Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. delivered a breakthrough performance in the 2026 F2 Canadian GP Sprint Race. The Brazilian scored his maiden F2 points after a hard-fought race in Montreal. It was a result that showcased both his growing confidence and the steady progress of AIX Racing. The rookie converted a challenging starting position into a valuable finish, crossing the line in P7 before being classified P5 following post-race penalties.
The result marked a significant milestone in Fittipaldi’s early F2 career, especially after narrowly missing the top 10 in qualifying.
Strong preparation and team collaboration pay off for AIX Racing
Fittipaldi was quick to credit the groundwork completed by AIX Racing in the build-up to the Canadian GP weekend. He highlighted the importance of simulator preparation and team coordination in unlocking competitive pace from the outset.
“It’s overall about our collaboration with the team and everybody working together. There was a lot of prep done before even the event on the simulator that made a big impact on our results because from FP, we were already quite competitive in the top 10 and we stayed there,” Fittipaldi stated.
That early competitiveness translated into a consistent presence in the midfield battle. Fittipaldi spent much of the Sprint navigating a tightly packed DRS train and fighting experienced rivals.
He was able to make his way forward as trouble hit those ahead. Post-race penalties further reshuffled the order, and he was ultimately classified fifth.
The result meant far more than just a points finish. For Fittipaldi, it represented the payoff of a difficult and demanding start to his F2 career. He was open about what it meant to him after stepping out of the car.
“So just really thankful to God and to the team to be able to make such a good race car for me to race today and to be able to finally finish in the points is fantastic,” he stated.
Fighting at the front of the pack for the first time during the Canadian GP Sprint Race
The Canadian GP Sprint Race gave Fittipaldi his first sustained experience racing in the front group of an F2 field. The calibre of drivers around him made for a steep but valuable learning curve. He was candid about the challenge it presented.
“Well the first time racing in the front pack in Formula 2 is never easy,” he said. “These guys in the front are very talented and they’re very good drivers, everybody on the grid is.”
Despite the difficulty, Fittipaldi was keen to emphasise how much he valued the opportunity. Competing directly with some of the series’ strongest drivers was something he had been working towards all season.
“These guys especially in the front are fantastic drivers and it was just an incredible opportunity to be racing wheel-to-wheel with them,” Fittipaldi stated.
The Brazilian acknowledged that this type of racing experience had been a key target from the very beginning. That made the Montreal breakthrough feel all the more significant.
“This is what I wanted to do this whole season and I finally managed to do it now here in Canada in Round 3. So, it’s something that we had hoped for even later in the year, to get some points but we got it really early.”
Fittipaldi on his growth mindset ahead of the F2 Feature Race
Despite the satisfaction of scoring his first points during the 2026 F2 Canadian GP Sprint Race, Fittipaldi made clear that he and AIX Racing remain focused on continued improvement. “So we hope we can continue working from here and just developing and maybe take the next step, hopefully a podium in some races, even tomorrow we still have another race. It’s maybe going to be mixed weather or really wet so you never know, it could shift,” he stated.
Heading into Sunday, Fittipaldi remained realistic but optimistic. Starting outside the top 10 does not remove him from contention in a tightly packed F2 field, and he knows it.
“Of course starting P11 tomorrow I’m still in the fight for the points,” he said. “Hopefully we can score some more points tomorrow and also you never know what can happen.”
Fittipaldi’s F2 Canadian GP Sprint result stands as an important early marker in his Formula 2 journey. With points on the board and a Feature Race still to come, both the driver and team are pointing firmly in the right direction.
