F2: Ones to Watch in 2024

As we look ahead to the new season, Ross McIntyre looks at 4 drivers who could very well be the biggest talking points of the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2024.

The times they are a changin’ in Formula 2. As a superb season of racing draws to a close, 2024 heralds the introduction of a new car and the potential for a huge shake up, as any new regulations often bring in motorsport. The new Dallara will inevitably bring different challenges for all of the drivers, both rookies and seasoned F2 veterans, especially given the move to mirror current Formula One regulations and generate more downforce from the floor, alongside a host of other quality of life changes. But, looking at the not-quite-complete entry list, and taking into account other likely but not yet confirmed drivers, there are still some standout names to keep an eye on heading into the 2024 F2 season.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli – Prema

It’s not often in the modern era of racing that a driver jumps straight into F2, skipping out F3, but the Italian will start 2024 as the most hyped-up junior prospect since Oscar Piastri, and for good reason. Without even looking at his stats, the boy simply oozes talent; his pace is incredibly strong, his racecraft is excellent, and at just 17 years of age heading into the season (frustratingly younger than this barely adult writer), there is plenty of time for growth and development. The Mercedes Junior Team and Prema clearly feel that the decision to catapult him into Formula 2 is the correct one, and while there will inevitably be a steep learning curve, competing against far older drivers with much more experience under their belts, it is highly possible that we are seeing the next racing megastar emerging onto the global stage.

A stellar karting career, capped off with back-to-back CIK-FIA Senior European Karting titles, already laid the groundwork for greatness. Mercedes were willing to take a gamble and sign him up to their academy back in 2019, before he’d even stepped foot in a racing car – a move that often leads to disappointment, but this is one of the occasions where the opposite is true. Antonelli immediately dominated, claiming both the 2022 ADAC and Italian F4 titles in his first full year in car racing, and followed it up with a very strong Formula Regional Europe campaign, clinching the title a round early at Zandvoort.

Prema clearly have a lot of faith in the young driver, having stuck with him since his career progressed into cars, and it’s also possible that Mercedes are grooming him for a 2026 F1 seat with the Silver Arrows, in case of an aging Lewis Hamilton’s departure following the end of his contract – hence his quick movement up the junior series ladder. Expect 2024 to be a learning year for Antonelli, yet nonetheless a very strong one given his own ability and the quality of the team behind him, with a true challenge coming in 2025. But he’s shattered all expectations so far in his career, so who’s to say he won’t do it again and come out of the gates swinging.

Oliver Bearman – Prema

The Briton will return to longtime home Prema Racing after a simultaneously strong yet disappointing debut campaign with the Italian outfit in 2023. After a shaky start to the season highlighted by sizeable mistakes and rotten luck, the star that was lingering in Bearman finally emerged at the fourth round, where he took a clean sweep of wins in Baku. The rest of the season was marked with a handful of wins and podiums but also inconsistency with many finishes below the top 10 – although this can be largely attributed to Prema throwing their weight behind Frederik Vesti in his title fight, compared to poor performances.

Bearman shares many attributes with his teammate – assuming the Prema deal comes through – Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Youth on his side (being only 18), tonnes of pace, and a dominant year capturing both ADAC and Italian F4 titles in 2021. However, there’s been very little to show since then. A strong 3^rd in the hotly contested 2022 F3 title fight, in which Victor Martins was a deserving champion, has been the only true highlight of the last few seasons, and the hype surrounding Bearman has seemingly died down heading into 2024. However, the Ferrari Driver Academy continue to show faith in him, rewarding him with two FP1 sessions with Haas in the latter half of 2023, where he lapped impressively close to both Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg.  

