There may only be three junior single-seater championships racing in the next few days, but it’s our biggest weekend yet with the return of Formula 2 and Formula 3 to support F1’s Australian Grand Prix. Read on to find out how to keep up to date with those and the Formula Winter Series.

By Feeder Series

Every few years, there is a major overhaul in F1 that resets the racing package and reshuffles the pecking order. This year is one of those years, and the motorsport world’s eyes are understandably on the premier category as the rubber finally hits the road in Albert Park, Australia.

There’s more than just F1 this year, though. F2 and F3 continue on the F1 undercard for another year, and even as they maintain stability relative to 2025, they promise just as much excitement. Follow along with Feeder Series Live on X for live updates from all the sessions of both series.

This weekend also marks the return of the new-look Feeder Series Podcast, which will now have two weekly shows! Feeder Focus runs every Thursday as a preview of the weekend ahead and a summary of the news items of the week, and Race Recap runs every Monday as a review of the weekend’s biggest talking points. The episodes will have special guests from among our staff and prominent figures in the motorsport media world. Check the new shows out on our YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts channels and on other major podcast platforms, or view the first episode of Feeder Focus below.

In addition to F2 and F3, the Formula Winter Series also returns this weekend for its penultimate round at Aragón. Keep reading to find out what to expect from each of these championships.

1. Formula 2: Round 1, Melbourne
2. Formula 3: Round 1, Melbourne
3. Formula Winter Series: Round 4, Aragón

Formula 2: Round 1, Melbourne

Circuit: Albert Park Circuit, 5.278 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+11) 

Friday 6 March

• 10:00–10:45: Practice
• 14:55–15:25: Qualifying

Saturday 7 March

• 14:10–14:55: Sprint race (23 laps or 45 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday 8 March 

• 11:25–12:25: Feature race (33 laps or 60 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: Mostly sunny or partly cloudy conditions on Friday and Sunday. Saturday brings cloudier conditions and a small risk of mid-morning rain. Temperatures will be mild.

What to know: Formula 2 finally returns from the off-season for the season opener at Albert Park, with 11 returning drivers and 11 competing in their first full season. 

Hitech’s Colton Herta and Van Amersfoort’s Nicolás Varrone are the limelight-stealing rookies who have joined the series from IndyCar and endurance racing respectively, while F3 champion Rafael Câmara has joined reigning double champions Invicta. His teammate will be Joshua Dürksen, the sole race winner from Albert Park last year after the feature race was cancelled because of torrential rain. Invicta are hot favourites for a third successive double championship success, but they have sometimes struggled to find early-season results in those title-winning seasons. 

Meanwhile, Gabriele Minì has switched from Prema to MP Motorsport and could be a driver to watch. The Italian was fastest in qualifying at Albert Park last year but was relegated to fourth on the planned feature race grid for impeding. To learn more about the drivers and teams competing this year, read the 2026 season guide here.

Report by Martin Lloyd

From the press: Every driver on the grid harbours a different perspective as they enter 2026. Some are joining frontrunning teams, charged with upholding their glory; others are seeking redemption after tough 2025 seasons; and more yet are looking to adapt quickly having come from outside the junior single-seater ladder. Click the links to read what the drivers in each scenario had to say about what 2026 holds for them.

Formula 3: Round 1, Melbourne

Circuit: Albert Park Circuit, 5.278 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+11)

Friday 6 March

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

Saturday 7 March

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

Sunday 8 March

• 8:50–9:40: Feature race (23 laps or 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: A mix of clouds and sun all weekend, with a minimal risk of rain before Saturday’s sprint. Friday’s qualifying will see the most sunshine.

What to know: After six months, Formula 3 is back for the first round of the 2026 season, starting with a trip down under to Albert Park in Melbourne. The class of 2026, a mix of 16 rookies and 14 returnees, take to the track after completing pre-season tests in Barcelona.

Trident’s Noah Strømsted and Campos Racing’s Théophile Naël, the two highest-placed returnees from the 2025 season, both placed on the podium in last year’s Melbourne feature race. 

Amongst the 16 rookies is FRegional Europe champion Freddie Slater, who has been tipped to follow in the footsteps of his Trident predecessor Rafael Câmara, the 2025 champion. Alongside him is his FR Europe championship rival Matteo De Palo, with Van Amersfoort Racing’s Enzo Deligny and Rodin’s Pedro Clerot also joining F3 as frontrunners from the series. Get to know the full 2026 grid here.

