FORMULA 2 IN 2018: Three future F1 stars go toe-to-toe for the title

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Formula 2, we continue to look back on how we got to this point, reviewing the top moments from each season.

It’s time to look back on the 2018 campaign, where Lando Norris, Alex Albon and George Rusell went toe-to-toe for the title, with the latter coming out on top.

NORRIS’ STELLAR DEBUT WITH CARLIN

In 2025, the Briton became first F2 alumni to become Formula 1 World Champion, but if we go back seven years, he was celebrating his first win in the second tier at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Norris’ weekend got off to a fine start with pole position, and he converted that into a fantastic start, while Russell in P2 and Albon in P3 were slow off the line, and fell down the order.

From there on, Norris would drive off into the distance while his rivals squabbled over position, and at one stage he was 10 seconds clear of the rest of the field.

The Carlin driver crossed the line 6.9s ahead of teammate Sergio Sette Camara, in a 1-2 for the team, earmarking himself as a force to reckoned with for the title.

ALBON AND RUSSELL RESPOND IN BAKU

It did not take too long for both Albon and Russell to respond to Norris’ early challenge, as both drivers achieved their first Formula 2 wins at the next round in Baku.

Albon’s weekend started in fine style as he took the first of three consecutive pole positions – Baku, Barcelona and Monte Carlo.

READ MORE

• Mari Boya on lessons from F3 and tackling F2 with Aston Martin support
• Living in the countryside, visiting the zoo and asado: Nico Varrone’s Hometown Tour

In a topsy turvy Feature Race, the Thai driver lost the lead several times, first at the start to Russell, although he reclaimed it later in the lap, and during the pitstop sequence when he was forced to wait in the pitlane.

But at a late Safety Car restart, the top two, Russell and Nyck de Vries, went deep into Turn 1, with Albon, in third, able to avoid them, although he did lose out to Antonio Fuocco.

However, the current Williams F1 driver bided his time in second, before using his pace to get ahead of the Italian, sealing a 1.9s victory ahead of Jack Aitken.

Aitken’s ART Grand Prix teammate Russell was looking to respond after missing out on a victory in the Feature, and starting in 12th, he made a superb start to get up to fifth on Lap 1 of the Sprint.

After overtaking Ralph Boschung, he went three wide with Nicholas Latifi and Norris into Turn 1, with the latter ending up using the runoff area to avoid the barrier.

Russell though would not be stopped, and after overtaking Latifi on Lap 10, he closed a gap a four second gap to Sette Camara before taking the lead on Lap 17.

The British driver would go on win by 2.6s, getting his championship-winning season up and running.

FOUR-WIDE AT SPIELBERG

Formula 2 has produced some memorable pieces of racing, but arguably none went as viral as Artem Markelov’s triple overtake at the end of the Spielberg Feature Race.

With Russell having achieved his third Feature Race victory of the season – following triumphs in Barcelona and Le Castellet – there was still points up for grabs for the rest of the field.

Markelov, having been in 12th on the final lap, watched on as three drivers, including Maximillian Guenther and Latifi, battled for the final points paying position.

READ MORE

• Studying on and off the track: Behind the Visor with Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak
• Lessons, mentality and making gains: How I Race with Rafael Villagómez

Going up the hill into Turn 3, Markelov overtook all three cars, even going on to the grass to do so, much to the amazement of F1 TV’s Alex Jacques and Davide Valsecchi.

Their shock in the commentary booth added even more theatre to the moment, as Markelov would also overtake Nirei Fukuzumi for P8 at the final corner.

MAKINO WINS FROM P14

The alternative strategy in Formula 2 has proven effective for many teams and drivers over the years, but maybe none more so than for Tadasuke Makino, who converted P14 into a Monza Feature Race victory.

Starting on the medium tyre, the Japanese driver was up to eighth early on, and as the supersoft runners started to struggle, he picked them off one-by-one to take the lead on Lap 5.

Makino would go on to build a lead of over 46 seconds to those drivers who had made their mandatory stops, helped by Markelov, Russell, Albon and Norris all battling for position.

The medium tyres would last 27 laps before Makino came in for his mandatory stop, and he had built such a big lead that he came back out in front.

From there on, all he had to do was manage his pace and tyres before taking the chequered flag to seal his first victory in F2, in one of the most memorable days of the Championship’s history.

THE ROAD TO F1 WORKS OUT

Russell would go on to win the title with victory in Abu Dhabi, a superb way to end his time in Formula 2 after it had been announced a few weeks prior that he would be stepping up to F1 with Williams in 2019.

It marked a memorable few weeks in F2 and the Road to F1, as runner-up Lando Norris, was confirmed to be racing for McLaren in 2019, while Alex Abon – who finished third – would be stepping up with Toro Rosso.

READ MORE

• Miami and Montreal to host FIA Formula 2 Championship Rounds in 2026
• A ‘crazy year’ and finding motivation in something new: Behind the Visor with Colton Herta

All three would be joining 2018 champion Charles Leclerc on the grid, the Monegasque driver having had a splendid rookie season in F1 was announced to be racing with Scuderia Ferrari in 2019.

Eight years later, all four drivers are still going strong in Formula 1, with Norris the reigning champion, Russell and Leclerc multiple-time race winners, and Albon having been on the podium several times.

Who will be the next F2 driver to step up to F1?