Several Formula 2 drivers have been given the chance to race in the pinnacle of motorsport in 2024.
Oliver Bearman stepped in to replace the ill Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Jeddah for his F1 debut, finishing seventh. The PREMA driver got another opportunity at Baku as he came in for the suspended Kevin Magnussen at Haas, where he finished 10th and became the first F1 driver in history to score points for two different teams in his first two appearances.
Despite the 19-year-old enduring a difficult season in Formula 2 as he sits 15th in the standings with two rounds to go, Bearman will move to Haas permanently for the 2025 season alongside Esteban Ocon.
The Brit will be joined on the F1 grid by his PREMA teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who will replace seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes next season. The Italian ran in FP1 at his home race at Monza, but he spun and crashed at Parabolica after only 10 minutes.
Franco Colapinto has also stepped up from F2 this year as he got the call to replace Logan Sargeant at Williams from Monza onwards. The Argentinian has put in some standout performances and regularly competed for points, scoring four at Baku.
Alex Albon thinks Gabriel Bortoleto would be a ‘great addition’ to Formula 1
These three are not the only F2 drivers to join F1, as former competitors Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson will finally get their chance – the former with Alpine in 2025 and the latter with RB for the remainder of this season with the view to a permanent seat next year.
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And that may not be it for rookies entering the F1 paddock, as F2 title contender Gabriel Bortoleto has been heavily linked with a move to the vacant Sauber seat, who will become Audi in 2026.
The Brazilian won the Formula 3 championship in 2023 and has continued that success into F2, as he currently leads the standings with two rounds to go in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
And speaking with Motorsport Brasil, Colapinto’s Williams teammate Alex Albon does not see why Bortoleto will not as fast as the other F2 drivers that have been afforded opportunities this season.
“I think he would be a great addition,” he said.
“I think you’ve seen the drivers that have come in from F2, Kimi, Ollie, Franco. They have been competitive straight away.
“I don’t see why another addition wouldn’t be quick as well.”
Gabriel Bortoleto is fighting Isack Hadjar for the Formula 2 title
Heading into the next round in Qatar, Bortoleto holds a slim four-and-a-half-point advantage over Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar.
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The Brazilian had endured a rocky start to F2, but after suffering three consecutive retirements in the Feature Race at Jeddah and both races in Australia, he has only finished outside the points twice since then.
Bortoleto has grabbed two wins thus far this season in the Feature Races at Spielberg and Monza – winning the latter from last – as well as grabbing three second place finishes.
Hadjar has secured more victories than any other driver with four and has seven podiums in total, but the Frenchman goes into the last two rounds of 2024 on bad form, as he failed to score points at the previous two rounds at Monza and Baku.