Motor Sport Central

Not only does the Australian Grand Prix mark the start of the 2026 F1 season. It is also the start of the 2026 Formula 2 and Formula 3 season.

Formulas 2 and 3 are known as feeder series for Formula 1. Drivers who take part in these series are known as the best drivers below F1 drivers.

The likes of Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto were champions of Formula 2, with both Piastri and Bortoleto winning F3 and F2 back-to-back.

22 drivers in Formula 2 and 30 drivers in Formula 3, races are chaotic, entertaining and thrilling.

Formula 2 cars are the exact same for all teams and drivers; they have over 600bhp, and they also have a DRS system that is similar to the F1 system.

Whereas Formula 3 cars are still exactly the same for all teams and drivers, with nearly half the bhp at only 380bhp, but they have a naturally aspirated 3.4 litre V6 engine, which sounds amazing when in a race.

Many drivers are backed by a Formula 1 team. For example, F2 driver Dino Beganovic is a part of the Ferrari Driver Academy and is backed by Ferrari. Mari Boya, also in F2, is backed by Aston Martin and will run an Aston Martin livery for the 2026 season.

Being backed by a Formula 1 team helps drivers to get noticed by other teams and series, but it also helps them on their way to Formula 1. Luke Browning, for example, took part in F2 last year and had the incredible opportunity to take part in Free Practice 1 sessions for the Williams F1 team.

A Formula 3 race weekend is slightly different to a Formula 1 one, F3 only get one practice session, then it is straight into qualifying on the Friday.

Qualifying sets the grid for the feature race on Sunday, but during the sprint race on Saturday, the top 12 in qualifying get reversed, meaning the driver who got pole position on Friday for Sunday’s race will start P12 for the sprint race.

Formula 2 is set out the same: one practice session, then straight into qualifying on Friday; on Saturday, the top 10 are reversed for the sprint race; and on Sunday, you have the feature race.

During Formula 2’s feature race on Sunday, drivers must make a mandatory pit stop after lap six; if they make a pit stop before lap six, it will not count, and they will need to make another one.

With there being so many drivers on the grid, races can get chaotic, but they are always entertaining to watch.

Formula 3 kicks off this weekend in Melbourne with its practice session on Thursday at 9:45pm UK time, with Formula 2 following just after at 10:55pm UK time.

(Featured image by Victoria Dutton)