MP Motorsport and Team Manager Jeremy Cotterill concluded the 2025 Formula 2 season with mixed emotions. While the team, alongside drivers Oliver Goethe and Richard Verschoor, demonstrated pace and potential throughout the year, they ultimately fell short of their primary objectives. Cotterill reflected on a campaign shaped by fine margins, key turning points and valuable lessons that now inform the team’s outlook for 2026.
Fine margins in a tight championship
The season ended with a lingering sense that more was possible. MP Motorsport remained competitive in one of the tightest championships on the grid, where every session and every weekend carried significant weight. Small mistakes proved costly, and consistency across both cars did not always align when it mattered most.
In such a closely matched field, no team could afford a difficult weekend. A single setback was enough to undo weeks of solid work. Cotterill acknowledged the reality of the championship and emphasised the importance of perspective as the team turned its focus towards the future.
“I would say it was a slight underachievement for various reasons but in the end, it is what it is. F2 is a very tight Championship and on reflection, it’s easy in hindsight to do better, but it wasn’t a bad season.”
“You’ve just got to be consistent all the time and scoring points with both cars. Both cars have to contribute always in order to win the Teams’ Championship. There are no bad teams in F2, and as you can see from the points tally, a slip one weekend can make things worse. We take things as they are and we’ll be working towards better things next year.”
Momentum lost but progress maintained
Cotterill admitted that leading the championship naturally raised expectations. Missing out on the title brought disappointment, but reflection soon provided perspective. Rather than viewing the season as a failure, he saw it as one that still delivered meaningful progress.
There were weekends where rivals simply executed better. One of the most decisive moments came at Monza, where a qualifying setback shifted the trajectory of both the team’s campaign and Verschoor’s title challenge. Despite that, Cotterill was keen to underline the strength of the working relationship and praised Verschoor’s professionalism and long-standing commitment to the team.
“When you lead the Championship for any period of time, you can’t help but be disappointed not to win. But, having had a couple of days to reflect on things, I’m ok with it. It wasn’t a horrendous year, in fact it was good.”
“There were days as a team and as a driver if we’re talking about Richard [Verschoor], we can see that there are other teams and drivers have had better days. It can happen. I think in Monza when he dropped it in Qualifying, that was a turning point for us and for him. But, having said that, he’s been a pleasure to work with.”
“We’ve known him for a long time, he’s got a good work ethic, and the next part of his career is starting to be revealed now.”
Encouraging progress for Goethe
Cotterill also highlighted the progress made by Oliver Goethe, particularly during the second half of the season. While results did not always reflect his underlying performance, there was clear evidence of development and growing confidence.
Unfortunate circumstances occasionally intervened. At Monza, a well-controlled race slipped away after a Safety Car neutralised his advantage. Nevertheless, Cotterill viewed the latter stages of the year as an important step forward in Goethe’s development.
“Ollie’s [Goethe] second half of the season has been good. Even in areas where perhaps results haven’t shown that for one reason or another – Monza for instance, where he was leading the race and we stopped and then caught a Safety Car which ruined our race.”
“But that’s racing, that’s just how things work sometimes. The second half of the season has been a major step forward for him, and long may that continue.”
Early promise and future ambition
Cotterill also reflected on Gabriele Minì’s early integration into the team. Although his time on track was limited to post-season testing, the initial signs proved positive, with Minì adapting quickly and fitting naturally into the team environment.
With confidence in both drivers, Cotterill made clear that MP Motorsport intended to return with renewed determination. The focus remained on progress, execution and coming back ready to challenge at the front in the next season.
“Gabriele [Minì], we’ve only had the few hours on track with him in post-season testing but he’s slotting into the team really well and we have high hopes for him, as we do for both our drivers. We want to come out fighting next year.”
