Now, if you want a proper championship shake-up, look no further than the 2026 FIA Formula 2 Championship round in Baku. With only Formula 2 acting as a support race on the bill, organizers decided to double up with an unconventional schedule featuring two Qualifying sessions and three races in total. According to FIA Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel, the setup was an absolute win for fans and promoters alike, delivering plenty of spectacular, demanding track action that the organization will definitely keep in mind for the future.
That decision created an explosive stage for the title contenders, and Rodin Motorsport absolutely seized the moment. Their lineup of Dunne and Stenshorne locked out the front rows with stunning 1-2 and 2-1 qualifying performances. Alex was simply untouchable during the first Feature Race and looked every bit as menacing in the Sprint. Unfortunately for him, mistakes proved costly when it mattered most. Crossing the line first in the final outing before being classified third still salvaged a stellar weekend, lifting him to third in the standings and drawing him closer to the top two with just two rounds remaining.
Meanwhile, the rest of the championship order endured a complete blender of a weekend. Nikola Tsolov arrived in Baku leading the points, but his fortunes plummeted after collecting a grid penalty that forced an uphill battle from P11 on the grid for the second Feature Race. Thankfully for him, clever strategy calls combined with timely Virtual Safety Car and Safety Car interventions allowed him to stage a brilliant recovery drive all the way to P2.
Right in the thick of it all was Rafael Câmara, who capitalised brilliantly on his rivals' misfortune. After scoring solid points in the first Feature Race, he elevated his game on Saturday, delivered when it counted, and inherited the win that launched him straight to the summit of the championship standings. To cap it all off, seeing the top three title contenders scrap fiercely on track before sharing the podium separated by under three seconds was pure motorsport magic.
Down the pit lane, the championship battles are heating up just as intensely across the constructors. Campos Racing continues its stellar rise from Formula 3 to lead the F2 standings with a pair of strong drivers, while Invicta Racing proves yet again why they took the crown in the last two championships with their trademark solidity. And Rodin's breakthrough pace across both qualifying and races has turned heads everywhere.
With only two events left on the calendar, we are heading straight into a grandstand finish in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. As Michel points out, the fierce on-track rivalry has remained entirely clean and respectful off it, setting up a proper thriller to close out the year.
