John Bennett heads into the 2026 FIA Formula 2 round in Madrid looking to continue the progress he has made during the second half of the season and build on a strong weekend at Monza.
The TRIDENT driver spoke during a virtual media event ahead of the Madrid round, attended by Pit Debrief, where he discussed his first impressions of the new Madring, the importance of simulator preparation and the challenges he expects from a circuit that no F2 driver has raced on before.
Unlike the F3 field, which completed a two-day test at the venue, Bennett and his F2 rivals will encounter the circuit for the first time when they leave the pit lane. However, simulator work and observations from the F3 test have given them an initial understanding of a layout Bennett expects to demand commitment while offering little margin for error.
Bennett excited by 2026 F2 Madrid challenge
Bennett expects the unfamiliarity of the Madring to provide an additional challenge across the weekend. Although the F2 drivers have not yet completed a lap at the circuit, they have studied the layout through simulator running and the information available from F3 testing.
He identified the kerbs through Turns 4 and 5 and the faster sequence later in the lap as areas that could prove particularly demanding.
“I’m very excited to get the driving on track underway. It’s always cool driving a new track. It’s always a good challenge for all of us drivers. None of us have driven it yet. We’ve seen the F3 test and obviously driven it on the sim. It seems very challenging, a lot of fun to drive, it looks like, and that’s what the F3 guys are saying. At the same time, I think it’s very easy to crash around here, very easy to crash on the sim.
“Also, the F3 guys had quite a few difficulties. I expect Turns 4 and 5, with how you take the kerbs in the chicane, can be tricky. Also, just the high-speed sections like Turns 12, 13, 14 and 15. It’s quite tricky with not much margin for error with the walls. In general, I’m very excited to drive it. For sure, it’s a challenge for the drivers.”
Street-circuit character appeals to Bennett in Madrid
The barriers and high-speed nature of the circuit form part of its appeal for Bennett. He compared the sensation he expects in Madrid with Jeddah, where speed and proximity to the walls combine to create one of the more demanding experiences on the current calendar.
However, he also highlighted Madrid-specific characteristics such as the banking and the need to judge how aggressively to attack the chicanes.
“Really, what Nikola said. I think a street track is always the most exciting, and driving between the walls is always what gives us the most adrenaline. For sure, it’ll feel… I think it’ll be a lot of fun to drive. Jeddah, with the walls and being high-speed, is always amazing to be on, and I think this track has a lot of that too.
“And then also just the unique challenges, like T12 with all the banking, I think will be really good. How you attack the chicanes, how much risk you take, and then it being a new challenge for everyone. I think it’ll be a lot of fun.”
For Bennett, the fact that every F2 driver starts without previous track experience also places greater emphasis on preparation and how quickly each competitor adapts once Practice begins.
Bennett sees similarities between 2026 F2 Madrid and Jeddah
Although Madring is new, Bennett believes experience from other circuits can still provide useful references. He sees aspects of Jeddah, Macau and the Hungaroring in the Madrid layout, particularly through its speed, walls and technical sequences.
However, he considers Jeddah the closest comparison among circuits currently on the F2 calendar.
“For sure, there are some similarities to other tracks. I think as you go through your career and you build your experience at racetracks, pretty much every track you go to, there are aspects of somewhere else that you can compare it with. I’d say it’s quite similar to Jeddah in some ways, very high-speed and with the walls, but at the same time very similar to a lot of the street tracks.
“I think a lot of people are saying it’s quite similar to Macau. I’ve never been there, but I do see how it can be similar in those ways. But I think all the comparisons that a lot of drivers are making in the media, it is what it is, really. I think it is like Hungary with walls, or it’s a bit like Jeddah or Macau. I think the experience we get through our careers will help us with a new challenge like this. And I think it just will be a big challenge. So, for me, it’s a bit like Jeddah. I think it’s the closest on the current calendar.”
