F2’s Baku title fight delivers a thriller — but calendar uncertainty leaves its ending unresolved

News Summary

Câmara leads Tsolov by 7 points, with Dunne 18 points behind, after Baku’s three-race round.
Dunne crossed the line first in the final race, but a five-second penalty handed victory to Câmara; Tsolov recovered from 11th on the grid to second.
Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain on the F2 calendar. If both rounds are cancelled without replacements, Baku’s result would decide the title.

Formula 2’s expanded Azerbaijan round produced the sort of finish a championship contest deserves. Rafael Câmara, Nikola Tsolov and Alexander Dunne, the three leading title contenders, spent the closing stages of Saturday’s final race fighting for the win on Baku’s streets. When the results were settled, Câmara led the standings on 207 points, seven ahead of Tsolov and 18 ahead of Dunne. What remains unsettled is whether they will race again this season.

The uncertainty over the scheduled rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi gave Baku’s three-race weekend an unusual weight. F2 has yet to announce their cancellation, so Câmara has not been crowned champion. If neither round takes place and no replacement is arranged, however, the Azerbaijan result would become the championship’s final classification.

The title picture changed repeatedly across the weekend. Tsolov arrived as the leader, while Câmara failed to score in Friday’s Sprint Race. Dunne then won the first Feature Race from pole position, bringing himself firmly into contention. Câmara took the championship lead in that race by beating Noel León to fourth place at the finish.

Saturday brought the three contenders together at the front. Dunne and Câmara moved ahead after their pit-stop strategies played out, while Tsolov climbed from 11th on the grid into the fight. Dunne resisted Câmara on track, but he had already received a five-second penalty for crossing the white line at the pit entry. The penalty dropped him to third in the official result, promoting Câmara to victory and Tsolov to second.

F2 had added a second Feature Race to its Baku programme, creating the three-race round. Championship CEO Bruno Michel said the available timetable made the extra sessions possible and presented the change as a way to make the Azerbaijan event distinctive. He also said the series planned to return to its usual format for its final two rounds in Doha and at Yas Marina. The category has not said the additional Baku race was introduced because of uncertainty over those rounds.

The calendar question nonetheless affects how the Baku contest will be remembered. If Qatar and Abu Dhabi go ahead, Câmara’s victory is a pivotal result in an ongoing title fight: Tsolov remains within seven points, and Dunne is 18 behind. If the scheduled rounds cannot be held, the last race of the season may already have taken place without the drivers knowing at the time that they were contesting the championship decider.

F2 currently lists Qatar on November 27–29 as its next round, followed by Abu Dhabi in December. Câmara remains the championship leader while a decision on the remaining races is awaited.

Who leads the 2026 Formula 2 championship after Baku?

Rafael Câmara leads with 207 points, seven ahead of Nikola Tsolov. Alexander Dunne is third, 18 points behind Câmara.

Is Rafael Câmara already the 2026 F2 champion?

No. Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain on the calendar. Câmara would win the title if both rounds were cancelled without replacements and the Baku standings became final.