He previously competed in FIA Formula 3 for three seasons, where he placed fifth in 2022, and is also the 2019 ADAC Formula 4 rookies' champion. In 2024, he debuted in FIA Formula 2 with Trident before leaving the team mid-season.
Career
Karting
Staněk began karting internationally in 2014, competing in the 60 MINI category until 2016. The following year he moved up to OK Junior, and in 2018 he took part in the Karting World Championship in the OK category.[1]
Lower formula championships
Staněk made his single-seater debut in early 2019 at the last round of the Formula 4 UAE Championship, as a guest driver for Dragon Racing.[2]
He was named as a development driver for the Sauber Junior Team in 2019.[3]
For the main season he combined the ADAC Formula 4 and Italian F4 championships, driving for the Sauber-backed US Racing-CHRS team in both. Eventually racking up three race wins and nine podiums across the two series, he was especially successful in the former, where he finished 4th in the standings and won the rookies' championship ahead of Mercedes juniorPaul Aron. He starred at the opening round in Oschersleben, getting a 2nd place and a commanding race 3 win which saw him take the lead of the championship.[4][5] His other two victories of the season came in the ADAC F4 Nürburgring and Italian F4 Imola rounds.[6][7]
FIA Formula 3
2020
Staněk was originally due to drive for the Prema Powerteam in the 2020 Formula Regional European Championship, but later during the COVID-19 lockdown, switched to Charouz Racing System for what he thought was a Formula 2 drive.[8][9][10] He was instead placed in one of the team's FIA Formula 3 seats on the Thursday prior to the season opener, replacing the outgoing Niko Kari and becoming the youngest driver in the championship.[11] With no previous testing, he struggled throughout the season, his sole points-scoring finish coming at the penultimate round in Monza.[12] Staněk later described the move as "a mistake I really regret, because it could have ruined my career".[10]
In 2022, upon testing for them in post-season, Staněk moved to reigning teams' champions Trident for his third season in FIA Formula 3.[17] Following a bad start to the season at Bahrain, where he suffered punctures in both races that sent him down the order, the Czech driver achieved his first-ever F3 victory in Imola, putting himself third in the championship after two rounds.[18][19] Staněk would continue this form into the next weekend at Barcelona, where he took pole position.[20] During the feature race, he lost the lead to Victor Martins, but still finished in second place.[21] Misfortune caught Staněk in Silverstone, where a collision with Grégoire Saucy forced him out of the race.[22] The Czech driver wouldn't score a better finish than fifth in the following two rounds, before bouncing back into title contention with two second places at Spa-Francorchamps.[23][24] Having scored more points at Zandvoort, Staněk arrived at the season finale in Monza sitting third in the drivers' standings.[25] Despite a positive qualifying session, Staněk was unable to take advantage in the races, which meant that he finished fifth in the championship.[26][27]
Stanĕk partook in the 2022 F2 post-season test with Trident.[28] On 11 January 2023, it was announced that he would be promoted to Formula 2 on a full-time basis with the Italian outfit, partnering Frenchman Clément Novalak.[29] The season proved challenging, and despite flashes of speed that included a run from 22nd to seventh at Monaco and qualifying third at Monza, the Czech driver finished 18th in the standings.[30][31]
After a period of financial uncertainty,[33] Staněk eventually found new sponsorship from the Czechoslovak Group (CSG) and was retained by Trident to partner Richard Verschoor in 2024.[34][35] He achieved his first Formula 2 win in the third round at Melbourne, after a fruitful defensive display and a penalty to on-track winner Isack Hadjar.[36]
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