The 2025 FIA Formula 2 Championship was a masterclass in tactical driving and a showcase of the new generation of racing talent. While Leonardo Fornaroli took the headlines, the battle behind him was defined by a massive points spread and several redemption stories.
The Champion: Leonardo Fornaroli’s Historic Rise
The 2025 season belonged to Leonardo Fornaroli, driving for Invicta Racing, Fornaroli secured the Driver’s Championship at the penultimate round in Qatar.
His achievement is particularly significant for several reasons:
- Back to back titles: He became only the fifth driver in history to win Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles in consecutive seasons, joining elite names like Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Oscar Piastri.
- Rookie domination: He is the fifth rookie to be crowned Formula 2 Champion.
- Italian Pride: Fornaroli is the first Italian driver to win the title since the series was rebranded to Formula 2 in 2017.
The Challenger: Jak Crawford (DAMS Lucas Oil)
Ending P2 with 175 points, Crawford was the best improved driver in the year. However, with an inconsistent performance in 2024, his transfer to DAMS proved fruitful with victories in Monaco, Silverstone, and Baku.
Analysis: Crawford led the most laps in the second half of the year but had three DNFs that included a tech issue in Hungary that derailed his chances of winning the championship.
The Veteran: Richard Verschoor (MP Motorsport)
Ended his P3 campaign (170 points) in his fifth year. His dominance in street circuits was partly due to a stunning victory at Jeddah and a Sprint triumph at Qatar.
Analysis: This year, he equalled the all-time record of Formula 2 wins, and this shows that experience can never be overrated in the face of many new talents in Formula 3.
Top 5 Rookies of the Year
The 2025 rookie class was one of the strongest in recent memory, with three of the top five in the standings being newcomers,
- Leonardo Fornaroli (1st): First rookie to win the title since Piastri,
- Luke Browning (4th): Won the Monza Feature Race, and known for aggressive overtaking.
- Alex Dunne (5th): The Mclaren junior was incredibly consistent, scoring in 10 of the last 12 races.
- Arvid Lindblad (6th): Became the youngest winner of the season in Barcelona, and is set to make his Formula 1 debut next season with Racing Bulls.
- Dino Beganovic (7th): A late-season specialist who took his maiden win in the Baku Sprint.
Teams’ Championship: The Invicta Dynasty
Invicta Racing retained their title as Teams’ Champions by doing so over the final weekend in Abu Dhabi. Although they got off to a lukewarm beginning to the season, their results sustained by four wins from Fornaroli and a latterly excellent showing by team mate Roman Staněk proved too good for their rivals.
Team-by-Team Breakdown
| Team | Performance Summary | Key Driver |
| Invicta Racing | Secured back-to-back titles. Their setup was the benchmark for tire management. | Fornaroli (Champion) |
| Hitech TGR | A strong P2 finish. Luke Browning and Dino Beganovic provided a high-ceiling pairing. | Luke Browning |
| Campos Racing | Started the year as the fastest team but faded in the flyaway rounds. | Arvid Lindblad |
| Prema Racing | A major disappointment. Despite having Formula 3 stars Mini and Montoya, they went winless for the first time in Formula 2 history. | Gabriele Minì |
| AIX Racing | The “Feel-Good” story. Joshua Dürksen’s two wins (Melbourne and Abu Dhabi) put them on the map. | Joshua Dürksen |
Technical Snapshot: The “Mecachrome” Factor
While the Dallara Formula 2 2024 chassis was in its second year, reliability was a major talking point.
- Tire Degradation: The 2025 Pirelli compounds were softer, leading to a “split-strargety” meta in the Feature Races. In Hungary, the “Alternate” strategy (Soft to Hard) was nearly 1.5 seconds faster per lap than the “Prime” strategy.
- Cancelled Race: The Melbourne Feature Race cancellation was mostly for drainage issues under extreme rain, leading to a debate about Formula 2’s extreme weather for 2026.
Season Highlights & Key Moments
- The Melbourne Mystery
The season opener at Albert Park was highlighted by extreme weather. Although Joshua Dürksen delivered an upset victory for AIX Racing in the Sprint Race, being called off due to safety concerns could be considered an unprecedented start for drivers and teams alike in the Feature Race.
- The Mid-Season Surge
As the European season got underway, the championship fight became even more intense. Richard Verschoor demonstrated his maturity with a “double win” weekend in both Jeddah and Spielberg, while rookie Arvid Lindblad revealed himself to be the next shining talent in the series, clinching multiple Sprint race victories in Barcelona.
- The Qatar Coronation
At Lusail, the battle was on. Martins claimed a stunning victory in the Feature Race, but Fornaroli’s consistent second in the P2 race was enough to clinch the title with one round to go.
- Abu Dhabi Finale
The season finale at Abu Dhabi brought Joshua Dürksen back to the top of the podium, showing AIX Racing’s pace. However the real celebrations were in the Invicta garage, where a third-place finish for Roman Staněk allowed them to hold on to the Teams’ trophy.
Written by Marcia.
Edited by Alexandra.
Featured image credit: fiaformula2.com
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