Bearman clearly has what it takes to compete at the very top, but 2024 marks a make-or-break season. At the very least, he must be challenging for the title in some capacity, or he faces being left by the wayside, amongst the heap of drivers who had the talent to make it to F1, but for whatever reason it did not quite come together for them. With both Haas drivers’ contracts up at the end of 2024 as well, a seat could surprisingly loom for him if his performances are strong enough and Maranello are willing to give him a go, but it could also be a benefit to have another learning year in F2 this season, where he smooths out any rough edges while delivering the goods before a true title fight in 2025, or even a season off with Ferrari’s Hypercar programme in WEC before F1 hopefully comes calling.

Ritomo Miyata – Rodin

Now here’s a move that nobody expected. Toyota have placed reigning Super Formula and Super GT500 champion Miyata in F2 in order to have him learn European and international circuits before the long-awaited call up to their WEC Hypercar squad, but the Japanese driver now sees himself in the F1 driver market as well. Given Honda’s requirement for a Japanese driver on the F1 grid as part of their deal with Red Bull/RBPT, and Yuki Tsunoda’s adequate but increasingly frustrating performances, Helmut Marko will be watching Miyata closely, and could shrewdly pinch him from Toyata’s grasp if performances are strong enough.

To Japanese motorsport fans, Miyata needs no introduction. His rise up the Super GT and Super Formula ladder has been a joy to watch, and alongside his evident pace, at 24 years of age he has experience on his side as well. Given the similarities between Super Formula and Formula 2 cars – even with the new F2 regulations coming in – it will be ample time before he is at his best, especially given that he is also running a European Le Mans Series campaign (again orchestrated by Toyota), giving him plenty of track time throughout the season on European circuits, and an opportunity to try out further tyre manufacturers to help distance himself from his usual Yokohoma rubber. The decision to place him at Rodin is also a good one, being a strong team undergoing managerial change that are coming off an overall disappointing 2023 campaign despite achieving 3^rd in the Teams’ Championship. The hunger for success will be there from the off for the squad, especially given that they are still yet to clinch the Drivers’ title, and have been close but have failed to replicate their 2018 success in the Teams pecking order; Miyata could very well be the man to bring that success back to Farnham.

Whether he is destined for WEC or F1 comes calling, expect big things right out of the gate for Miyata. If Rodin can nail their performance with the new car from the off, this could well be a championship contending campaign, and one that awakens the rest of the world to what the very best of Japanese racing can offer. If you didn’t know the name Ritomo Miyata, get ready to, because this is a man heading straight to the top of the racing world.

Victor Martins

Second season Victor Martins is a real thing and something to fear looking into 2024.  It’s likely that Martins will stick with the ART squad that has had his back for the last few seasons throughout the junior series ladder, taking on the mantle of no. 1 driver in the process, which gives him even more firepower in his locker as he takes on the full support of the French squad.

Martins has a history of strong learning years, followed on by even stronger title contending seasons. In every series he has competed in, he has either won the championship or become vice-champion in the second season; especially poignant was 2019, where he missed out on the Formula Renault Eurocup title in his second season to Oscar Piastri – who considers Martins to be his toughest ever opponent – by just 7.5 points, before going on to dominate in 2020. He finished a close second in his second F4 season, he won the crown in his second F3 season – the numbers clearly add up to something. Despite a shaky start to 2023, his sublime consistency and a win in the Silverstone feature race means that he clocked a very respectable 5^th place finish in the championship table and was one of the undoubted stars of the season, picking up the F2 Rookie of the Year award in the process and aiding ART to the Teams Championship. So, what does 2024 herald for the Frenchman?

It would be a major shock if he does not strongly contend for the title. We know what he can do on the track, he’s presumably with the team that took home the 2023 Drivers Championship with Theo Pourchaire, he has the statistics to show what he can do, and he’s beloved within the Alpine Academy, who rate him incredibly highly within their ranks. Martins also thrives under pressure and knowing that Esteban Ocon is out of contract at the end of 2024, and is seemingly out of favour under the new management at the Enstone based squad, will put plenty on his shoulders, which will undoubtedly extract the best from him. Martins is incredibly underrated and undervalued by many – it’s time for him to emerge as one of the world’s best.