The top category of motorsport has never been the most meritocratic series in the world. So, that there is no meritocracy in the purest sense of the word, we certainly don't find out today. Since its inception, we have witnessed accidents that have often prompted motorists, paddock regulars, and fans to turn up their noses. Throughout its history it has also had paying drivers, who have pledged to support the team to race in Formula 1.
It was therefore no surprise to see another demonstration this year, when Italian Leonardo Fornaroli, winner of the 2024 F3 championship and the new winner of the F2 world championship in his rookie year, failed to find a place in F1 for next season. Unlike Lindblad, who competed against him this year.
Lindblad's promotion
Arvid Lindblad, a British driver born in 2007 (formerly Red Bull Academy), with one race to go in the Formula 2 World Championship, has been promoted to teammate Liam Lawson in Racing Bulls for the 2026 season (Hadjar was preferred to Tsunoda in Red Bull), despite battling for sixth place in the world championship, alongside Martì and Beganovic.
Some of you may say that sometimes results aren't everything. 2025 gave us a season full of rookies with Bortoleto promoted to F1, after winning the cadet category. The others, on the whole, did not behave badly at all. Hadjar finished the season second last year, Antonelli sixth (like Lindblad) and Bearman, certainly among the best of this year's season, even twelfth.
That strange feeling of perceiving a bug in the system
So yes, we might as well be on your side saying it's true: results aren't everything. However, a strange fact remains: having to watch the outgoing Formula 2 champion not find space and another young man manage to find his place.
There appears to be a bug in the system. In recent years we have also seen many promising young motorsport players win the F2 World Championship, only to be forced to seek their fortune elsewhere, seeing their dreams shattered for some strange reason. Thankfully, as far as the 20-year-old from Piacenza is concerned, McLaren has decided to intervene.
Fornaroli competed in the cadet categories in the absence of a team behind him. Without a great team to back him up. For this reason, until a few hours ago, the fate he glimpsed seemed to take him away from the Formula 1 tracks. In recent races, however, something has started to move and this morning, two days after winning the F2 title (a weekend early), Woking's team intervened, appointing him test driver and including him in the programme dedicated to young drivers.
Thanks to the papaya team, Fornaroli can still hold and caress his dream in his hands. Is the day we have McLaren to thank for giving back some’ meritocracy to the system (together with Fornaroli, the papaya company also hired Verschoor and Costoya).
Foto copertina: X, Formula2, foto interna: X, Formula2
Read also in italian language: La Formula 1 non è meritocratica. Per fortuna c’è la McLaren
All the news, photos, weather, session times and times from the Abu Dhabi GP 2025
