# Montréal Debuts, Short-Oval Demands, and Suzuka's Historic Double-Header: Junior Single-Seater Preview

**By Luca Bertolini**  \nPublished September 17, 2026  \nUpdated September 17, 2026

> A packed global junior single-seater schedule brings Formula 2 to Montréal for the first time, sets up high-stakes oval running at Indianapolis Raceway Park, and combines Super Formula Lights with FRegional Japan at Suzuka.

An expansive stretch of junior single-seater racing puts developmental programs across North America, Europe, and Asia to the test. With international calendars bringing top-tier grand prix racing to Montréal, primary feeder categories follow along for demanding road course and short-oval fixtures, while Japanese motorsport unites two major ladder rungs at Suzuka.

## Formula 2's Canadian Premiere and F1 Academy's Expanded Schedule

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve hosts Formula 2 for the first time in championship history. Although the semi-permanent Montréal circuit has been an F1 staple since 1978, neither F2 nor its predecessor GP2 has ever raced around the Île Notre-Dame layout. The circuit requires low-downforce efficiency, precise heavy braking control, and clean curb usage right next to unforgiving concrete walls.

Nikola Tsolov heads to North America at the top of the driver standings with 35 points following victories in Melbourne and Miami. The Campos Racing driver holds a narrow single-point lead over Gabriele Minì and Rafael Câmara, who are tied in second on 34 points. Trident's Laurens van Hoepen sits eight points further back on 26 points. Campos also leads the team standings with 56 points, holding a six-point gap over Invicta Racing. Rodin Motorsport enters the weekend in eighth place, seeking to transform strong single-lap speed into clean race results after early-season driver and team errors.

**F2 Drivers' Standings Heading to Montréal:**

- 1. Nikola Tsolov (Campos Racing) – 35 pts
- 2. Gabriele Minì – 34 pts
- 3. Rafael Câmara – 34 pts
- 4. Laurens van Hoepen (Trident) – 26 ptsF1 Academy also takes on Circuit Gilles Villeneuve under an updated three-race weekend structure designed to recover mileage lost from the cancelled Jeddah round. With three-race formats slated only for Montréal and Austin, Saturday will feature two races—including a reverse-grid sprint—with the opening grid determined by each driver's second-fastest qualifying lap. Championship leader Emma Felbermayr, who earned her maiden single-seater victory on this circuit last year, leads with 31 points over Alisha Palmowski (25 points) and Nina Gademan (22 points). Canadian 18-year-old Autumn Fisher (#77) joins the grid as the local wildcard entry supported by Standard Chartered, building on her French F4 campaign and recent British F4 appearance at Brands Hatch.

## Short-Oval Precision at IRP: USF Pro 2000 and USF2000

In Indiana, the USF Pro Championships head to Indianapolis Raceway Park for crucial short-oval action. Organizers adjusted the timeline preemptively, moving track sessions from Friday to Thursday in anticipation of incoming rain. Oval racing demands subtle mechanical balancing, continuous throttle control, and managing heavy asymmetrical tire loads.

USF Pro 2000 arrives at IRP with Jack Jeffers and Frankie Mossman deadlocked on 87 points at the top of the table, with Jeffers leading on countback. Leonardo Escorpioni holds third place, 29 points back, after recovering from a massive crash on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Single-car oval qualifying puts immense focus on two consecutive green-flag laps, with each driver's fastest single lap determining starting position.

The entry list includes notable additions and absentees. Indy NXT driver Tymek Kucharczyk (#28) joins TJ Speed Motorsports for a standalone appearance to build oval experience, while Tanner DeFabis (#5) returns with Jay Howard Driver Development. Meanwhile, IMS podium finisher Mayer Deonarine and Jack William Miller are both absent. Veteran 62-year-old driver Charles Finelli continues his campaign with FatBoy Racing.

In USF2000, IRP serves as the lone oval event on the schedule. Drivers face a non-stop 75-lap green-flag contest without pit stops, testing rear-tire management around the short oval. DEForce Racing's Sebastián Garzón leads the championship heading into the event.

## Suzuka Double-Bill and Zandvoort Action

At Suzuka, Super Formula Lights and FRegional Japan share the paddock with the main Super Formula series on the same weekend for the first time. The high-speed layout and intense tire wear will test drivers across both developmental categories.

Yusuke Mitsui of Delightworks Racing leads the Super Formula Lights standings despite missing out on a win at Autopolis, where B-Max teammates Kotaro Shimbara and Evan Giltaire split victory honors. Giltaire trails Mitsui by two points, holding a 17-point margin over Toyota junior Kiyoshi Umegaki. Off the track, Delightworks dropped team principal Masato Shimoyama following allegations of fraudulent activities, with Toda Racing president Kengo Toda stepping in. On the grid, Tokiya Suzuki (#38) returns to TOM'S after serving a suspension, sending Yuzuki Miura back to his primary seat in FRegional Japan.

FRegional Japan boasts a series-record 17-car entry for two races at Suzuka. Miura leads former Honda junior Ryota Horachi by 13 points in the standings, while teammate Masana Muto arrives following his first single-seater win in Japanese F4 at Fuji. Grid updates include 27-year-old former Toyota junior Shunji Okumoto (#10) debuting for Rn-sports in place of Hibiki Komatsu, and Masters class competitor "Seimei" (#60) entering with Tomei Sports.

In Europe, Formula Regional Europe heads to Zandvoort for round two. Dutch driver Reno Francot leads CL Motorsport's home campaign with 43 points, ahead of Rashid Al Dhaheri (38 points) and PREMA Racing's Kean Nakamura-Berta (34 points). Nakamura-Berta looks to rebound from a tough Spielberg finale that saw him drop places during a safety car restart and collide with teammate Tomass Štolcermanis. CL Motorsport introduces a driver change, fielding 18-year-old Belgian Spanish F4 champion Thomas Strauven (#9) in place of Enea Frey for the next two rounds.

## Forecast and Tactical Assessment: Montréal Hurdles and Oval Demands

Track layouts and qualifying structures across this multi-series lineup highlight distinct challenge points at both Indianapolis Raceway Park and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

**USF Pro 2000 at IRP:** The single-fastest-lap qualification format puts a premium on rapid front-tire warm-up on the out-lap. Expect Jack Jeffers to aim for low-drag setup trim to maximize initial turn-in velocity. The principal counter-factor centers on Frankie Mossman's ability to maintain rear lateral stability across lap two, which could prove decisive if track surface temperatures shift during the session.

**F2 at Montréal:** Heavy braking zones at Turns 1, 10, and the final chicane demand strong anti-squat stability paired with top-end straight-line speed. Nikola Tsolov and Campos Racing have displayed strong straight-line speed on low-downforce layouts, positioning them well for long sector-three runs. However, Gabriele Minì's consistency in managing tire operating windows in cooler conditions remains a major factor during qualifying runs. Any mid-session neutralization—frequent around Montréal's tight barriers—will disrupt tire degradation projections and favor drivers who preserve fresh rubber for late sprint restarts.

## Sources

- [feederseries.net](https://feederseries.net/2026/05/21/feeder-series-weekend-preview-and-schedule-21-25-may-2026/) — original
- [feederpoint.cz](http://feederpoint.cz/category/lru-souteze/ostatni/) — original
- [hamptonbeach.org](https://hamptonbeach.org/events/fireworks/) — original