“What’s the difference between F1 and F2?” is a question that any F1 fan has had to answer. But do you actually know the difference between the top two Formula divisions?
Don’t worry if you don’t know, we’ve come to the rescue!
Our team of experts is going to break down F1 vs F2 so you know everything you need to know so you can also be an expert. We’ll be exploring how fast the cars go in Formula One and Two, the difference between the build of the cars, who drives in each division, and more.
So, buckle in, and let’s get into it!
F1 vs F2: The Main Differences at a Glance
We thought we’d start with a simple definition of the difference between F1 and F2. Basically, F2 is almost like the developmental division prior to Formula One.
This is a chance for drivers to prove themselves before they enter the big league! They get used to a competitive environment, enhance their driving skills, and familiarise themselves with the tracks.
|
Feature |
Formula One |
Formula Two |
|
Car Top Speed |
220mph+ |
208mph |
|
Minimum Weight (with Driver) |
798kg |
788kg |
|
DRS? |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Size of the Engine |
1.6 litre V6 |
3.4 litre V6 |
|
Approximate Power |
1,000bhp |
620bhp |
|
Size of Car |
5.63m x 2m x 0.95m |
5.22m x 1.9m x 1.09m |
|
Size of Tyre |
18 inch |
18 inch |
|
Number of Races per Weekend |
One (Two on Sprint Weekends) |
Two (One Sprint, One Feature) |
|
Length of Race |
190 miles (305km) |
Feature: 105.6 miles (170km) Sprint: 74.5 miles (120km) |
|
Number of Teams |
10 |
11 |
|
Number of Drivers |
20 |
22 |
What’s the Difference Between F1 and F2?
Now we’ve had a brief overview of F1 vs F2, let’s take a deeper look at the differences. We’ll be exploring:
- Cars - including build, engines, weight, and tyres
- Race weekends - including the points system and the length of the race
- Drivers - their projection to Formula One
Cars
Of course, we had to start with the differences between F1 and F2 cars! But as any avid F1 fan knows, the cars aren’t simply just cars. There are multiple facets that make them incredible.
Build
When it comes to Formula One, each team is in charge of building their cars - hence why teams are named after these manufacturers. Like Mercedes, Ferrari, Aston Martin, etc.
However, as you can imagine, some teams have quite a bit more money to spend than others. With this in mind, in 2021 the FIA introduced a new rule that capped the amount of money teams can spend on building F1 cars - as of 2025, this amount is €121 million. The idea of this was to make it a more fair and even competition.
The same can’t be said about Formula Two. In this division, all of the cars are the same. And we mean exactly the same. The chassis are all built by Italian manufacturer, Dallara. The gearboxes are built by Hewland, an English manufacturer.
You may be thinking that this makes the contest boring. But that’s far from the truth! The idea is that this will allow drivers to show their true skill set rather than the cars being the main focus.
Image Source: Scuderia Ferrari
Engines
Considering what you now know about the huge differences between the build of cars, you won’t be shocked to hear that the engines in F1 cars are also more powerful than those in F2.
Typically, engines in Formula One cars have about 1,000 horsepower whereas those in Formula Two cars have about 620 horsepower. This means that on average, F1 cars go 10-15mph faster.
Speed
Following on from the information about the engines, we can tell you that the top speed for F1 cars is more than 230mph! For F2 cars, this is 200mph.
It doesn’t seem like much of a difference, but in those cars, at those speeds, it makes a huge impact.
Weight
The weights of the F1 vs F2 cars are also very different. For example, when there are drivers in the cars, those in Formula One weigh 798kg. When it comes to Formula Two, they are slightly lighter as they weigh 755kg.
Tyres
Italian manufacturer, Pirelli, supplies tyres for all cars in the F1, F2, and even F3.
There is some difference in the width of the tyres between the two divisions. Those used in F2 are slightly narrower, which provides less grip to drivers - this could explain why the speeds are lower in F2.
But that’s not where the differences stop. For example, F2 has four different dry-weather tyre options:
-
Hard
-
Medium
-
Soft
-
Supersoft
It’s also important to note that F2 doesn’t have intermediate tyres. This can lead to some interesting races when it starts to pour down (which all F1 fans secretly love)!
