Building to Melbourne: TRIDENT Testing Round-Up

TRIDENT enter the 2026 campaign with eyes firmly forward, as the Italian outfit targets an improvement in fortunes in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

While the their Formula 3 success hasn’t always translated to the Championship directly above, the team are confident that it has made correct steps in order to bring about a change this year.

Team Manager Giacomo Ricci was positive about TRIDENT’s work across the three days of pre-season testing in Barcelona, highlighting the team’s renewed direction in 2026 as key.

“I have to say, I am quite positive about the test,” he said after the event. “It seems like we have found a better direction with the car.

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“It's super early to make any conclusions, but at least the testing days have been positive. It's both in performance and also in the long runs. We are looking forward to the first race in Melbourne now.”

Driving for TRIDENT this year is new arrival John Bennett and Laurens van Hoepen, the Dutchman continuing his time with the team after making his F2 debut late last season.

Both drivers have brought fresh perspective and renewed enthusiasm to the group, and Ricci says they have begun life with the team on the front foot.

“John has one year of experience and Laurens has already been with us last year, it's a plus because they know the team. John already knows the car and Laurens already knows the team. So there is good chemistry between the driver and the team, so this is a positive.

“We believe in each other, so it's again a good thing. It’s still super early, so let's see in Melbourne when everyone will be bringing their real qualifying performance. But both have been up in the times towards the front throughout the test days in Barcelona.

“This is a good thing for the team. It gives great motivation, not only to the drivers, but also to the engineers, to the mechanics, to everyone. I'm sure that they will push even harder now to prepare in the best way possible to Melbourne.”

After the conclusion to testing last week, the work has been flat out as teams prepare for Round 1 in Australia, with everything needing to be finalised from the test heading into the opening event of the year.

There is a real buzz about the new season, evident when Ricci talked about what comes next despite the hectic schedule.

“We are at the factory immediately after the test and on Saturday and Sunday also. We are flat out of course because we need to pack up everything. Next week we will also have the final preparation with the drivers, and then we ship everything.

“We go a few days early, a couple of days of cool down, but then everyone will be ready to go for Melbourne.”