Ahead of the twelfth round in Baku, Trident have officially announced their decision to mutually part ways with Sami Meguetounif and Max Esterson for the rest of the 2025 F2 season. The decision follows after a challenging campaign with both drivers, with Meguetounif scoring just two points. Ultimately, a tough season with both drivers have left the Italian outfit at the bottom of the Teams’ Standings as three rounds remain.
Esterson first made his F2 debut with the team late last year, joining the grid for the final two rounds of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile , Meguetounif competed with Trident in F3 last year before stepping up to F2 after just one season. Although both drivers returned to a familiar team, the 2025 season has been an extremely challenging one for Trident and both its drivers.
Rundown of the Trident’s 2025 season
The season opener in Melbourne proved disastrous for both drivers, as they retired from the Sprint Race and then a cancelled Feature Race, denying both drivers the chance of redemption on Sunday. Throughout the year, Meguetounif and Esterson have struggled in Qualifying, frequently starting well down the order. Costly errors, including spins and crashes, have further hindered both drivers’ chances of scoring points this season.
However, between the duo, one could argue that Meguetounif has had the edge over Esterson throughout the year. The Frenchman achieved his best-ever F2 Qualifying result just last weekend in Monza, where he secured tenth on the grid. Following that, he started on the front row for the Sprint Race but was unable to convert it into a podium finish. His two points scored this year came from the Feature Races in Imola and Austria, where he finished tenth on both occasions. Meanwhile, Esterson leaves Trident and the 2025 season having scored no points.
The question now remains: Who could replace Meguetounif and Esterson for the final three rounds?
Possible candidates to replace the duo
With the F3 season now concluded, Trident could consider several drivers to replace Meguetounif and Esterson. Newly crowned FIA Formula 3 Champion Rafael Câmara stands out as a likely candidate , having just completed a record-breaking and triumphant season with the Italian outfit. Racing in F2 machinery ahead of his first full-time campaign could serve as a valuable experience for the Brazilian.
Câmara could potentially be joined by his fellow top-three finishers in the F3 championship, Mari Boya and Nikola Tsolov. Both drivers enjoyed considerable success throughout their campaigns this year and have the backing from Formula 1 teams, making this an excellent opportunity to gain experience in F2 ahead of a likely step up in 2026.
While speculation continues, these three drivers remain strong candidates to step into Formula 2 machinery for the first time next week in Baku.
