Melbourne, time to get going

The countdown is over. The new season of the FIA Formula 2 Championship kicks off in Australia next weekend, featuring fourteen events that will keep the teams busy for a full nine months. Like last year, the championship will also kick off at the semi-permanent circuit of Melbourne's Albert Park. The season that opens in Australia sees Trident Motorsport aiming to run a competitive championship.

The Milan-based team, with headquarters in Ossona, will start the season with a new lineup. Representing the colors of Trident Motorsport will be John Bennett and Laurens Van Hoepen. This will be the twenty-year-old Dutch driver’s first full season in the category. Van Hoepenmade his FIA Formula 2 Championship debut with the Italian team at the 2025 Baku round, before competing in the remaining two events last year. 

For Bennett, it will be his second full season in the second category. Although both the 22-year-old Englishman from Salisbury and Van Hoepen have already had the opportunity to shine in the recent preseason tests in Barcelona, the cards will be on the table only in Australia.

Giacomo Ricci, Team Manager of Trident Motorsport: “We are ready to tackle the opening round of the FIA Formula 2 Championship on the semi-permanent Albert Park track. We have done intense preparation work over the winter months and received good feedback during the preseason tests held in Barcelona. Now we will give it our all to open the season with a competitive weekend from our drivers.”

The engines of the FIA Formula 2 Championship cars will start on Friday at 10:00 am, with the 45-minute free practice session. Qualifying is scheduled for the same day at 2:55 pm. The Sprint Race will take place on Saturday at 2:10 pm. The Feature Race, which will conclude the weekend, will start on Sunday at 11:25 a.m. All track action will be broadcast live on Sky Sport F1. All times are in local time (GMT +10).