TRIDENT: Van Hoepen podium ‘proof of hard work over the winter’

It was a return to the podium for TRIDENT on Sunday as Laurens van Hoepen captured his maiden Formula 2 podium and the team’s first since 2024.

The Dutch driver made an excellent start from P11 on the grid and kept himself out of trouble to secure a well-deserved podium in third position in Melbourne.

Speaking after the race, TRIDENT Team Manager Giacomo Ricci paid tribute to his driver and the Italian team as a whole as they achieved a big milestone in a season they hope is stronger.

“It’s been too long! I'm extremely happy. We have been stronger across the weekend since qualifying, in my opinion. Yesterday we had very, very, very good pace and today also. So, extremely happy about the team, the pitstop, everything.

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“We've been very good with both cars. So, so pleased with this result and it's also an extra boost and motivation for the upcoming events. A big congratulations also to Laurens, he did a great, great job. He was calm, he managed the tyres perfectly and he fully deserved this P3 today.”

Ricci added that the team had been working hard over the winter in order to start their 2026 campaign as strong as possible.

TRIDENT have already achieved more points than in 2025, a vindication of the work the team put in over the winter to improve their performance.

Ricci added that van Hoepen’s input has also been very valuable as the team prepared the 2026 campaign, and says confidence inside the team is at a new high going into the rest of the season.

“We started almost from zero, I have to say. We looked at everything, possible mistakes that have done in the past. We worked really hard as a group and as a team together to get out from this situation and we started the season in the right way.

“So, I’m extremely pleased and I want to congratulate everyone within the team, the engineers and of course the mechanics because they did a great job in preparing the car.

“Laurens is doing well. I mean, we have a good feeling between us and him. He is trusting the team and we have full belief in him, and in his performance.

“This result is so important because he builds confidence, not only for the team but of course also for the driver. He did great this weekend.”