British Talent to Watch in Formula 2 and Formula 3 This Season

The upcoming Australian Grand Prix signifies not only the return of Formula 1, but also the beginning of two of its feeder series categories, Formula 2 and Formula 3. The event at Albert Park, Melbourne, has hosted F2 and F3 Sprint and Feature races since 2023.

The talent in these two racing series hails from all over the world. Both F2 and F3 have seen current Formula 1 racing drivers, including the 2025 Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris, pass through their stop on the ladder on their journeys to reaching the pinnacle of world motorsport. From Charles Leclerc and George Russell, who were the 2017 and 2018 Formula 2 Champions respectively, to Oscar Piastri, who raced to victory in both Formula 3 and Formula 2 in consecutive years, the talent in these feeder series is always strong, with future big names bursting onto the scene and showing just what the stars of tomorrow can do.

This year, both Formula 2 and Formula 3 return to Silverstone as part of the British Grand Prix weekend lineup, with notable young Brits representing the country in both categories and showcasing the potential of British racing talent.

Who to watch in Formula 2

Since the inaugural season of the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2017, following on from its predecessor GP2, there has been a whole list of British names who have been successful in the category and either gone on to race in Formula 1 – whether full time or as reserve driver – or other global motorsport categories, like the World Endurance Championship (WEC), European Le Mans Series (ELMS) or IndyCar. 

Alongside key names in Formula 1 like Alex Albon, Ollie Bearman and the new – and only – rookie for 2026, Arvid Lindblad, other British drivers who have competed in Formula 2 include WEC race winner Olli Caldwell, McLaren factory driver Joseph Loake and Formula E driver Taylor Barnard. 
This year’s British representation in Formula 2 might be minor compared to previous years, but there are two drivers to cheer for as they pass through the corners of Silverstone this year. 

Cian Shields

Racing with AIX Racing for his second season in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, Cian Shields has competed in several open-wheel racing categories over his career so far, including the GB3 Championship, the Euroformula Open Championship and, most recently before making the move to F2, the FIA Formula 3 Championship.

Cian’s Formula 2 debut came in 2024 with AIX Racing, who he competed with at four races. 2025 was his first full season in Formula 2. Having spent 2025 working closely with the Aston  Martin Aramco F1 Team, Cian completed a private test with the team in June before making his Formula 1 debut in FP1 at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

After finishing 24th in his debut F2 season, Cian will be looking back at his experience in the car with the AIX Racing team, as well as his expertise gained from working with an F1 team, to shine and improve on his 2025 result this coming season. 

John Bennett

Another young British driver returning to the F2 grid for the 2026 season is John Bennett, this time competing with Italian racing team Trident. 
After one full season with Van Amersfoort Racing, who John made his F2 debut with for four races in 2024, John moves to his new team with experience in the Ginetta GT5 Championship, Formula Regional Middle East and GB3. Also a BRDC Rising Star, John finished the 2025 F2 season in 22nd, taking his best result of P10 Feature Race in Monza. 

The Upcoming Talent in Formula 3

Formula 3 is one step lower than F2 on the motorsport ladder to F1, with many racing drivers starting out on the world stage and on a Grand Prix race weekend in this category.

Previous British racing drivers who have competed in F3 include 2026 Porsche Carrera Cup driver Callum Voisin, Super Formula and Williams F1 reserve driver Luke Browning and Zak O’Sullivan. 

This year, only one British driver is competing in the FIA Formula 3 Championship. 

Freddie Slater

Following an extremely successful karting career, Freddie has raced in several open and closed-wheel racing categories, ranging from Ginetta Juniors to Italian F4, the Formula Regional European Championship and the GB3 Championship. He finished top of the standings in the 2022 Ginetta Junior Winter Series and 2023 Ginetta Junior Championship, and was also crowned Champion in UAE Formula 4, Italian F4 and the Formula Regional European Championship. 

Making his debut on a Grand Prix weekend in Australia, Freddie became the first member of the Audi Driver Development Programme in Formula 1 at the beginning of 2026. 

With an impressive racing CV to date, Freddie will be hoping to continue making his mark in global motorsport while representing Great Britain throughout this season.

Louis Sharp

While he competes under a New Zealand licence, Louis Sharp was born in the UK and has spent several seasons competing in different UK-based racing categories, like the British F4 and GB3 championships.

Returning to FIA Formula 3 for his second season, this time with PREMA Racing, Louis completed his maiden F3 season with Rodin Motorsport in 11th, securing his best result of the year in the Imola Sprint Race, where he finished fourth.

Louis became Champion of the 2023 British F4 Championship, the 2024 GB3 Championship and most recently, in 2026, the Tasman Series with mtec Motorsport. He is also a member of the BRDC. 

In 2026, Formula 2 will race at 14 Grand Prix weekends, starting in Australia and ending in Abu Dhabi, while Formula 3 hosts 10 rounds, culminating at the new Madrid street circuit for 2026.

In July, Silverstone will host Formula 2 and Formula 3 across British Grand Prix weekend, with the event also welcoming F1 Academy for the first time and the Formula 1 schedule including a Sprint Race for the first time since 2021, when the Home of British Motorsport hosted the first F1 Sprint in history. 

Learn more about F1’s feeder series with Silverstone’s ultimate guide to Formula 2 and ultimate guide to Formula 3. 

See the action: Tickets and hospitality to this year's British Grand Prix are on sale now