As attention turns towards next season, here is a look at how the F2 grid could look in 2024.
A two-and-a-half month gap until the 2023 season finale in Abu Dhabi offers teams a lengthy window of thought in regards to next season’s driver line-up.
From retaining one if not both of their current driver line-up to refreshing their driver rosters by introducing fresh faces from ideally within F3 and EuroFormula, there are a lot of decisions to be made and especially in conjunction with F1 teams if want to sign academy drivers.
Next season will also see the debut of Dallara F2 2024 car which adds a further layer of complexity to consider in terms of driver selection.
On that note, here is a look at how the F2 grid could look in 2024 on a team-by-team basis with some teams likely to retain at least one member of their current rosters, whilst adding fresh faces as some depart for pastures new.
ART GP
Having settled strongly into F2 with a solid rookie sason, Victor Martins surely will stay with ART GP and look to mount a title challenge, akin to how his teammate – Theo Pourchaire made that step forward last season after a similar rookie campaign in 2021.
As for Martins’ teammate, ART GP have a headache because they have promoted their highest-placed F3 driver from the previous season, yet none of this year’s F3 line-up have done anything strong enough to justify a move up to F2.
I therefore do expect ART GP to seriously look elsewhere with Mercedes junior, Paul Aron looking a strong alternative if want to return to their Mercedes link and retain their usual livery style.
Ferrari’s Dino Beganovic could be another solid alternative because the Scuderia like Mercedes don’t impose their brand upon the liveries of F2 teams unlike Red Bull, and the Swede clearly has the talent like Aron to do well with the right team.
I howver do feel like Aron might be the more likely bet due to ART GP’s previous links with Mercedes at this level.
Prediction: Victor Martins and Paul Aron
PREMA
Although nothing officially has been said, Oliver Bearman is surely set to stay with PREMA for a proper title tilt next season, such has been his pace and ability this season because he certainly should of been in the title mix if not largely for silly stewarding idiocy and bad luck.
PREMA meanwhile like ART GP do have a tendancy to promote their highest-placed F3 driver, so I would be surprised if the Italian team don’t field an all-British line-up, with Zak O’Sullivan stepping up as Bearman’s new teammate.
There are rumours that Mercedes junior, Kimi Antonelli could leap straight from FRECA into F2 with PREMA, but I seriously think that would be a risky move for Antonelli and do a disservice to O’Sullivan who has earned the right to move up to F2 with PREMA on merit.
Prediction: Oliver Bearman and Zak O’Sullivan
Carlin
Having enjoyed a solid season with Red Bull backed Enzo Fittipaldi and Zane Maloney, Carlin do have an interesting dilemma on their hands.
With Fittipaldi, he has enjoyed a strong if quiet breakthrough season with his first F2 win so has earned a chance to hopefully fight for the title next season, such has been his consistency and strong race performances throughout this campaign.
Maloney meanwhile has quietly navigated his rookie season at this level but has often been inconsistent, yet some drivers tend to make that huge breakthrough in their second season so I expect him to remain with Carlin in order to provide that stability for him to progress up the order.
Red Bull however will have their own plans for both drivers but I wouldn’t be surprised if they decide to keep Fittipaldi and Maloney where they’re currently, considering that ART GP and PREMA look unlikely to offer them a title-challenging seat.
Prediction: Enzo Fittipaldi and Zane Maloney
DAMS
With Ayumu Iwasa likely to head to Super Formula after a strong season, I wouldn’t be surprised if DAMS opt to take on another Red Bull junior with Dennis Hauger looking the fairest guess, as he would be entering his third season in F2 looking to fight for the title with a team on the rise.
Isack Hadjar though feels like the pefect punt from a PR perspective in having a French driver driving for a French team, yet he hasn’t exactly earned such a move to a quality team compared to fellow Red Bull junior and Hitech GP teammate, Jak Crawford.
DAMS could therefore have their pick of those three but Hauger might just be the best driver to fill Iwasa’s shoes from the perspective of experience at this level.
Arthur Leclerc meanwhile will surely stay because although he hasn’t exactly set the grid alight this season, he has tended to be a driver who makes his breakthrough in the second season so I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets another chance with DAMS.
Prediction: Dennis Hauger and Arthur Leclerc
MP Motorsport
After a disappointing season by their lofty standards of 2022, MP Motorsport could face a headscratcher during the off-season if Red Bull decide to move Hauger elsewhere to a more competitive team.
Should that indeed be the case then they should consider promoting Franco Colapinto from their F3 line-up, because the 20 year-old Argentinean has shown consistency and maturity which demonstrated that he is ready to step up to F2 and MP Motorsport will provide stability.
As for their second seat, MP Motorsport should look for an experienced F2 driver in Richard Verschoor, who previously won with the team in 2021 but has since made solid progress and deserves another chance in a competitive team on merit.