After sustaining a back injury whilst competing in FR Oceania, Campos’ Ernesto Rivera is set to miss the opening round having already missed pre-season testing. Patrick Heuzenroeder joins the grid in place of him, with the Australian tied to the team through his Eurocup-3 winter series and main series campaigns. 

Report by Tori Turner

From the press: In addition to the 16 rookies, 13 drivers come back to F3 in 2026 with a full season of experience under their belts. Théophile Naël, Bruno Del Pino, Ugo Ugochukwu and Alessandro Giusti all took podiums in 2025, but they’re still chasing their first F3 wins. Each one spoke with Feeder Series at various races around the world since the last season wound down. Click their names to read their reflections on 2025 and ambitions for 2026.

Formula Winter Series: Round 4, Aragón

Circuit: Motorland Aragón, 5.345 km

Schedule: All times local (UTC+1)

Thursday 5 March

• 10:00–10:40: Collective test 1
• 13:55–14:35: Collective test 2
• 16:55–17:40: Collective test 3

Friday 6 March

• 10:00–10:40: Collective test 4
• 13:55–14:35: Collective test 5 
• 17:05–17:45: Collective test 6 

Saturday 7 March

• 10:15–10:30: Qualifying 1
• 14:00–14:30: Race 1

Sunday 8 March

• 09:00–09:15: Qualifying 2
• 13:30–14:00: Race 2
• 17:30–18:00: Race 3

How to follow: Races will be live streamed on the Winter Series YouTube channel, while live timing is available at RaceResults.

Weather forecast: Storms will spread over Thursday and Friday, subduing by Saturday and Sunday. 

What to know: The Formula Winter Series enters its penultimate round for the season this weekend at Aragón. 

Dries Van Langenconck extended his championship lead after taking a win and a third-place finish last time out at Valencia, whilst Ary Bansal and Aleksander Ruta sit behind him, the pair separated by two points. The gusty weather played to Ruta’s advantage, and he secured a win and two podium finishes to supplant Oleksandr Savinkov in third, having started the weekend in eighth. If Van Langendonck can increase the gap between himself and the second-placed driver from 61 to 83 points, he will be champion.

There are a plethora of changes entering the fourth round. Sixth in the standings is Rocco Coronel, whose FWS campaign came to a close at Valencia as he moves on to the Eurocup-4 Spanish Winter Championship. The Dutchman will be replaced by 17-year-old Platon Kostin (#97) to round off the season with Van Amersfoort Racing at Aragón and Barcelona. 

Caitlyn McDaniel, who partook in the weekend at Valencia with Mathilda Racing in place of Mathilda Paatz, will attend GB4 testing this weekend, while McDaniel’s teammate for the round, Jensen Burnett, will also be absent, having begun his Eurocup-4 campaign with Drivex. Paatz (#18) returns this weekend alongside 16-year-old American Rahim Alibhai (#36), who is also competing in Eurocup-4 and is 24th in the standings. 

Canadian 15-year-old Alexander Chartier (#52), who was initially set to join Mathilda Racing in round three, joins AS Motorsport instead for this round. Eric Poulsen will not be in attendance either, with Viktor Poulsen (#37) returning in his place

Felipe Reijs will not be rejoining AKM Motorsport for the remainder of the season. The Dutchman will be replaced by Australian 16-year-old George Proudford-Nalder (#55), who will race with AKM before joining Virtuosi Racing in British F4 later this year. Emmilio Valentino Del Grosso (#19) will also join AKM alongside the Australian, having last driven at Portimão for Mathilda Racing. The 16-year-old Belgian replaces Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Kamel, who will be unable to join because of the current geopolitical situation in the Middle East, per a social media post from AKM. 

England’s Megan Bruce (#75) is set to join Campos Racing for the weekend, and the 21-year-old will also race in F1 Academy with the team later this year. Her F1 Academy teammate Alisha Palmowski (#71) also returns for the Aragón round, having last driven in round one. León Hedfors will not attend the Aragón round as he tests British F4 machinery in preparation for his debut in the championship, while fellow Campos driver Zoe Florescu has shifted her focus to Eurocup-4, therefore missing the two last rounds of FWS.

Jenzer Motorsport driver Georgiy Zasov will not be in attendance for the round, with Nicolás Cortés (#24) returning to their shared car this weekend before the Swiss driver returns in Barcelona. Similarly, Alexandre Louza (#12) will also return to the car that he splits with Oscar Repetto, who will rejoin Cram Motorsport for the season finale in Barcelona. 

Report by Grayson Wallace

Read the previous round’s report here.

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