Formula 2 heads to North America for the first time this weekend as the championship has landed at the Miami International Autodrome, which acts as a replacement for one of the two cancelled Middle East rounds in 2026.
Heading into the region for the first time, F2’s first visit to the venue marks an exciting new chapter for the championship as it introduces another junior category to the North American audience. As it stands, Campos Racing and Nikola Tsolov lead both championship standings after the Bulgarian stormed to victory during the Feature Race in Melbourne.
While it’s been a while since any on-track action, here’s what to expect from the 2026 F2 Miami GP.
Weekend schedule
Given it is every driver and team’s first visit to the circuit, Free Practice on Friday is expected to be a busy session as they learn the track and gather important data, with the session scheduled to take place at 09:30 local time. The first day of on-track action will conclude with a qualifying session at 14:30 in the afternoon, which will set the grid for Sunday’s main race.
On Saturday, drivers will face a 23-lap Sprint Race, with the first-ever North American race set to begin at 10:00. On Sunday, a 32-lap Feature Race follows and is set to start at 12:30, where drivers will be required to take a mandatory pit stop.
Drivers excited for a new challenge
As the championship continues to unfold, ART Grand Prix’s Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak is among the many drivers eager to get going as they prepare for their first session in Miami. Anticipating that the track will produce great racing, the rookie spoke highly of the street circuit.
“I think Miami is a very unique circuit that has a bit of everything with fast, high-speed sections as well as some very low speed corners, especially through the middle sector.
“I think there should be some good overtaking opportunities into Turn 1, Turn 11 and 17 at the end of very long straights with the DRS zones, so I think racing should be really good.”
“One of the biggest challenges I think will be the track evolution. Miami is a circuit that has a lot of track evolution between sessions. So, jumping into Qualifying will be super tricky, especially with no experience around the circuit before.”
“Overall, I think the track will produce some great racing and I think the atmosphere there will be really special, so I can’t wait.”
Unlike many tracks, the street circuit consist of a hybrid layout combining public roads and purpose-built sections that surround the home of the Miami Dolphins. With three DRS zones across the 5.412km circuit, this will be F2’s first new venue since the introduction of Lusail in 2024.
F2’s Technical Director Pierre-Alain Michot on what to expect from Miami’s racing action
With track evolution expected to play a major role over the weekend, Michot spoke about what fans can expect from the racing action this weekend.
“Miami will be a new challenge for teams and drivers to figure out and should provide plenty of action in both the Sprint and Feature Races.”
“Track evolution will be a big factor to keep on top of, not just between sessions but also from the green light to chequered flag in Qualifying especially.”
“The sweeping middle sector and long back straight are both punctuated with heavy braking phases at the end of DRS zones, so expect plenty of overtakes here.”
A jump in tyre compounds
For the 2026 F2 Miami GP, Pirelli have chosen to feature the Medium and Supersoft compounds. The performance gap between both tyres could prompt teams to gamble on starting Sunday’s Feature Race on the Supersoft, giving them the opportunity to gain early advantages. While the softer tyre will offer initial gains, degradation will be an issue, whereas the Mediums would provide teams and drivers with more consistent times over their first stint.
Unpredictable weather conditions in Miami could add an unexpected twist this weekend. If temperatures drop, drivers on the Medium compound will struggle with tyre warmup, while cooler conditions could allow them to extend their stints on the Supersoft. As a result, teams will need to monitor conditions and situations closely as the weekend unfolds.
On a street circuit like Miami, the possibilities of a safety car will also be an important factor for teams to consider when preparing for the weekend.
Campos Racing lead the way
The Spanish outfit leads the Teams’ Standings with 33 points, with both of its drivers already scoring podiums at the opening round in Melbourne. In a similar position, Invicta Racing also scored podium finishes with both of their drivers, as they currently trail the leaders by 4 points. While both teams and their drivers aim to carry that momentum forward, racing on home soil will undoubtedly give Hitech’s Colton Herta added motivation to secure a strong result this weekend.
Following his crash with his teammate during the opening round in Melbourne, the stewards penalised Rodin Motorsport’s Alex Dunne with a five-place grid penalty, which he will serve during Sunday’s Feature Race.
