Richard Verschoor has been very competitive in Formula 2 and is one of the more experienced drivers on the grid, having made his debut in 2021.
The Dutchman is approaching the end of his fourth season in Formula 2 and has already signed up for next season with MP Motorsport, as well.
Verschoor had some mixed fortunes this season for Trident, losing the Sprint Race victories in Saudi Arabia and Hungary after being excluded from the results post-race.
He eventually scored a victory with an impressive drive in the Feature Race in Azerbaijan, although Verschoor explained the previous disqualifications make it difficult to fully enjoy the podium.
Verschoor has spent longer in Formula 2 than most other drivers and will compete with MP Motorsport for the final two rounds of this year, replacing Indy NXT-bound Dennis Hauger.
When speaking on the RacingNews365 podcast, Tom Coronel said that Verschoor should stay in Formula 2 rather than move to another single-seater category, including IndyCar.
Richard Verschoor should stay in F2 as it is the ‘highest class under Formula 1’
Formula 2 has helped to develop some top talents who have been able to win races and fight for championships in Formula 1.
Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg both went on to win the F1 world championship after winning the GP2 Series, which became F2 in 2017.
More recently, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri took the title in their rookie seasons before winning races and competing at the front in F1.
READ MORE: Frederik Vesti explains why he was ‘spoiled’ in Formula 2 and FIA F3
Verschoor will race against a very competitive field next season, including Arvid Lindblad and the new FIA F3 champion Leonardo Fornaroli.
Despite the strong field, Coronel feels Verschoor can challenge for the title and believes he should continue racing in Formula 2 all the while a seat is available.
Coronel said: “That is why he has to hold on as long as possible because it is the most educational or highest class under Formula 1, and that is not IndyCar or anything else you want to mention. That’s not it.
“That’s just Formula 2, the logical next step is Formula 1. Maybe there will be a champion who doesn’t get to Formula 1 and maybe he will be a champion who doesn’t go to F1. That we don’t know yet.”
Coronol added when asked if he feels Verschoor can win the Formula 2 title in 2025: “I certainly see him having potential for the championship.”
IndyCar may be a better long-term career option than Formula 2
IndyCar has become very competitive with Europeans and former Formula 1 drivers challenging at the front in North America’s premier single-make single-seater series.
It is also a professional championship as drivers get paid for racing rather than pay for their seats, which is the case in Formula 2.
Verschoor would like to race in IndyCar, and he pondered doing a test in the series before the chance to remain in Formula 2 with MP Motorsport arrived.
So, despite Coronel’s advice, moving to IndyCar for the 2026 season may be a possibility as Verschoor’s hopes of racing in Formula 1 are very small after being overlooked for so long.