FORMULA 2 ARRIVES IN BUDAPEST WITH THE TITLE FIGHT HEATING UP
The FIA Formula 2 Championship heads to Budapest for Round 9 of the 2026 season, with the second part of the double-header after Spa-Francorchamps bringing the drivers to the Hungaroring. The Hungarian circuit will be another important test for the title contenders, with the championship battle becoming clearer as the season moves closer to its final stages.
After a difficult period, Rafael Câmara managed to restart his championship fight in Belgium. The Brazilian driver won the Feature Race at Spa-Francorchamps, taking advantage of his pole position and managing a chaotic race affected by Safety Cars, a red flag and changing strategies. The victory was his second of the season and allowed him to close the gap to the championship leaders.
Câmara now arrives in Hungary with renewed confidence, especially because the Hungaroring has been a successful track for him in the past. The Invicta Racing driver will also have the chance to match drivers such as George Russell, Nyck de Vries, Callum Ilott and Oscar Piastri with five pole positions in a single Formula 2 season. The record remains with Charles Leclerc, who achieved eight poles in one year.
Nikola Tsolov continues to control the championship thanks to his incredible consistency. The Campos Racing driver has scored points in eight consecutive races and has finished outside the top five only once since the Monaco Sprint Race. His ability to collect points every weekend has allowed him to maintain a strong advantage in the standings.
The Bulgarian driver will now face another challenge at a circuit where qualifying is extremely important. The Hungaroring offers very few overtaking opportunities, meaning starting near the front can make a huge difference during both races.
One of the biggest surprises from Spa was Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak. The ART Grand Prix driver achieved his first Formula 2 podium with a second-place finish in the Feature Race, moving into the top 10 of the championship standings. After showing steady improvement throughout the season, the Thai driver will try to continue this momentum in Hungary.
The situation is more complicated for Gabriele Minì. The Italian driver had a difficult weekend in Belgium, scoring fewer points than his main rivals and losing ground in the title fight. With Câmara getting closer and Tsolov continuing to score consistently, Minì needs a strong result in Budapest to keep his championship hopes alive.
The Hungaroring is known as one of the most technical tracks on the calendar. With many corners and limited opportunities to overtake, qualifying will be one of the most important moments of the weekend. Strategy will also play a key role in the Feature Race, especially for drivers who need to recover positions.
Invicta Racing arrives in Hungary after achieving a perfect weekend at Spa, winning both the Sprint Race with Joshua Duerksen and the Feature Race with Rafael Câmara. They are now the second team, together with Campos Racing, to achieve a clean sweep of victories during a single Formula 2 round this season.
Roman Bilinski, driver for DAMS Lucas Oil, described the Hungaroring as one of the most rewarding circuits when a driver manages to complete a perfect lap. The Polish driver also highlighted the importance of Turn 1 as the main overtaking opportunity and explained that the high temperatures make tyre management especially difficult.
Downforce will be one of the main factors at the Hungaroring. The circuit is made mainly of medium and high-speed corners, meaning teams will focus on finding the right aerodynamic balance. Tyre degradation will also be important, with drivers who manage their Pirelli tyres better likely to have an advantage.
Pirelli has selected the Medium and Soft compounds for the Hungarian weekend, the same choice made last season. Temperatures will strongly influence the behaviour of the tyres. If conditions remain cooler, graining could become a problem, especially on the Soft compound, while hotter weather could make tyre degradation the main challenge.
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