The 3 year long curse haunting the Formula 2 Champions
The chance to live out their lifelong dream is so close, yet so far...
Photo Creds: FIAFormula2.com
Formula 2 is regarded by many as the closest step for Junior drivers to make it to Formula 1. With drivers such as George Russell, Zhou Guyanu, Lando Norris and most recently Logan Sargeant graduating to the top category immediately after their seasons in F2. Amongst this list of drivers, George Russell is the only one who had won the championship, proving that it is not an impossible feat to win and be considered for a Formula 1 seat, but there are more drivers who hadn’t won the title on the grid. Leaving me with the question of why this is.
Drivers like Oscar Piastri, Felipe Drugovich and Theo Pourchaire, have been F2’s most recent Champions and have all failed to gain a seat in F1 the year after their dominance. With F2 being the ‘stepping stool’ into Formula 1 it should seemingly be easier for those who win to get a seat, right? Well not exactly.
A major reason for this is due to the F1 driver climate in the past 3 years. When all 3 drivers won the Championship, their Junior teams of Alpine, Astonmartin & Sauber had their drivers locked into multi-year deals. Meaning there was no room for them in Formula 1 at the team they were contractually obligated to. This forced the past champions, particularly Oscar and Felipe, to be in a seemingly reserve-driver dilemma in which they weren’t able to race at a higher level and were watching on the sidelines.
Photo credits: oscarpiastri on X
The driver climate in Formula 1 did play a major part in this and was a major reason for the infamous ‘Alpine-gate’ with Oscar Piastri. The Australian was ultimately fed up with being considered as Fernando Alonso’s replacement and took matter into his own hands. Signing a contract with Mclaren and debuting in 2023. However, drivers like Theo and Felipe are unlikely to pull an ‘Oscar Piastri’ due to the unlikely nature of them getting a formula 1 seat in the coming seasons.
Credits: F1oversteer.com
However, this ‘curse’ if you will, seems likely to continue for a 4th consecutive year. It is still early days in the Formula 2 season, however the only 2 drivers who are in contention for an F1 seat are the PREMA duo of Kimi Antonelli and Ollie Bearman who are sitting in P6 and P13 respectively in the championship standings. They are a long way off the leaders of Paul Aron, Isack Hadjar and Zane Maloney and would need a miracle to make a miraculous comeback (it is formula 2 so anything is possible)
Realistically, if any of the 20 other drivers on the F2 grid win they are likely to face the same “reserve driver dilemma” that the previous 3 champions have had to face, once again due to the driver climate in Formula 1.
Credits: autosport.com
This entire situation poses the question to the FIA, to find a way for drivers to have a full time racing seat in the season following their Formula 2 campaign, wether that be in F1 or any other FIA category