Formula 2’s Day in the Sun
Miami was a statement: not just for the young Red Bull star Nikola Tsolov and his championship bid, but for Formula 2 as a highly watchable package. Yes, Formula 2 is a preparatory series for destined Formula 1 drivers, but in a time of regulation changes and a push for the untapped North American viewership, Formula 2 is more than a value add to the “main event.”
“I think [Formula 2] is one of the best categories to race in, because there’s so much action always happening,” says Trident’s Laurens van Hoepen in Miami. “You know, a lot of overtakes, always some chaos in the mix.”
Formula 2 has a knack for delivering chaotic, exciting racing. The talent is there, but the edges haven’t been polished. And that, as the Miami fans saw, is fun.
In a first stop to the North American continent for the series, Miami delivered last-lap battles for the win, tricky conditions, and a brand-new audience. Nikola Tsolov, dubbed “The Bulgarian Lion,” led the championship coming into the weekend and maintained his lead with a Sprint Race win.
Tsolov is one of several drivers to keep an eye on from this season’s grid. His easy, confident off-track persona underlines his strong performances on track. While other drivers seemed unnerved at times in front of the press conference cameras, Tsolov lounges on the same couch the F1 drivers later occupy. Despite heavy pressure from fellow drivers Laurens van Hoepen and Alex Dunne on Saturday, when asked if this was his most stressful race, Tsolov responded, “No, because I believe there’s races that you need to win 100% and today, I think, was just about collecting points.”
The Sprint and Feature race podiums starred six different drivers, all in agreement on one thing: two new-to-F2 tracks on the 2026 calendar is cause for excitement. While the Miami and Montreal circuits were added due to conflicts in the Middle East, they represent a two-pronged opportunity.
First, for the drivers: young stars are getting racing experience at new tracks ahead of possible Formula 1 futures. Invaluable.
And second, for the sport: Formula 1 has never hidden its desire to grow in the North American market. Creating more on-track time for its American and Canadian race attendees is a huge win for the fans, the hosting circuits, and the sport alike. The success of the Miami weekend signals a warm welcome for the series’ upcoming Circuit Gilles Villeneuve visit. What’s more, the addition of Circuit of the Americas or Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to the F2 calendar rotation seems a likely 2027 event.
“I hope they watch this race, because I guess they will want to watch the next one as well,” says DAMS Lucas Oil driver Dino Beganovic. “Hopefully when we go to Canada, we have lots of spectators there for our race. Hopefully as many as we have in Europe.”
This gets to the heart of Formula 2 viewership: its biggest audience remains in Europe. Formula 2 reports that it is now broadcasted in over 170 territories and reaches almost 60 million viewers through its integration with Formula 1 broadcasts.
In the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey, Europe represents 49% of Formula 1’s most engaged fans, followed by the Americas at 26%. The age of viewers has drastically widened to include the younger generations, with the 18-34 age bracket increasing 43% between 2021 and 2022.
Modern motorsports hinges on the ability of fans to connect with the drivers on and off track. Viewers engage with drivers that reflect something about themselves, and the young F2 grid fits perfectly into the most rapidly growing age bracket. It stands to reason that, given a larger spotlight, the Formula 2 grid would become the next hotspot for fan engagement.
Formula 1 is looking for its next story to tell. The answer may well be a glance away: Formula 2 is full of young stars with big dreams and racing that doesn’t easily fall into the lull of same podium, same results. It’s high time that Formula 2 gets its own day in the sun.
