Only a few hours left before that the Formula 2 single-seaters take to the track in Sakhir, a circuit where, from 14 to 16 February, the 11 teams had the opportunity to test their cars in view of the 2023 season which will see them engaged for 14 weekends. In these months of winter break we have witnessed the formation of new line-ups, made up of rookies, riders who have decided to change teams and faces already known in this category. We just have to discover them together before the start of the championship.
The pilots promoted… by category
They are well 10 riders who advanced in their category this year, passing from Formula 3 to the Formula 2. Hitech Pulse-eight, the Silverstone team, has decided to field two of the new entries in this championship, namely: Jak Crawford (driver for Prema Racing last season) and Isack Hadjar, who was already racing for the English team. As well as Crawford, two other Prema drivers will make their F2 debut this season, Arthur Leclerc with Dams, while Ollie Bearman will remain at Prema, with which he achieved third place in the drivers' standings last season.
Promoted by the F3 class of ART Grand Prix there are instead il new champion Victor Martins, who will compete for ART GP and Juan Manuel Correa, returning to F2 after the accident that involved him at Spa in 2019. Correa took part in two seasons in Formula 3 after the stop due to the serious injury and is now ready to return to F2 with FROM Amersfoort Racing, a Dutch team that debuted in this category last year.
Although he took to the track for two races in F2 last season with Trident, Zane Maloney is considered a rookie. The Redbull Junior Academy driver will start this new chapter of his life with Rodin Carlin, where it will be joined by Enzo Fittipaldi. In Trident Roman Stanek was chosen, which has risen in level after the fifth position reached in 2022 together with the Italian team. The last two arrived on the grid are Kush Maini, who moved from MP motorsport to Campos Racing and American Brad Benavides, which will run for PHM Racing By Charouz.
Consolidated couples
Dennis Hauger and Jehan Daruvala are the only driver couple that hasn't split up, at least for this year. Last season both drove the single-seater of the Vicenza team, Prema, now instead they will have the steering wheel of the MP motosport car in their hands. Alpine's reserve driver, Jack Doohan will continue his adventure in F2 in Invicta Virtuosi Racing, next to the Belgian driver Amaury Cordeel, who left his seat in Van Amersfoort, then occupied by Richard Verschoor.
While the vice champion Théo Pourchaire remains linked to ART GP, his now former stablemate, Frederik Vesti will be reunited with Prema, a team with which he had obtained third place in his first season in F2021 in 3. Another French driver marks his presence, Clément Novalak, who after getting on board the MP for the F2 season finale in Abu Dhabi, will be back on track with Trident.
ayumu Iwasa remains in Dams and his old team mate, Roy Nissany, has moved instead to PHM Racing By Charouz. The last driver on the grid is the Swiss Ralph Embankment who will embark on his third season in Formula 2 with Racing Fields.
So couples are ready, as are all of us! The season is ready to begin.