Bennett admits simulator work has been important
Pit Debrief asked Bennett how much he trusts simulator preparation at a circuit where F2 has no real-world data, particularly after Pierre Gasly spoke about hitting several walls during his own simulator running.
Bennett said the simulator remains an important part of preparation, even though the team cannot yet directly compare its predicted F2 performance against actual running at the venue.
“I think we trust the sim prep we do quite a bit, especially on a track like this that you’ve never been to before. You know, obviously, we don’t know. We can only predict the sort of lap times that Formula 2 are going to be doing. But we know that the sim is going to anticipate very closely on all the tracks that we do have real-life data for.
“But then on top of that, you know, we work out how to drive it in the sim, but then after we’ve also been there and we have the onboard and we can talk with the drivers about it. So, the prep has been super important, and it’s always super important with learning new tracks. But I think the prep that we’ve done should put us in a good way for the weekend.”
The preparation gives Bennett an initial reference, but the first Practice session will provide the first opportunity to compare those expectations with the real circuit.
Track evolution could shape 2026 F2 Madrid weekend
Bennett expects track evolution to play a significant role as the circuit develops throughout the weekend. Formula 2 will also switch from the Hard compound in Practice to the Soft for Qualifying, which he believes will produce a substantial improvement in lap time.
Limited running could further increase the importance of adapting quickly if red flags interrupt sessions.
“I think track evolution is always quite a big factor, especially on the street tracks, and I think this one will be no different. On top of that, we’re going from hard to soft, going from FP to Qualifying, which makes a big difference. I think we’ll easily be going over two seconds faster in Qualifying than Free Practice. I think that’s just quite a lot of evolution for the driver as well.
He continued, “I think everyone’s expecting there to be quite a few red flags, quite a few crashes, so we might end up with very limited running. In which case, we’re going to be improving a lot lap by lap. So, I think it’ll be quite a big factor. It’s one that I think we’re all ready for and quite used to in F2. I think it’ll be one of the big points of the weekend.”
La Monumentale adds physical challenge for Bennett
One of the Madring’s most distinctive features is La Monumentale, the banked section surrounded by grandstands. Bennett expects it to create an impressive spectacle while also placing additional physical demands on the drivers.
He believes drivers may need to lift through the corner during Practice and the races, while Qualifying conditions could make it flat out.
“I think it looks quite cool. I think it’ll be quite a spectacle for the fans, at least. Grandstands surrounding it, I think it’ll look really cool on the first couple of laps of the race. In terms of the corner for us, I think it’ll be quite tricky in Free Practice and the races. We might need to lift a little bit. I do expect in Quali it will just be flat out. But, I mean, it’ll be a cool sensation in the car, I think.
“I think the biggest thing for me, really, is I think it’ll just be quite physically fatiguing. I think the steering will get super heavy there. You know, it’s something that we felt maybe at Zandvoort when we raced there before. But I think the Formula 2 car is always very heavy to be steering, and then when you add in the banking, I think it’ll be very physical. So, I think that’s really the biggest challenge that the corner poses for us.”
Bennett expects Qualifying to matter in 2026 F2 Madrid
Bennett does not expect Madring to provide a large number of straightforward overtaking opportunities. He identified Turns 1 and 4, which sit at the end of the two DRS zones, as the clearest areas where drivers may be able to make progress.
Strategy could create other opportunities, particularly when cars emerge from the pits on slower outlaps, but Bennett expects track position to carry considerable importance.
“I think it will be a very tricky circuit for overtaking. I think it’ll be a lot of fun to drive, but I’m not sure if it’ll produce the best racing.
He added, “I think the only real opportunities are going to be Turn 1 and Turn 4 in the two DRS zones. Other than that, it’s quite tricky.
“I think the pit strategy will play into it. I think the outlap could be quite slow, and then that obviously opens up opportunities to really pass anywhere on the track. But, for me, I think Turn 1 and Turn 4 will be the main places.”
