There are a myriad of questions regarding the open Formula One seats for the 2025 season. With a slew of spots set to be up for grabs, which F2 prospects and products are the most likely to have a chance to show their talents off on motorsport’s biggest stage?
What is Formula 2?
Formula 2 (F2) is simply a second-tier racing series where many top motorsport prospects are placed to test and hone their skills before possibly getting a chance to race in a coveted Formula One seat. Oftentimes, Formula 2 is the final step in a young motorist’s career where they find out whether or not they have what it takes to race with the best in the world. Many top talents will come through Formula 2 before breaking off into other racing series around the world too. Sometimes, it’s hard to look past the 20-man grid of Formula One and to remember the vast world of motorsport outside of the well-known top racing series.
Théo Pourchaire – Sauber Driving Academy
While the 20-year-old French phenom is leaving F2 in 2024 for the Japanese Super Formula, this “list” cannot be made without mentioning this top talent’s name. He has been an ever-present name in talks surrounding the world’s top F1 prospects and has spent his last three years dominating the F2 field. While Sauber did not give him a seat for the 2024 F1 season, Pourchaire will be their reserve driver while he stays at the top of his game in Japan.
Pourchaire is both the youngest Formula 3 and Formula 2 race winner in history, consistently writing his name in the history books of various racing series. During his three years in F2, Pourchaire accrued a staggering 50 finishes inside the points (top 10), 20 podiums, and six race wins across 81 starts. Winning the championship in 2023 with 203 world championship points after an inspired second-place finish just the year prior was the send-off he deserved in this unforgiving sport.
Frederick Vesti – Mercedes Driving Academy
Finishing runner-up to Pourchaire in the 2023 season with 192 championship points, Vesti was arguably the best driver in the field throughout the second portion of the season. Similarly to Pourchaire, the Danish 22-year-old will be moving out of F2 for 2024, making his sports car racing debut in the European Le Mans Series. He will also be a Mercedes reserve driver for the 2024 season, hoping to impress the team enough to take Lewis Hamilton’s empty seat prior to the start of the 2025 iteration of Formula One.
Vesti, who is a little bit older than the rest of the prospects, may have a tough time breaking into F1 if he doesn’t act quickly. However, The Dane’s recent FP1 (Free practice session #1) performance for Mercedes in Abu Dhabi made quite an impression. Not only did he outpace the other F2 drivers in the session, but he also briefly held the second-fastest time overall. While he still trailed behind George Russell, his possible future Merc partner, who topped the timesheets by a significant seven-tenths margin, he still has ample opportunity to narrow the gap before a feasible chance at securing an F1 seat in the near future.
Ollie Bearman – Ferrari Driver Academy
At 18 years old, Ollie Bearman might represent the best prospect currently racing in Formula 2. Finishing sixth in the overall standings for the 2023 F2 championship, the Briton driver made light work of his rookie season, showing flashes of racing genius in various rounds throughout the campaign. Demonstrating remarkable talent at a young age, the young driver secured notable victories in Baku, Spain, and Monza.
Bearman, however, is a very raw prospect. This was more than apparent at times, with the Ferrari academy driver seeing his fair share of struggles. With more time spent in F2, Bearman is definitely one to look out for. As he develops across the course of the upcoming F2 season, it will be interesting to see how Ferrari handles their young prodigy. The recent announcement of Lewis Hamilton doesn’t help Bearman either, as it would be unlikely that he would see a chance at a Ferrari seat before 2027.
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