OUTSIDERS JOINING FORMULA 2: SKIPPING F3 AND MIGRATING FROM CLOSED-WHEEL RACING
Starting from 2024, Formula 2 has seen many “outsiders” joining the series, meaning that drivers who do not usually follow the F4 – F3R – F3 – F2 path, are finding opportunities on the road to Formula 1.
Since Joshua Durksen moved from FRECA directly to Formula 2 for the 2024 season, as well as Kimi Antonelli with PREMA and Ritomo Miyata from SuperFormula, some drivers are now thinking about not following the usual route that leads to the last feeder series before F1.
Seen the success that both Kimi and Joshua had in their debut season with 2 wins each and a great number of podiums, it is making competitors think about whether it is worth it to step up to Formula 3 after a season in Regional Formula 3-level series.
We have now seen Joshua Durksen, Kimi Antonelli and John Bennett between 2024 and 2025, but from 2026 onwards, it will become even more common.
Emmo Fittipaldi Jr. is the first case: He is stepping up to Formula 2 in 2026 with AIX after racing a year in FRECA and two full seasons in Eurocup-3, not counting the winter series.
Despite not having much success in these past few years with Formula 3 regional series, Emmo is not going to take part in the FIA Formula 3, but is immediately moving to the top series of the ladder towards Formula 1.
One of the reasons behind this choice, not only for him but for the drivers mentioned above as well, is not mysterious at all:
There are many Formula Regional championships around the world: FRECA, Eurocup-3, GB3, FRMEC, and so on.. The issue is, the performance of those cars is actually very close to the FIA Formula 3 machinery, which creates another problem easily avoidable.
Usually, to compete a full season in FRECA, Eurocup-3 or GB3, it costs from $900,000 to $1,400,000 for top teams as per our information, whereas teams in FIA Formula 3 ask from $1,700,000 to $2,200,000.
Why choose Regional Formula 3-level series over FIA Formula 3?
Although FIA Formula 3 is heavily competitive (on average half of the grid gets at least one podium result each year), a top team in regional series are much more affordable, rather than finding the money to compete in F3 with a team that usually struggles to perform at the top.
If a driver is short on budget, a clever choice would be to fight for wins in regional series and do an immediate step up to FIA Formula 2, as competing for the title in championships such as FRECA, Eurocup-3 or GB3 would help to attract sponsors more easily rather than having difficulties to score points in Formula 3.
This is what the Polish Tymek Kucharczyk is planning for the 2026 season. As a recently crowned champion in EuroFormula Open, he is trying to raise fundings for a seat in FIA Formula 2 next year.
Seen his struggles with the budget, it would not be worth to Tymek to take part in an FIA Formula 3 season, when he competed in EuroFormula Open in 2025, where the car has even got a higher downforce, despite having a weaker engine.
To step up directly to Formula 2, would mean he would expose himself to Formula 1 teams far more, and if he is lucky enough to have a great car and fight for wins as Joshua Durksen did, then it was absolutely worth the risk.
However, Trident is the only team remaining with both seats free, as the other teams have sealed their line-up but are yet to announce them. As per our latest information there are some drivers in the fight for the seat in Trident: Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, Tymek Kucharczyk (who is yet to find the budget but tested with them at Vallelunga), Kacper Sztuka, Christian Mansell (who tested with them at Monza) and Oliver Goethe.
A future in Formula 1 could be another reason
The first case we have seen is Ritomo Miyata migrating from the traditional Japanese SuperFormula to FIA Formula 2 in 2024, now he is completing the 2025 season and will be announced with Hitech TGR in 2026, as team mate of Colton Herta.
Since Cadillac joined Formula 1 with Andretti and Toyota Gazoo Racing bought a good fraction of both Haas and Hitech, more doors have opened to enter the pinnacle of motorsport in a close future.
Due to these moves, Ritomo Miyata and Sho Tsuboi, both coming from top tier Japanese racing, have had opportunities to test the Haas Formula 1 car in some TPC occasions (Testing of Previous car).
Cadillac wanted to bring Herta to Formula 2 in order to reinstate American representation in the Formula 1 grid, thus enforcing him to achieve the FIA superlicence in 2026.
However, not only this has created opportunity for the former Indycar driver, but also to FIA Formula 3 and IndyNXT champion Dennis Hauger, since Andretti is partnering with Cadillac and both are owned by TWG Motorsports. Dennis will drive in Indycar for Dale Coyne in 2026 and try to move to Andretti in 2027.
Should the Norwegian do very well there, the opportunities to race in Formula 1 will surely appear to him too.
Nico Varrone, recently announced to race with Van Amersfoort Racing in FIA Formula 2 for 2026 is migrating from sportscars. The Argentinian has been a Corvette factory driver for some years now and has also raced for Proton Competition in the Hypercar class in the WEC.
TWG Motorsport does not own Corvette, but if Nico Varrone can prove himself in FIA Formula 2 he could be in contention to join Cadillac’s affiliate program in Formula 1, and it is said to be the main reason for the Argentinian to have gone after the budget to race there next year. However, like Tymek Kucharczyk (who is yet to find the fundings), he might have one season only to show good results.
The two-time WRC Champion Kalle Rovanpera has also made a significant move from off-road racing. The Finn has stated that he wants to chase his dream to race in Formula 1, and at the age of 25, he left the Rally world to move to Superformula in 2026, backed by Toyota.
He did not hide his plans at all: the goal is to be racing in FIA Formula 2 in 2027, and it will be possibly be with Hitech, since TGR bought a part of the team.
To join Formula 2 as an outsider, is slowly becoming a trend, whether it will become even more common, we are yet to discover it.
Share this content:
