Formula 2 returns to racing with season opener in Melbourne!

Credit: Mike Owen

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.

A look at the track: Albert Park - Melbourne

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