John Bennett F2 Driver Profile: The British Pioneer Taking Trident to New Heights in 2026
John Bennett is one of the most interesting stories in Formula 2 right now. The British-Irish racer is the John Bennett F2 name to watch in 2026, driving for Trident Motorsport and delivering his best season yet. On June 27 at the Austrian GP in Spielberg, he took his maiden F2 race win. Here is everything you need to know about him.
John Bennett F2 Driver Stats at a Glance
- Full name: John Andrew Bennett
- Nationality: British and Irish
- Date of birth: 15 September 2003
- Hometown: Salisbury, Wiltshire
- Car number: #25
- Team: Trident Motorsport in the 2026 FIA Formula 2 Championship
- Teammate: Laurens van Hoepen
From Ginettas to F2: A Rapid Rise
Following in the wheel tracks of his father Tony, a successful club racer, John started corporate karting at the age of seven and competed regularly for a number of years. The 22-year-old driver made his car-racing debut in 2020 in the ultra-competitive Ginetta GT5 Challenge, ending with a great run of three podium finishes in the final four races.
The following year, he claimed a total of five victories and ten podium finishes, securing second place in the championship standings. That vice-champion finish gave him the platform to step up to single-seaters.
For his third season in the GB3 Championship, Bennett drove for JHR Developments. He scored his maiden GB3 race win on the opening weekend at Oulton Park, before adding further victories at Zandvoort and Silverstone. A phenomenal campaign saw Bennett score three race wins and 11 podium finishes, plus set two brand-new GB3 lap records, as he finished as vice-champion.
What truly set Bennett apart was the leap he made next. He is unique in having graduated from GB3 competition rather than F3. His jump to F2 makes him the first GB3 graduate to move directly to the second tier. You can read more about his time with Van Amersfoort Racing, the team that gave him his first F2 shot.
His competitive edge was evident in his first Feature Race, where he finished in the points, securing 8th place. Having scored points in his debut feature race in Qatar, Bennett remained with VAR for the full 2025 season, although he scored just a solitary point this time in the Monza feature race.
2026 Season: Breakthrough Moments with Trident
With a year of F2 experience and adjustments under his belt, Bennett highlighted that his growing confidence will be key for his 2026 campaign. Pre-season testing backed that up. The former GB3 vice-champion returned to the circuits for three intense days of official testing at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. The results were hugely encouraging, going third quickest on the second day and ending the week fifth fastest overall.
The season built steadily. Bennett put in his best performance of the 2026 FIA Formula 2 Championship season to date with a phenomenal drive through the field to seventh place and fastest lap in the feature race in Barcelona. Teammate John Bennett crossed the line in seventh. Their results marked the first time both Trident drivers scored points in the same race during the 2026 season.
Then came the moment everyone is now talking about. With the reverse-grid format in play, Sebastian Montoya and John Bennett lined up on the front row of the grid at Spielberg. A decisive last-lap lunge from Bennett saw him claim the lead from Montoya. The Trident driver crossed the line to claim his first F2 win and podium. Read the full story in our F2 Sprint Race report from Spielberg, and check out the full Austrian Grand Prix 2026 Race Guide.
What Makes John Bennett Unique
Bennett is not a product of the usual F1 academy system. He has no factory backing. The Salisbury-based racer kicked off the 2026 season with Trident in Australia, after a lengthy unplanned gap in the calendar followed due to the cancellation of rounds set to run in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Despite those disruptions, he kept building momentum race by race.
His racecraft is his calling card. The Spielberg sprint win proved he is a fighter. He waited for the right moment and made a clean, brave move on the final lap. The Italian squad are established race-winners in FIA Formula 2 and have impressively won the FIA Formula 3 drivers’ title in each of the last three seasons. That environment is helping him grow fast.
Bennett also has huge home support ahead. Bennett will represent his country at the British Grand Prix in the summer, held at the famous Silverstone circuit. Check out our British Grand Prix 2026 Silverstone Race Guide for more on what promises to be a special weekend for the young Brit.
John Bennett is proof that there is more than one road to Formula 2. He carved his own path, and in Spielberg, he showed the whole paddock exactly why that path was worth taking.