Hiyu Yamakoshi walked away from his first-ever FIA Formula 2 weekend in Baku genuinely surprised by the result, admitting that breaking into the points was beyond what the team had planned for. Driving for Van Amersfoort Racing, the Japanese newcomer spent his debut round soaking up a massive education on street circuits, pit stops, and high-stakes racing.
Things did not start easy for the rookie, who had to settle for 18th in qualifying. But the races brought steady progress. After finishing 17th in the Sprint, Yamakoshi bounced back on Friday afternoon to claim ninth place in Feature Race 1, securing his very first point in the championship. He later closed out the Azerbaijan weekend with a 14th-place finish in Feature Race 2.
Reflecting on the whirlwind weekend, Yamakoshi pointed to his performance on the Supersoft tyres as a particular high point, noting that his best lap was just half a second off the pace and remarkably similar to Martinius, matching top-five speed. "I impressed myself," he said. Even while wrestling with car balance issues that left him fighting a tricky machine, he felt his raw pace hovered comfortably inside the top ten. Before pitting, he managed an overtaking move on Bilinski, cementing a very positive trajectory.
Stepping up to face a grid of more seasoned rivals meant a distinct disadvantage in pure category experience, yet Yamakoshi leaned heavily on the lessons of his Formula 3 campaign. Drawing on intense wheel-to-wheel battles, race starts, slipstream tactics, and especially the chaotic tow dynamics learned at Monza, he handled the brutal walls of Baku with calculated caution.
Of course, brand-new challenges waited in the pit lane. Managing pit stops and figuring out how to push immediately on freezing cold tyres proved to be a harsh lesson on the out lap, where he dropped roughly 1.5 or two seconds. With concrete walls sitting inches from the racing line, he deliberately left a margin of error rather than risking a disastrous shunt, keeping the beast on the island with an eye toward future rounds at venues like Yas Marina or Qatar.
Now, looking beyond the immediate calendar, the driver market keeps shifting with news that Brando Badoer steps up with Rodin Motorsport for the 2027 season, and Noah Stromsted completes Invicta Racing lineup for the 2027 season.