F1’s beloved tyre blankets are actually banned in Formula Two - this requires drivers to naturally warm up their tyres. As you can imagine, this means that when they decide to pit, drivers are at a disadvantage compared to those who have laps under their belt.
Image Source: Pirelli Motorsport
Race Weekends
We know what you’re thinking: Surely the race weekends can’t differ that much? And they don’t much… But there are some key differences.
F1 race weekends are jam-packed with races. Starting on the Friday, drivers have three practice sessions:
-
Friday morning
-
Friday afternoon/ evening
-
Saturday morning
After the third practice session, there are then three qualifying periods. Ideally, all will take place on Saturday, but this is Formula One after all. Nothing is ever plain sailing. Qualifying races have had to take place on Sundays before, mainly due to poor weather conditions.
Doesn’t sound like much of a problem. But when we tell you that races are held on Sundays, you can see how this complicates things!
And then on top of all of that, there's the F1 sprint to consider. We told you, it’s jam-packed!
When it comes to Formula Two, the division does have a similar format in that they have qualifying, sprint races, and the actual race. But the format of the weekend is different.
F2 does qualifying on a Friday - this confirms the starting grid ahead of Sunday’s main race.
Drivers in Formula 2 also have to do a Sprint race. But in this division, it is a standalone event where individual drivers and teams can earn points.
Points System
The points system for the main races in F1 vs F2 is the exact same. However, in F1 the driver with the fastest lap is awarded another point if they also finish in that race’s top ten.
Length of Race
Did you know that F1 and F2 have their races on the same tracks on the same day?!
Yet another spanner to throw in the works.
F2 runs its races earlier in the day as the time it takes to complete them is shorter. For example, the races in Formula Two typically take just an hour or 105 miles - whichever is first. Whereas the races in Formula One take a minimum of 190 miles (except for the race track for the Monaco Grand Prix).
If the weather doesn’t play ball that weekend and it’s constantly raining, trying to juggle all the races that need to happen can quickly become a struggle. There’s:
-
Practices
-
Qualifying
-
Sprints
-
The actual race
We told you it gets complicated!
The Difference Between Drivers in F1 and F2
For anyone who wants to become a racing driver, Formula One is the place to be. If you were a footballer, it’s like the finally putting on a Premier League shirt - the feeling is unmatched.
However, it’s a slow race to the top.
There’s Formula 4, then Formula 3, so making it to Formula 2 seems like an achievement in itself! Many of the best F1 drivers currently racing have worked their way up the ranks, including:
-
Lando Norris
-
Charles Leclerc
-
George Russell
-
Liam Lawson
-
Isack Hadjar
-
Alex Albon
-
Jack Doohan
Our founder, Matt Cole, says:
“It's the pinnacle of motorsport — where the best drivers, teams, and engineers in the world compete at the highest level.
“Considering some drivers like Hamilton, Alonso, and Max can compete at this level for as long as they have, it goes to show just how big a deal it is when a seat becomes available.”
Can You Go Straight to F1 from Formula 4 or 3?
Yes! Formula One’s newest kid on the block, Kimi Antonelli, has famously gone straight from Formula 3 to the pinnacle of the sport! He joined the Mercedes Junior Team in 2019 - and the team was so confident in his abilities that he skipped F2 and went straight to F1.
Image Source: Kimi Antonelli
Toto Wolff, CEO and co-owner of Mercedes, said of Anontelli’s appointment to Formula One:
“Our 2025 driver line-up combines experience, talent, youth and out-and-out raw speed. [It] is perfect to open the next chapter in our story. It is also a testament to the strength of our junior programme and our belief in home-grown talent.
“We are excited about what George [Russell] and Kimi bring to the team both as individual drivers, but also as a partnership.”
Let’s hope he lives up to the expectations set on him!
Other notable drivers who bypassed Formula Two include Max Verstappen and even Carlos Sainz!
Wonder which current Formula 2 graduate drivers we will be confirmed in next season’s Formula One races…
