The Formula 2 and Formula 3 championships are up and running in 2026. This year, there will be an additional, PlanetF1.com podium, to play for.

In this new PF1 series, we will award three points to the driver who impresses us most over an F2/F3 weekend. Two points shall go to our runner-up, and a single point for P3. By the end of the year, we shall have our winner. In the event of a tie, the driver who scores the most points on-track, will clinch our best and fairest award. Right, let’s get to it!

Gabriele Mini stakes title claim after Miami thriller

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Formula 2 was back in action over the weekend, in what was a landmark moment for the series. Rerouting to Miami, it marked the first time ever that Formula 2 had gone racing in North America.

And boy oh boy, did F2 deliver around the Miami International Autodrome.

Speaking of delivering, our three points for Miami goes to MP Motorsport’s Gabriele Mini, as he reached the milestone of becoming an F2 race winner.

In completing a gutsy pass on Noel León at Turn 16, Mini set himself up to join a thrilling feature race victory battle. Dino Beganovic and race leader Rafael Câmara, both Ferrari juniors, were up ahead on a drying track.

As that duo went to battle, the Alpine-backed Mini closed in. Camara tried, at Turn 1, to undo the damage of Beganovic’s overtake, but instead found himself in the run-off.

Mini pounced, and Beganovic was next.

Harrying Beganovic, the Swede went wide at T17, allowing Mini to take the lead onto the last lap. He held firm from there to secure his first F2 victory.

Beganovic confirmed post-race that he was trying to relinquish the position to Mini, having cut the chicane in defence earlier in the lap.

“It feels amazing,” said Mini of his achievement in the post-race press conference.

“It was a very chaotic race. It was, I think, in two parts. So the first part, I tried to stay on track, not to do any mistakes and see how the pace was. And then the second part, we just tried to gain position and be as quick as possible.

“Overheating was a big element of the race. So when I saw Dino and Rafa fighting, I started trying to catch up. And in the end, with a very nice battle, I managed to bring the win.”

Our well-earned three points go to Mini, who moves up to second in the championship. Now over that race-winning hurdle, it will be intriguing to see how the Italian kicks on from here, even if he is “not really looking at the championship at the moment”.

More on the junior ladder to Formula 1

Invicta Racing’s impromptu home race: Formula 2 heads for Miami and Montreal

Colton Herta rejects Romain Grosjean IndyCar vs F2 comparison

Nikola Tsolov delivers in Miami F2 Sprint for the ages

Two Miami points go to championship leader Nikola Tsolov.

While the Miami Grand Prix delivered excitement and drama, the F1 Sprint proved a low-key preview.

It was Formula 2 which showed how a Sprint race is done in Miami, as Tsolov came out on top.

Leading was not exactly the best position to be in for much of the F2 Sprint, such was the power of DRS. Tsolov and Trident’s Laurens van Hoepen were locked in a tactical battle.

There was a hiccup for Tsolov who cut the T15/16 chicane, but generally, he withstood the pressure expertly, including in a thrilling dash to the line, as Rodin’s Alex Dunne arrived on the scene looking to snatch a win from nowhere, having managed his tyres and timed the attack.

But, Tsolov was not to be denied.

There was misfortune in the feature race for Tsolov, who was out after colliding with Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, the latter receiving a 10-second penalty.

Tsolov does leave Miami with his championship lead still in tact, though the Bulgarian Red Bull junior has seen his lead cut to one point by Mini and Camara.

Dino Beganovic gets ‘revenge’ for Melbourne

Coming into F2 2026 with title hopes, Melbourne did not to go plan for Beganovic.

He dusted himself down nicely, and scored in both Miami races.

“Revenge” for the Melbourne feature race, as he called it, after that Miami P2.

21 points is a solid haul, and gets Beganovic truly up and running in the title conversation.

Miami F2 points awarded

1. Gabriele Mini, MP Motorsport – 3

2. Nikola Tsolov, Campos Racing – 2

3. Dino Beganovic, DAMS Lucas Oil, 1

F2 2026 season tally

1. Nikola Tsolov, Campos Racing – 5

2. Gabriele Mini, MP Motorsport – 3

3. Ritomo Miyata, Hitech – 2

F3 2026 season tally

1. Ugo Ugochukwu, Campos Racing – 3

2. Bruno del Pino, Van Amersfoort Racing – 2

3. Freddie Slater, Trident – 1

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