Formula 2 has opened serious discussions regarding a permanent expansion into North America following the championship’s successful breakthrough in Miami during the 2026 season. F2 and F3 CEO Bruno Michel confirmed that negotiations are already taking place with several promoters after the series’ first major step into the North American market.
F2’s arrival in North America happened earlier than originally planned after the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds in April due to the geopolitical conflict affecting the Middle East. The situation forced the championship to seek alternative calendar solutions while simultaneously accelerating a North American expansion project that had initially been targeted for 2027.
One of the key projects currently under discussion is the possibility of establishing a permanent Formula 2 round at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Michel revealed that talks with the Canadian promoters had already started before the calendar disruption occurred, although those conversations were originally focused on long-term planning rather than the 2026 season.
Alongside Montreal, Formula 2 also made its debut in Miami during the Formula 1 weekend earlier this month. The event was widely considered a major success both in terms of racing quality and commercial exposure in the United States, although Michel admitted the logistical and operational challenges were extremely complex because Miami already hosts support categories such as Porsche and McLaren Trophy.
“We are definitely discussing it. Montreal is a serious discussion. Miami is more complicated because they already have strong support races, but we would love to return to North America because it is very important for Formula 2,” Michel said.
According to Michel, Formula 2’s presence in North America carries significant strategic value not only for the championship itself but also for the broader Formula 1 ecosystem. He believes expansion into the region could increase the appeal of F2 for young American drivers aiming to build a pathway toward Formula 1.
Michel specifically mentioned Colton Herta and Sebastian Montoya as examples of drivers capable of strengthening the connection between the North American market and the FIA junior single-seater ladder toward Formula 1.
From a logistical perspective, Formula 2 also sees a major efficiency advantage if North American rounds can be grouped into a single phase of the calendar. With only a three-week gap between Miami and Montreal on the Formula 1 schedule, freight transportation could be significantly optimised through land transport after the initial shipment to the United States.
However, Michel admitted the main challenge remains infrastructure capacity and scheduling integration with existing support events. Miami was required to build an entirely new paddock area in order to accommodate Formula 2 this season. Over the coming months, further negotiations are expected to determine whether Formula 2 can secure a permanent place in North America for future campaigns.
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