Prediction: Franco Colapinto and Richard Verschoor
Virtuosi
With no race seat at Alpine in F1 looking likely unless something serious happens, I can see Jack Doohan remaining with Virtuosi for another tilt at the F2 title, because he just might be another Felipe Drugovich and Theo Pourchaire who took three seasons to hit the top.
Amaury Cordeel meanwhile might be viewed as a pay driver taking up a seat which could go to a more talented driver, yet he has finally began to show progress in a rough season which might just see him keep his seat.
Virtuosi however might be wise to look afield and return to a Alpine/Ferrari junior partnership which worked well in 2020 with Guanyu Zhou and Callum Ilott that season, because Dino Beganovic is available and might be a good fit alongside Doohan to get strong results.
Prediction: Jack Doohan and Dino Beganovic
VAR
Although you would expect Verschoor to remain with VAR given his form this season, I do feel like he might move on to a stronger team which would open the door for Caio Collet to step up from F3 where he has done a solid job for the team this season.
Whilst it is easy to make the case for keeping Juan Manuel Correa for consistency, his performances haven’t really been strong enough to justify him staying given the competition overall, so I do expect him to leave to join PREMA full time in Endurance Racing.
That would open up a seat for someone like Jehan Daruvala if they want someone to partner Collet who has current F2 experience, yet can bring strong financial backing to the team whilst still possessing that quality talent on merit.
Prediction: Caio Collet and Jehan Daruvala
Hitech GP
Hitech GP knew that this year was all about development and learning for their two rookies, Jak Crawford and Isack Hadjar, who have both delivered solid if quietly unremarkable seasons.
One win for Crawford and four further podiums between the pair to score 103 points for Hitech GP sums up how solid their rookie campaigns have been, amidst periods of inconsistency which will be something that they can build upon in future.
Stability also could well be a key factor and I wouldn’t be surprised if like with Fittipaldi and Maloney at Carlin, Red Bull opt to keep Crawford and Hadjar at Hitech GP for a second season in hope of serious progress and better opportunities to fight for wins next season.
Prediction: Jak Crawford and Isack Hadjar
Campos
Although they’ve been loyal supporters of Ralph Boschung in the last three seasons – even during his neck injury last season, both Campos and Boschung surely need a fresh start so I do expect Boschung to move on at the end of this season.
That would in-turn open up a seat for Pepe Marti who has experienced a strong F3 campaign to earn what would be a deserved promotion to F2, plus a Spanish driver racing for a Spanish team in F2 would be great for Campos’ PR given that Marti has been one of their strongest talents lately.
Kush Maini meanwhile has enjoyed a solid rookie season following his surprise graduation from F3 which should be enough for him to stay, because he certainly has the potential to get better next season with the stability of Campos.
Prediction: Pepe Marti and Kush Maini
Trident
With not much to separate Clement Novalak and Roman Stanek amidst the likely incoming of a new gruadte, Trident certainly do have a headscratcher in terms of their driver line-up.
I however do expect F3 champion, Gabriel Bortoleto to potentially stay with the team for his graduation into F2 next season, because it does look unlikely that he will get a top drive for various reasons beyond his control so Trident looks his best option.
As for who will be his teammate, budget could well prove key which could swing the tide towards Novalak unless Trident opt to dispense with both drivers and start afresh with two rookies.
That latter option though does feel like a risk for a team who aren’t generally competitive enough to fight for strong points finishes let alone podiums and wins, but Oliver Goethe and Leonardo Fornaroli would be the strongest punts to complete a new rookie line-up.
Just to further complicate a potential dilemma for Trident, both drivers took one pole apiece although Fornaroli has the better F3 Qualifying average of eighth on the grid and more top-ten finishes but Goethe managed more points including a win.
Fornaroli however would be my call to partner Bortoleto because he has shown more consistency throughout the season, which is enough to justify a promotion ahead of Goethe who could do with another season in F3.
Prediction: Gabriel Bortoleto and Leonardo Fornaroli
PHM Racing
Having endured a disastrous debut season, PHM Racing certainly will need to have a serious think about the calibre of drivers that they bring in next season.
Although Roy Nissany is an experienced F2 driver, he isn’t exactly high-quality so I do expect him to go and someone like Clement Novalak to potentially come in, who has pace and experience to help progress the team forward as a number one driver.
Joshua Mason meanwhile has made progress since joining in mid-season and has probably done enough to get a full-time chance next season, yet I suspect that he might end up in F3 instead to gain more experience given that he came from EuroFormula which is quite different to F2.
PHM Racing therefore might look to swoop for Taylor Barnard who impressed for Jenzer in F3 this season – albeit with PHM’s backing, so a move back to PHM and a move up to F2 might be the next step for Barnard unless he plans to stay in F3 and move to a competitive team to fight for the 2024 title.
Either way, I do expect Mason or Barnard to take the second seat with the latter possibly considered as the preferred option, whilst Mason could stay if Barnard opts to remain in F3 next season.
Prediction: Clement Novalak and Taylor Barnard
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