WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Keys to success around Silverstone

We are into the heart of the European campaign as we gear up to go racing at Silverstone for Round 7 of the 2026 FIA Formula 2 season.

The British circuit has provided some incredible racing through the years, and 2026 should be no different as the title battle continues to evolve.

Ahead of the action getting underway, here's a few things that could decide the outcome.

FAMILIAR TERRITORY

Two drivers on the 2026 grid have tasted success around Silverstone in F2 machinery already, with Sebastiàn Montoya achieving a podium in last year's Sprint Race, and Alexander Dunne on the rostrum in the Feature event.

Both drivers are enjoying a good patch of form heading into Round 7 too. Montoya's podium in the Spielberg Sprint was his first of the year after a tough start for PREMA Racing.

The majority of the Colombian's points have been scored on a Sunday, demonstrating his ability to move forward in the order after a tough Friday. If PREMA can make a step in one-lap performance, expect Montoya to be a contender for the higher points places around the high-speed Silverstone circuit.

Dunne has plenty of experience under his belt at the track having achieved podiums on his way up the junior categories. His 2025 performance will provide a boost in confidence too heading into this weekend.

P2 in Qualifying last year shows he has one-lap speed around a demanding venue like this, and he converted that into a podium on Sunday, as Jak Crawford denied him victory with a great drive in his own right.

With the team based in the UK, Rodin Motorsport will be aiming for a good result at their home event, and they know how to go quickly around Silverstone.

While the Irishman had a tough Sunday in Austria a week ago, he'll be eager to bounce back and there are few places better for that to happen than here.

WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BRING?

It's not been the typical British summer so far, with a European heatwave pushing temperatures into the 30°C range.

While the temperature has dropped in recent days, Sunday is shaping up to be a sweltering day at Silverstone which could make tyre management even more crucial in the Feature Race.

The last two events in Barcelona and Spielberg, we've seen drivers that can nurse the Pirelli tyres through long stints reap rewards as strategy comes into play.

Rafael Câmara put in a tyre-whispering performance around the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona to make an audacious first stint work, before switching to Supersofts and carving his way to victory.

In Spielberg, Oliver Goethe and Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak put on late-race charges of their own to take third and fifth places respectively on the alternative strategy having run long before making their mandatory stops.

Silverstone puts a lot of energy through the tyres with the high-speed corners demanding a lot of the Pirelli rubber.

Those that can eke out the performance late into a stint without losing too much time could be late-race movers up the order.

CONSISTENCY FROM THE CONTENDERS

Dunne and Câmara are chasing down the top two in the Championship with Gabriele Minì continuing to lead the way from Nikola Tsolov by just two points, 108 to 106.

The Italian has made consistency his hallmark so far in 2026, with just one finish outside of the points all year. Seven podium finishes, including a victory, means he has been the driver to beat so far.

Tsolov has gone big in response, taking his fourth victory of the season last weekend in Spielberg to keep pace with the MP Motorsport driver despite a few more non-scoring results.

The Bulgarian shares the longest active scoring streak with Dunne at five consecutive races, going back to the Monte Carlo Feature Race.

Câmara splits the duo though, third in the Standings and two points ahead of Dunne, 82 points versus the 80 for the Irishman.

They will both be hoping for a strong result points-wise this weekend to close that gap down and get into triple digits for the season as soon as possible.

Dunne has the most experience of the quartet in F2, which could come into play as we tick off the races and head into the summer break. He'll be extra motivated to earn his first win of the season with five podiums under his belt up to this point.

A big result for any of them this weekend will put them in good standing for the remaining European races and as we hit halfway in 2026, results are becoming ever more crucial.