Trident aims for a 2026 F2 comeback season with a new driver lineup and a promising start in pre-season testing at Barcelona.
The Italian outfit has endured several difficult F2 seasons, regularly finishing P9 or P10 in the Teams’ Standings with limited points. Notably, 2022 and 2024 saw the team’s best results as they finished the seasons with over 100 points. However, 2025 marked Trident’s most difficult season yet, as they only scored two points and made several driver changes.
Now, the team aims to improve its ranking, with Team Manager Giacomi Ricci highlighting a strong start in pre-season testing in Barcelona.
“I have to say, I am quite positive about the test,” Ricci said after the event. “It seems like we have found a better direction with the car.”
“It’s super early to make any conclusions, but at least the testing days have been positive. It’s both in performance and also in the long runs. We are looking forward to the first race in Melbourne now.”
“Good chemistry”: Ricci on new driver duo
John Bennett and Laurens van Hoepen make up Trident’s 2026 F2 lineup. The new season will mark Bennett’s second full F2 campaign, having raced with Van Amersfoort Racing in 2025. On the other hand, van Hoepen embarks on his rookie full-time F2 season, having made his debut at last year’s Baku GP before competing again in Lusail and Yas Island.
With that, Ricci spoke highly of both drivers: “John has one year of experience and Laurens has already been with us last year, it’s a plus because they know the team. John already knows the car and Laurens already knows the team. So there is good chemistry between the driver and the team, so this is a positive.”
“We believe in each other, so it’s again a good thing. It’s still super early, so let’s see in Melbourne when everyone will be bringing their real qualifying performance. But both have been up in the times towards the front throughout the test days in Barcelona.”
Day 2 saw Bennett claim P3, just 0.034 seconds off the top time, while Day 3 featured van Hoepen taking P4 with a strong time of 1:23.671.
“This is a good thing for the team. It gives great motivation, not only to the drivers, but also to the engineers, to the mechanics, to everyone. I’m sure that they will push even harder now to prepare in the best way possible to Melbourne.”
Preparing for Melbourne
When asked after Barcelona testing, what comes next for the team, in terms of final preparations, Ricci shared: “We are at the factory immediately after the test and on Saturday and Sunday also. We are flat out of course because we need to pack up everything. Next week we will also have the final preparation with the drivers, and then we ship everything.”
“We go a few days early, a couple of days of cool down, but then everyone will be ready to go for Melbourne,” he concluded, with Melbourne set to take place from March 6-8.
