With Baku now complete, the 2025 F2 season heads into its final two rounds, while DAMS Lucas Oil’s Jak Crawford still has yet to finalise his 2026 racing plans. With no on-track action until racing resumes in Qatar, the American enters the break on the back of his triumphant Sunday in Baku. Crawford’s weekend in Baku was exactly what he needed to keep his championship hopes alive, taking pole position and securing his third Feature Race win of the season
Since his victory, Crawford has climbed to second in the Drivers’ Standings, demoting Hitech TGR’s Luke Browning down to third. Now just 19 points adrift of the current championship leader Leonardo Fornaroli, the 20 year-old has positioned himself as a strong contender for the title in his third season.
His talent and speed make a future in Formula 1 or a full-time seat in any other series seem inevitable. However, with Cadillac’s lineup already confirmed , 2026 may not provide the American with an opportunity to secure a full-time F1 seat next year.
Unrealistic goal to have full-time seat in F1 for 2026
Not long ago, during the F2 Hungarian GP, Crawford confirmed that discussions with Cadillac were ongoing and that the team remained a viable option for 2026. However, with Sergio Pérez and Valterri Bottas now locked into the American outfit’s lineup, the 20 year-old continues to explore other opportunities within the F1 paddock. Crawford’s ties to Aston Martin F1, where he is part of their Young Driver Development Programme driver, may provide the best pathway towards securing a Reserve driver role for 2026.
During the post-Qualifying press conference in Baku, Crawford spoke to Pit Debrief and other media outlets , briefly providing an update on his plans for 2026.
“Yeah, at the moment, there’s not much going on, to be honest. I think obviously, a Formula One race seat is not realistic, being with all the places on the grid. You know, they have drivers in them now.
So, I think next best option would be, of course, reserve and development role.”
“You know, a bit like what I’m doing now, but I’d say a bit more focus on the F1 side. I think that’s kind of what I’m looking at. And I think I would love to be back at Aston Martin. I think that’s a good dream destination for me.”
Formula E as a possible path
The American’s future isn’t just limited to the Formula 1 paddock. Given his experience as a Reserve and Development Driver with the Andretti Formula E team, the electric-racing series also presents a strong option for him. During the 2025 Formula E Berlin Rookie Test, he spoke exclusively with Pit Debrief, explaining how he continues to weigh his options.
“At the moment, I’m still looking at all different options, you know, between Formula 1 and Formula E, trying to decide what’s best,”
“Obviously, the F2 season goes quite long in the year, which makes it a bit tricky because you never know how your season’s going to go. You could have a really good last few rounds, and that makes it a bit tough. But yeah, definitely looking at some options for next year. I think it’s safe to say F2 is not going to be my future next year.”
Why young drivers are turning to Formula E?
The 20 year-old spoke fondly about the series’ growing popularity, noting how Formula E cars have progressively become faster as technology advances. He highlighted how the series has become a more viable pathway or drivers stepping up from F2 and F3, due to the competitiveness of the teams and its increasing appeal to young drivers.
“You know, it’s a growing series, of course. The cars are getting quicker and quicker, and the technology is always growing. As that happens, it becomes more of a realistic option — a proper step up from F2 or F3, wherever you’re coming from.”
“In the past, it’s been a little bit slower, but now the cars are getting faster and faster. It’s always been really competitive in Formula E, that’s no doubt. But also, the teams are at a very high level, which makes it quite intriguing as well.”
“So, as the cars get better and better, I think it’s getting more attractive to younger people.”
In recent years, several drivers have transitioned from F2 to Formula E, with Taylor Barnard and Zane Maloney being the most recent. With many current F2 and F3 drivers exploring Formula E and the growing difficulty of securing an F1 seat, alternative paths have become increasingly attractive to many. With Crawford’s 2026 plans still uncertain, multiple viable options still exist for him to continue racing next year.
