Leonardo Fornaroli crowned F2 champion to join prestigious club

Leonardo Fornaroli has been crowned F2 drivers' champion in the feature race at the Qatar Grand Prix, earning the Italian back-to-back titles after taking the F3 crown last year.

The Invicta Racing driver started from pole position at the Lusail International Circuit with a 23-point advantage over Jak Crawford, who lined up P15, in the standings after his two points for starting first were applied.

With 39 on offer over an F2 weekend, Fornaroli's second-place result and subsequent 18 points — plus others further down the order, including Crawford going pointless in P11 — means he heads to Abu Dhabi with an unassailable 41-point lead.

Richard Verschoor, Luke Browning and Alex Dunne were all still in distant contention but were unable to extend the fight after finishing sixth, tenth and third, respectively.

However, an important caveat is that if Arvid Lindblad, who finished fourth, is under investigation for a potential safety car infringement.

If the Red Bull junior is handed a five-second time penalty, it would promote Verschoor to fifth. Those extra two points would take the title back from Fornaroli.

Although the Dutch driver would need to take pole position — and the two points for that — at Abu Dhabi, as well as maximum points across the weekend at the Yas Marina Circuit, including fastest lap points whilst Fornaroli goes scoreless, to win the crown.

Interestingly, Fornaroli won his F3 championship last year without taking the top step of the podium all campaign, when he dramatically won the title with an overtake on the final corner of the final round at Monza.

The 20-year-old has triumphed four times this season, with his win in the sprint race at Silverstone his first since 2021, when he was competing in Italian F4.

Curiously, Fornaroli is unaffiliated with an F1 junior programme, despite his recent success in emulating the likes of Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto in winning F3 and F2 in successive years.

He is heavily linked to a Super Formula switch for 2026, where he would compete against two-time World Rally Champion Kalle Rovanpera.