After the first eight races of the 2026 Formula 2 season, three drivers from the Formula 1 academy have emerged as clear title contenders, with a fourth shaping up as a surprise. Member of the Red Bull Junior Team, Nikola Tsolov, leads the standings with 161 points, followed by Gabriele Mini from the Alpine academy (134), Rafael Camara from the Ferrari academy (125), and Alex Dunne from Alpine (108).
Tsolov, representing Campos Racing, stands out as the most impressive with six victories, including three consecutive ones, a record only matched by Davide Valsecchi during the GP2 era. Mini, despite having only won one race, has demonstrated admirable consistency, finishing 14 races in the top 8 with MP Motorsport. Exceptions were the race in Monaco, where a long pit stop hindered him, and the asparagus race, where a technical failure eliminated him.
Camara, who followed in the footsteps of former champions Gabriel Bortoleto and Leonardo Fornaroli at Invicta Racing, has achieved four poles in the last five races, which have facilitated two victories. Dunne, for his part, has accumulated five podiums, although he has not been able to match his rookie season performances.
At the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, these four drivers confirmed their status as season favorites. In the sprint race, the usual order was disrupted; Joshua Duerksen won, ending a long podium drought. Martinius Stenshorne scored points for the first time since Monaco, and Ferrari’s Dino Beganovic returned to the podium after his last appearance in Monaco.
The main race was more competitive, with engines roaring among the leading drivers. Camara overtook Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak at the start and, after an incident with Tsolov, quickly regained the lead, winning comfortably after a race interruption due to an accident involving Laurens van Hoepen.
Tsolov, for his part, had a more challenging race due to inadequate adjustments to his vehicle. He acknowledged that he did not have much pace after the incident with Camara and that his race strategy was not correct. Despite this, he managed the situation well and finished fifth after a track limits penalty that benefited his final position.
Mini, who recovered from a collision on the first lap and the subsequent penalty, finished fifth, consolidating his position in the standings. The two F2 drivers, Camara and Tsolov, shared their thoughts on each other’s performances in the post-race press conference, highlighting their mutual consistency and respect on the track.
As the calendar continues with twelve more races, the competition is expected to be intense, with Camara and Tsolov as protagonists, while Mini and Dunne bring their experience to this title race. The future also looks exciting, as Tsolov’s name has been mentioned in rumors about the upcoming F1 season.
At the same time, the Spa Grand Prix was marked by an unusual incident that led to the disqualification of Noel Leon, who was disqualified for violating team rules regarding the use of communication devices. One of Campos Racing’s guests was using an incorrect headset, leading to a substantial fine for the team and a points deduction in the constructors’ standings.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
