Analysis
Dual series challenge for HWA Racelab entrant
Matteo Nannini will contest dual campaigns in Formula 2 and Formula 3 for HWA Racelab, a highly unusual strategy for the 2026 season.
Matteo Nannini will compete in both Formula 2 and Formula 3 this year with HWA Racelab, a distinctive strategy for the 2026 season. This move, which is highly unusual, sees the 17-year-old participate in both of Formula 1’s direct feeder championships because their revised schedules now allow each series to race on different weekends.
Nannini's Ambitious Calendar
Nannini, who claimed the 2019 UAE Formula 4 championship, finished 18th in the 2020 FIA F3 standings, accumulating 11 points and achieving a third-place finish in the second Barcelona race. The Italian driver will partake in a total of 45 races across 2026, with three events occurring during each Formula 2 and Formula 3 weekend. Nannini expressed his readiness for such a demanding schedule, viewing the opportunity to race in both FIA F2 and F3 as crucial for his development.
Acknowledging that his first year in Formula 2 will present difficulties, Nannini is nevertheless eager to gain substantial knowledge. He approaches his second Formula 3 season with confidence, believing HWA Racelab will supply a competitive package to perform well.
HWA Racelab's Strategy
Alessio Deledda, another Italian, will join Nannini at HWA Racelab in Formula 2; Deledda previously spent two seasons with Campos in F3 without scoring any points. Deledda articulated his excitement for this new experience and for testing his abilities within such a competitive championship. He holds confidence that, with HWA Racelab's extensive experience, they will progress together throughout the journey ahead.
HWA Racelab Team Principal Thomas Strick confirmed a deliberate decision to field Nannini in both series. Strick highlighted the benefit for the young competitor, stating that this approach facilitates a quicker adaptation to the high performance of a Formula 1 car, given that the Formula 2 car closely matches this level of performance. He noted that the team has achieved a good balance with a young, talented competitor and a slightly more experienced, yet equally ambitious, competitor.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Analysis, which means this is our reading of facts that are already established. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Miika Rantanen.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Crash.netcrash.net