That expectation also places added importance on Qualifying, which Bennett repeatedly identified as one of the central parts of his Madrid weekend.
Bennett encouraged by recent 2026 F2 progress
Bennett’s confidence also comes from an improving second half of his first full F2 campaign. Spa provided one of his strongest Qualifying results with fifth, although he left the weekend without points, continuing a pattern of promising performances that did not always translate into results.
Monza finally produced the points return he felt his recent pace deserved and strengthened his belief that he can compete towards the front.
“I think Spa was a really positive weekend for us, but sort of summed up the season so far in that we took a really good step in Qualifying with the P5 and still came away with zero points from the weekend. A lot of rounds this year, myself and the team have all been saying that it could be going a lot better, but it’s just never quite gone across the line for whatever reason. So, the Monza weekend was super important for me.
“And I think it’s been a really good show that I actually can have big points-scoring weekends and can fight at the top of Formula 2. And now it’s really just about continuing that sort of performance. Obviously, I’m not in the Championship fight like Nikola. But for me, it’s just about rounding out the season as strongly as I can and showing that I can fight at the front of Formula 2. I think we’ve been taking good steps forward all season long. I think we’ve just been working well as a team.”
Bennett adapting after GB3-to-F2 jump
Bennett acknowledged that adapting to Formula 2 has taken longer than he initially expected. His route into the championship involved stepping directly from GB3 and skipping FIA Formula 3, while he also started the season with less circuit experience than many of his rivals.
However, he believes the work completed across the year has left him increasingly comfortable with the car.
“I’m feeling very confident in the car. I think it’s taken me a bit longer to get used to the Formula 2 car than I was expecting, but there’s always going to be a big jump, skipping Formula 3, moving from GB3. And I was just very limited on track knowledge in general. So, I think the second half of the season for me has been really positive so far. And, like I said, I think we just need to keep performing at the front, as I think we have been doing for the past few weekends, and round out the season as strongly as we can to get some opportunities for next year.”
His recent performances have therefore become particularly important as he looks to end the campaign with a clearer indication of his progress from the beginning of the year.
Bennett targets top-five Qualifying in 2026 F2 Madrid
Bennett heads into the Madrid weekend with a straightforward objective: continue the form he showed at Monza and place himself in a position to compete near the front.
He remains confident in TRIDENT’s ability to adapt to a new venue, pointing towards the team’s competitiveness at Miami and Montreal as useful examples.
“I mean, obviously, every weekend I go there trying to win, you know, trying to be as fast as we can, maximising the car. You know, it’s a new challenge for everyone. We don’t know how competitive the car is going to be. And I think so far I’ve felt very confident in the team. I think we’ve been quite strong for most of the season.
“And then on top of that, I think we were really quite fast in Miami and Canada, which were new tracks. So, I do have quite a lot of confidence in the team that we’ll be able to rock up with quite a fast car here. And then after that, I mean, it’s just continuing the sort of good momentum that I’ve had from the last few rounds, and especially from Monza.”
Qualifying anchors Bennett’s Madrid objectives
Bennett ultimately views Qualifying as the session most likely to shape his weekend. With overtaking expected to prove difficult, he wants to establish himself inside the top five before assessing what result becomes available from there.
“Really, just consolidating, getting strong points, looking to qualify in the top five, and then from there seeing what’s possible. I do think, with the last question, I forgot to talk about Qualifying, but I do think this weekend will all come down to Qualifying. So, really just trying to qualify as best as we can. And then from there, if that’s fighting for a podium or fighting for a win or just fighting for points, you know, that’s what it will be. But maximising what I have available and trying to see what happens.”
Madrid therefore gives Bennett another opportunity to continue the upward trend he has seen across recent rounds. His focus remains on carrying that progress into Qualifying, maximising the package available from TRIDENT and ending his 2026 F2 campaign with further evidence of the improvement he has made through his first season in the category.
