Richard Verschoor entered his fifth Formula 2 season in 2025 and emerged with his strongest F2 season. The Dutchman hoped to finally clinch the Championship title, but he finished third in the Standings with 170 points. He managed to grab four race wins and six podiums in 2025.
Before his five years in F2, the Dutch driver won the Spanish Formula 4 Championship in his first year. He continued to gain experience in the Formula Renault Eurocup and the Toyota Racing Series before stepping up to Formula 3. In F3, he became the first rookie winner for more than a decade, which eventually led to his second year in F3. In 2021, the Verschoor was ready to step up to Formula 2. The Dutchman has vast experience in single-seater racing and recently joined the McLaren Development Programme.
Ups and downs at the start for Verschoor
The season began with Verschoor grabbing a solid P4 in Melbourne during the Sprint Race. As the Feature Race was cancelled due to the weather, he was left with only five points for the weekend. Next up was Round 2 in Sakhir. The weekend proved fruitful for the racer as he climbed to a P2 finish in the Sprint Race, making it his first podium of the season. The Feature Race also showed strong, smart skills that delivered a P6 finish.
Jeddah was a roller coaster for the Dutchman. Verschoor looked strong from the first lap and stormed across the finish line first around the quick Jeddah track. However, the joy was short-lived when a five-second penalty cost him a win, dropping him to P4. He quickly bounced back and was ready to pounce during the Feature Race. Verschoor demonstrated control and patience on the narrow Jeddah track, which eventually led him to grab his first victory of the season.
While he would have hoped to keep the strong momentum going, the next round in Imola turned out to be one of his worst. The Sprint Race saw him finish P22, but he did have a strong recovery drive from P19 to P9 in the Feature Race. The 25-year-old showed his experience and delivered a solid drive. The next part of the triple header had the grid heading to the difficult streets of Monte Carlo. The Monaco track was not kind to many, and while the Sprint saw him finish P5, the Feature Race brought more chaos. The race ended prematurely for many on Lap 1 when a collision between Alex Dunne and Victor Martins triggered a seven-car pile-up that caused damage to several cars. Verschoor was one of the drivers caught up in the aftermath of the collision. He was forced to leave Monaco disappointed.
Consistency and experience in F2
The last part of the triple header took place around the Circuit De Barcelona-Catalunya. After starting the Sprint Race in P5, he fought his way to victory. With a smart strategy call to opt for soft tyres after a late Safety Car, the Dutchman stormed to victory. The Feature Race also saw him deliver a strong drive, earning another podium. Verschoor was once again on the third step of the podium.
After his redemption weekend came the Spielberg challenge, which Verschoor mastered. The Sprint Race had him narrowly miss the podium, finishing P4. However, the Feature Race proved the Dutchman’s experience and speed. After lining up third on the grid, bold overtakes and smart driving had Verschoor grab the chequered flag first. His dominant drive had him rocket to his third victory of the season. With this, he also claimed back the F2 Championship lead.
Difficult run but important points for Verschoor
The next couple of weekends were less bright for the 25-year-old. Silverstone delivered mixed conditions that forced the drivers to adapt quickly. After qualifying seventh, he did not climb higher than P8 in the Sprint Race. The Feature Race was not much better as the driver finished in P7. Next up was the legendary Spa-Francorchamps track. The Spa weekend was filled with chaos and rain, leading to difficult conditions for the drivers. The Sprint Race ended with a DNF for the Dutchman, while the Feature Race had him finish P18. It was a race weekend to forget.
Budapest was better for the Dutchman. Although he qualified P11, he followed it up with a strong P6 in the Sprint. While the Feature Race kept him off the podium again, he climbed to P5 and earned more points for the MP Motorsport team. Monza was a similar story, where he missed out on the podium but still fought for important points. The Temple of Speed delivered a rough qualifying for the Dutchman as he spun and crashed into the wall at the exit of Lesmo. Before the incident, he was set to be P2, but after his fastest lap was deleted, he dropped to P14. Despite starting outside the top 10, he showed strong drive and climbed to P4 in the Sprint. The Feature Race had him settle for a P8 finish.
Still, even on some less-than-ideal weekends, Verschoor showed how important experience and consistency can be. Baku delivered a similar result, with the Sprint Race having him finish P6 and the Feature P8.
Last triumph of F2
Verschoor bounced back in Qatar with another dominant victory. The frantic Sprint Race showed his impressive composure and determination as he hoped to keep the Championship hopes alive. Amid the chaos of safety cars and incidents, Verschoor took the chequered flag. Unfortunately, his Championship hopes were short-lived as the Feature Race saw him finish sixth. With this, Leonardo Fornaroli was crowned the F2 Champion during the penultimate round.
Sadly, his last F2 weekend was another to forget, leaving Verschoor without points. A P12 finish in the Abu Dhabi Sprint and a P13 in the Feature would leave the driver on a sour note. Still, considering his whole season, Verschoor demonstrated his growth and resilience as a racer. He started the season with several strong races and dominant victories. Although there were ups and downs, the Dutchman proved what he can do.
