It’s the moment you – and we – have been waiting for all winter: Formula 2 and Formula 3 will begin their 2025 seasons this weekend, supporting F1’s Australian Grand Prix.

By Feeder Series

Most motorsport fans have been eagerly awaiting F1’s return after an intense and electrifying 2024 season. But if you’re reading this article, you’re likely here to follow support categories F2 and F3 and learn more about the youngsters who’ll spend 2025 vying for seats in the premier category – including the two open ones at the new Cadillac F1 team.

On Friday, F2 will return after 96 days away, while F3 hits the track again 194 days after an unforgettable 2024 season finale of its own at Monza.

They will have the full spotlight this weekend with no FR- or F4-level series racing. There will thus be no Feeder Series weekend review this weekend; instead, keep an eye out for separate review articles on F2 and F3’s respective season openers.

You can also follow our coverage during the weekend on our website via post-session articles and on X and Bluesky for round-the-clock updates on race results, stewards’ decisions and other relevant news.

Formula 2: Round 1, Melbourne

Circuit: Albert Park Circuit, 5.278 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+11)

Friday, 14 March

• 10:00–10:45: Practice
• 17:30–18:00: Qualifying

Saturday, 15 March

• 14:15–15:05: Sprint race (23 laps or 45 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 16 March

• 11:30–12:35: Feature race (33 laps or 60 minutes + 1 lap)

All sessions will be live-streamed on F1 TV, but fans can also follow them live via the series’ live timing service. Local viewing information can be found here.

Forecast: Dry and sunny on Friday and Saturday; rain showers expected throughout Sunday.

What to know: Formula 2 goes green in 2025 with 10 returning drivers and 12 contesting their first full seasons. The series’ 11 teams will continue to compete with the Dallara F2 2024 machine as the series makes its third visit to Albert Park, which hosts the season opener for the first time.

Teams’ champions Invicta, who have a new owner and leadership structure, will run 2024 F3 champion Leonardo Fornaroli in their lineup in addition to 2024 Melbourne sprint race winner Roman Staněk. Among other names to watch, Victor Martins returns with ART, partnered by Toyota-backed Ritomo Miyata; F3 runner-up Gabriele Minì makes his full-season debut for Prema; and John Bennett enters his first full season with Van Amersfoort after making the step up from GB3 last November. 

In a late change, Amaury Cordeel replaces Christian Mansell – who would have been the sole Australian on the grid – for the season at Rodin Motorsport. Read our season guide for more details on F2 in 2025. 

Report by Martin Lloyd

From the press: Over the winter, we spoke to several drivers about how they – and their teams – can grow with the benefit of experience in 2025. As for the 2024 title rivals moving up to F1, we caught up with Pau Rivera, Gabriel Bortoleto’s F2 engineer at Invicta, and Pierre Sancinéna, Isack Hadjar’s coach from 2019 to 2021, to find out what makes them tick.

From the cutting room: Want to learn about the 2025 F2 line-ups in video form? We’ve got you covered! New F2 world feed commentator Chris McCarthy – whom we interviewed over the winter – joined F2 editors Martin Lloyd and Calla Kra-Caskey to talk you through this year’s pairings and tell you what to expect from each. Hear their thoughts at this playlist.

Formula 3: Round 1, Melbourne

Circuit: Albert Park Circuit, 5.278 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+11)

Friday 14th March

• 8:50–9:35: Practice
• 14:00–14:30: Qualifying

Saturday 15th March

• 11:15–12:00: Sprint race, 20 laps (40 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday 16th March

• 9:00–9:50: Feature race, 23 laps (45 minutes + 1 lap)

How to follow: All sessions will be live-streamed on F1 TV, but fans can also follow them live via the series’ live timing service. Local viewing information can be found here.

Weather forecast: Dry and sunny on Friday and Saturday; rain showers expected throughout Sunday.

What to know: Formula 3 is ready to kick off its 2025 season down under, with Albert Park in Melbourne hosting round one of the championship for the first time.

Last year’s sprint race winner Martinius Stenshorne will be hungry for more success around the 5.278-kilometer track, while Prema Racing looks to repeat their 2024 feature race victory to kickstart their defense of the teams’ title. DAMS Lucas Oil are also set to make their debut in the series as they replace Jenzer Motorsport on the 2025 grid.

Among the 17 rookies set to make their F3 debut, reigning FRegional Europe champion Rafael Câmara and new Mercedes junior Noah Strømsted start their bids to become the third consecutive drivers’ champion for Trident. Australia’s James Wharton and Finland’s Tuukka Taponen, Camâra’s two closest challengers in FR Europe last year, join forces with ART Grand Prix after making one-round appearances in F3 last year.

Get to know the full grid 2025 in our season guide.

Report by Daniele Spadi

From the press: F3 held a pre-season media event of its own at which Feeder Series spoke to drivers new and old about where they came from and where they hope to go this year. Hear their thoughts on the new car here, and find out what the top rookie prospects from both F2 and F3 did last year and over the winter to prepare for their steps up.

From the cutting room: Prefer to get caught up on the 2025 F3 line-ups in video form? We’ve got you covered! F3 world feed commentator Chris McCarthy joined F3 editors Daniele Spadi and Tori Turner to talk you through the trios for this year and tell you what you can expect from each of them. Hear their thoughts at this playlist.

All times and forecasts listed above are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, follow each series’ websites or social media pages.

Header photo credit: Dutch Photo Agency