The FIA Formula 2 Championship breaks new ground this weekend as the series heads to the Miami International Autodrome for a rescheduled second round of the 2026 season.
Here are five key storylines to follow across the weekend.
A new circuit to master
Miami is the 20th different circuit F2 has visited since 2017 and marks the championship’s first visit to North America.Â
The temporary layout around the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, provides a technical and driving challenge for teams and drivers, with a fast, flowing first sector, three DRS (drag reduction system) straights and a twisty middle section.
A new venue makes the one and only practice session on Friday critical, and with walls close at all times, errors will be punished even more harshly this weekend.
Not only will it be about nailing the balance of the car, but execution behind the wheel will be vital too, and may only be fully developed as the weekend progresses into the Sprint and Feature Races.
The teams have no previous data to work from and strategy on Sunday in the Feature Race could be a total lottery.
Herta on home soil
F2 rookie Colton Herta would not have expected to be racing in America in Formula 2 with Hitech this season, as he begins his quest to secure an F1 seat with Cadillac.
The nine-time IndyCar winner will be the centre of attention this weekend for the American fans attending the event, and will be hoping to put on a good show for the locals.
Flying the flag on home turf ??@ColtonHerta will have the crowd on his side this weekend!#F2 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/kQVsiy4Fjd
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) April 27, 2026
He’ll also be aiming to add to his points tally, having picked up six point with seventh place in Australia’s Feature Race.
And with a new circuit a blank canvas for everyone, could we see the Stars and Stripes flag above the top step of the podium this weekend? Do not rule it out.
Bulgarian Lion aiming to stay on top
Campos Racing’s Nikola Tsolov leads the championship after victory in the opening Feature Race of the season.Â
His controlled drive to the chequered flag saw him defeat reigning F3 Champion, Rafael Camara, to kick off his season in perfect style, after impressing during his late 2025 cameo.
The Red Bull backed driver will want to build on a positive opening round and generate momentum for a title bid.
He’ll be under pressure from the likes of Camara and Joshua Durksen at Invicta, Rodin’s Alex Dunne and Melbourne pole sitter, Dino Beganovic, who will all be aiming to move into the top positions early on in the year.
From the grass in Qualifying… to the #F2 Feature Race podium! ?
Nikola, Rafa and Laurens can laugh about it now ??#AusGP pic.twitter.com/teKFYssK2G
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 8, 2026
Title contender bouncing back
One of the highlights of the weekend in Australia – or the lowest of lows for Rodin – was the collision between Ireland’s Alex Dunne and Norway’s Martinius Stenshorne on Lap 3.
A furious Dunne vented his anger over the team radio, vowing to never let his team mate beat him.
CONTACT BETWEEN TEAMMATES ??
The incident that took the Rodin Motorsport duo out of the Melbourne Feature Race ?
Alex Dunne received a 5-place grid penalty for the next Feature Race.#F2 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/ILs2dTkgeC
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 8, 2026
While tensions will have cooled in the weeks since the calamity of Albert Park, this is Dunne’s first opportunity to bounce back from the disappointment of the opening round and throw his hat into the ring as a title contender.
It will be fascinating to see what happens should the Rodin pair find themselves wheel-to-wheel again.
Stenshorne showed in Baku last year that he is robust racer, and Dunne has carved a reputation with an aggressive style on track. Things could get spicy again if these two lock horns once more.
Feature Race strategy
As mentioned earlier, the strategy for the Feature Race could be hugely interesting.
The teams have no historical data and very little time to perfect their cars ahead of Qualifying.
And while the teams may have some certainty about how they want to run the race, there could be two key influencers on Saturday and Sunday.
Miami can be extremely hot, so the tyres could be put under enormous stress in both races – while the forecast for Sunday suggests the wet weather tyres could be required too.
But even if the races remain dry, mistakes and drivers battling aggressively could lead to an accident, requiring some form of intervention from the Safety Car or the Virtual Safety Car.
If and when these occur can dash or make a drivers hopes of success in Miami – think back to 2024 and how F2 graduate Lando Norris scooped his maiden F1 victory.
One thing is certain, this weekend’s races are must-watch events.
IMAGE CREDIT – Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images
