Gabriele Minì aiming for F2 redemption in 2026

After an up and down rookie season in FIA Formula 2, Gabriele Minì has his sights firmly set on redemption in 2026.

A move to MP Motorsport has given him an opportunity to reset and refocus and on first showing, the Italian is looking rapid in his new surroundings.

While his Melbourne weekend didn’t go exactly according to plan, he was able to showcase great speed and overtaking prowess to claim points in both races after a Qualifying setback took him out of the pole fight and left him 21st in the order.

Ahead of the season, Minì reflected on the work that has gone into his second F2 campaign and why he believes a title charge is within his grasp.

“There's been a lot of work during the winter, simulator with Alpine so I'm really looking forward to this year, because it's a kind of redemption for me from last year. I understand a bit the way they work, both in terms of car setup, the environment - I really like the team.

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“It's really motivating. Last year, I don't blame anyone, because we're always giving our best on and off track, but in the end, results didn't go our way, and those things certainly can happen in motorsport. But I'm really excited I have a chance at redemption for myself.”

The MP driver remains an Alpine F1 Team junior, a vote of confidence in his abilities and potential for the future.

Most recently, Minì carried out overnight simulator work for Alpine across the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, aiding the team to their best result of the season so far as both Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto scored points in Shanghai.

He expanded on the role he plays with Alpine and how the relationship has grown in recent years as he’s climbed closer to Formula 1.

“It's really good to have someone that you already know together with you, because changing everything can be a bit difficult or strange sometimes.

“We've been having a lot of meetings, and a lot of simulator work. We’ve been together for the past three years, and they've always supported me on and off track, so it's a really big help, and I'm grateful for this.”

Reflecting on his experiences in 2025 and as tough as they were to go through, Minì is looking at the positives of those that he can take into the new campaign.

He believes that it has given him a level of resilience and determination that can be used as a strength throughout this year.

His comeback drive in Melbourne for instance was an emphatic response to an issue that was out of his hands. Minì says that along with his ability to bounce back from setbacks, his overall speed and ability won’t be the limiting factors in his pursuit of the F2 crown.

“I think it's really good to always have one season in a category, to understand a bit how it goes. We showed that last year the pace wasn't really our issue, we did the first race weekend in Baku the year before and got a podium without any tests prior to that.

“Things didn't go our way, so I think that's not a big issue. We just have to be consistent and consistently scoring points to fight for the championship.

“If you start well, it's really good, but once again, it doesn't mean if you can win the first four rounds, you can afford to do bad in the remaining 10. I think the main goal is to always be in the top five, top three, and fight for a championship like this.

“I know that if you want to fight for the front, you can't afford many zeros, but it will all depend on the competition and how everything evolves across the season. So we’ll just do our best and be consistent with what we can control.”