12:00)
• Day 1 Session 2 26/03: 18:30-21:00 (UK: 15:30-18:00)
• Day 2 Session 1 27/03: 12:30-15:00 (UK: 09:30-12:00)
• Day 2 Session 2 27/03: 18:30-21:00 (UK: 15:30-18:00)
• Day 3 Session 1 28/03: 12:30-15:00 (UK: 09:30-12:00)
• Day 3 Session 2 28/03: 18:30-21:00 (UK: 15:30-18:00)

Brandon Whiteside
Writer - F1 Journal

Photo credits: Shutterstock

Durksen had a great start to his race,starting from second on the grid, he made his way into first just after the lights went out. Pole-sitter Fornaroli dropped down to second, followed by Browning in third. 

Beganovic however had a more unfortunate start to his race, dropping from P4 to P6 just before turn one.

A virtual safety car was deployed on Lap 3 due to Victor Martins having stopped at Turn 6. He had hit the barrier on the exit of Turn 5, damaging his suspension. 

Racing resumed on Lap 4 after Martins' car was removed safely from the track. Fornaroli was slower to react compared to Browning behind, resulting in pressure. He managed to fend off Browning, keeping P2. 

Another battle was taking place not far behind as Beganovic made his way past Stanek at Turn 11 to claim fifth. Not long after, Mini pulled the same move on Marti for eighth at the same turn. 

The safety car was then deployed again on Lap 7 as American driver Max Esterson had spun into the gravel at Turn 6. Racing was resumed at the start of Lap 11. Durksen had good pace, managing to get himself over a second ahead of Fornaroli by the end of the lap. 

On Lap 12, Beganovic found himself spun at the exit of Turn 9 while battling with Stanek for P5. Luckily for Dino he was able to avoid any collisions and was able to continue his race, however found himself in 17th place. 

While all this was happening, Durksen was able to further extend his lead further, now sitting 2.1 seconds clear of Fornaroli by lap 14 who was now under pressure from Browning and Verschoor who followed closely behind. 

A second safety car was brought out as Meguetounif spun into the gravel at Turn 10. Racing resumed at the start of Lap 17. Durksen had another good restart, finding himself over a second ahead of Fornaroli by the end of the lap once again. 

He continued to extend his lead with little pressure, while behind him Fornaroli held up a DRS train that went all the way down to Dunne in P10.

As they headed into the penultimate lap, the top 10 was covered by only 6 seconds with Dunne managing to overtake Lindblad for 9th. 

Out in front, Durksen cruised smoothly to victory, taking the chequered flag to win the first sprint race of the year. Fornaroli came home to take second, followed by Browning taking third. 

1) Joshua Durksen
2) Leonardo Fornaroli / + 2.198
3) Luke Browning / +2.879
4) Richard Verschoor / + 3.585
5) Roman Stanek / + 4.153
6) Sebastian Montoya / + 4.611
7) Gabriel Mini / + 4.877
8) Josep Maria Marti / + 5.486
9) Alexander Dunne / + 9.776
10) Arvid Lindblad / + 10.775
11) Oliver Goethe / + 11.021
12) Ritomo Miyata / + 12.245
13) Rafael Villagomez / + 13.403
14) Dino Beganovic / + 15.699
15) Amaury Cordeel / + 16.744
16) Kush Maini / + 20.120
17) Cian Shields / + 21.976
18) John Bennett / + 26.454
19) Sami Meguetounif / DNF
20) Max Esterson / DNF
21) Jak Crawford / DNF
22) Victor Martins / DNF 

Written by Kelsie Jayes. 

The FIA Formula 2 Championship is returning to racing action and this coming weekend, the series will visit Melbourne for the opening round of the 2025 season.

Formula 2 will visit Melbourne for the opening round of the championship, for the first ever time in the championship's history, having only previously held opening rounds at Bahrain and the Red Bull Ring, in Austria.

This will be the second season of the current set of regulations, and this era of machinery, with the first year of regulations being in 2024. Gabriel Bortoleto stormed to glory in his rookie season, in what was an intense championship fight between he and Isack Hadjar. Both will race in Formula 1.

Out of the 2024 grid, four of that 22 that started the Formula 2 season will be on the 2025 Formula One grid. The new crop of talent and the class of 2025 will be hoping they can be the next graduates to make the pinnacle of motorsport.

It will be a new era of commentary too for Formula 2, after Alex Jacques left the full-time role at the end of 2024, following a decade in the role. He is to pass the baton on to Chris McCarthy, who will take on this role as well as his work in FIA Formula 3 and the Porsche Supercup.

For the first time since December 8, it is race weekend action in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, as it is time for the proper racing season to begin. The championship will descend on the Albert Park circuit, for the first round in 2025.

Albert Park, situated in Melbourne, Australia, was first visited by Formula 2 in a joint-visit with Formula 3, back in the 2023 season. Two years later, it will host the opening round of the 2025 championship.

As normal with every venue on the Formula 2 calendar, there is no shortage of drama around the Albert Park circuit, on the two only visits so far in the championship's history. Moments such as a start between Bortoleto and rival Isack Hadjar, as well as Hadjar's Campos teammate Josep 'Pepe' Maria Marti.

Other moments such as Roman Stanek's maiden win have also happened around this circuit in Melbourne.

In 2024, it was Dennis Hauger who took pole position on Friday for MP Motorsport. Andrea Kimi Antonelli on Prema would qualify second, ahead of Trident's Richard Verschoor who would qualify in third place.

Hadjar would initially win the sprint race on Saturday but following him being deemed at fault for the race start incident, between he, Bortoleto and Marti, he would be penalised with a 10-second penalty. 

Stanek would inherit the win for Trident, which would be his maiden win in the championship. Following the penalty, Hauger would finish second while Invicta Racing's Kush Maini would complete the podium in third.

As for the feature race, where maximum points would be on offer, an action-packed race saw Hadjar get redemption from the day before. The French racer would take victory for Campos and would stand on the top step of the podium. Hitech's Paul Aron would take second ahead of Rodin's Barbados superstar - Zane Maloney.

The Albert Park Circuit itself is made up of 14 corners and has a lap distance of 5.278km, with many overtaking opportunities around the circuit in Melbourne, which will be exciting for viewers at the circuit and around the world too.

Four DRS zones will be around the lap, which means plenty of overtaking opportunities for the drivers around the lap. The DRS Zones will run into turns 1, 3, 9 and 11. The lap record was set by Hauger in 2024, which is a 1:28.694.

In terms of the races, on Saturday will see 23 laps and on Sunday there will be 33 laps, with each driver having to serve a mandatory pit stop if conditions are dry.

Action will begin on Thursday evening UK time, with free practice. This will be Friday local time in Melbourne.

Brandon Whiteside
​Writer - F1 Journal