Since Formula 2’s inception in 2017, the series has produced six champions. Using statistical analysis, let’s determine how they rank.
Following the rebranding of the GP2 series in 2016, Formula 2 was created the following year and organized by the FIA. Since the rebranding, Formula 2 has crowned six champions, most recently Felipe Drugovich. Let’s analyze the champions.
1. (2017) Charles Leclerc – PREMA Racing
Charles Leclerc became the first driver to clinch the Formula 2 title in 2017. Racing for the Italian-based team PREMA Powerteam and backed by the Ferrari-Drivers Academy, Leclerc would seal the title with three races to go, achieving a 53.4% point-scoring finish. [Note: That means he scored 53.4% of the achievable points that season.] That year he earned eight poles (seven in a row), seven wins, and ten podiums. Leclerc won the championship by seventy-two points over Artem Markelov.
Following his title-winning season, Leclerc graduated to Formula 1 and spent a year in Alfa Romeo Sauber before signing a multi-year contract with Scuderia Ferrari.
2. (2021) Oscar Piastri – PREMA Racing
After claiming the Formula 3 title in his rookie season, Oscar Piastri moved to Formula 2 in 2021. Clinching the title with two races to go, Piastri earning 51.6% of the achievable points and taking six wins and eleven podiums. Piastri would win by 60.5 points over teammate Robert Shwartzman.
In 2022, after a legal battle between Alpine and McLaren, McLaren announced that Piastri would join them for the 2023 Formula 1 season alongside Lando Norris.
3. (2019) Nyck de Vries – ART Grand Prix
Entering his third season of Formula 2 in 2019, Nyck de Vries would prove his doubters wrong as he won the title with three rounds left by fifty-two points ahead of Nicholas Latifi. Taking 50% of the possible points that season, de Vries claimed four wins and twelve podiums.
In 2022, de Vries was announced as a driver for AlphaTauri for the 2023 season alongside Yuki Tsunoda.
FIA FORMULA 2 CHAMPION ‘19 🏆 pic.twitter.com/yMhZDCnSHU
— Nyck de Vries (@nyckdevries) September 28, 2019
4. (2019) George Russell – ART Grand Prix
Similar to Leclerc and Piastri, George Russell would win the 2018 Formula 2 championship in his debut season. Taking seven wins and eleven podiums, Russell achieved a 49.8% points finish and would win the title with one round remaining. Russell would win by 68 points over fellow Brit Lando Norris.
Following the season, Russell moved to Formula 1 where he raced for Williams until joining Mercedes three years later.
5 – (2022) Felipe Drugovich – MP Motorsport
Entering his third season in Formula 2 with MP Motorsport, Felipe Drugovich was in a class of his own. He won the title by 101 points over rival Theo Pourchaire – the highest margin in Formula 2 history. Achieving 48.5% of the possible points that season, Drugovich picked up five wins and eleven podiums sealing the title with three races left despite a DNF.
Drugovich was announced as a Formula 1 Reserve Driver for Aston Martin for the 2023 season.
6. (2020) Mick Schumacher – PREMA Racing
Mick Schumacher was able to narrowly clinch the title by 14 points over Callum Ilott despite only taking two victories. Scoring a 37.8% points finish along with ten podiums, Schumacher won the title during the last race of the championship.
The following year, Schumacher joined Haas in Formula 1 but was dropped after two seasons at the end of 2022. A few weeks following his termination he signed with Mercedes as their Reserve Driver for the 2023 season.
