The support series for Formula 1 at the Bahrain Grand Prix have already begun, and the F1 teams are already evaluating the potential of young drivers for the 2024 season and beyond.
The first qualifying session of Formula 2 did not go as expected, with the expected proteges from Mercedes and Ferrari finishing in 18th and 19th places. However, their positions were subsequently improved when Arjun Maini, who had taken pole position, was disqualified for a technical violation. It would be imprudent to draw conclusions based solely on a 30-minute session.
Instead, we have a wealth of data from several seasons of competition, showing the top prospects from F1 teams as they climb the ladder towards grand prix racing. We are using this data to determine the best protege in each team and rank them accordingly.
It is important to note that this ranking is not based solely on their chances of reaching F1, but rather on a comparison of their performance and potential so far. We are considering factors such as the support they have received and the machinery they have had at their disposal.
While we will mention their chances in F1 and the programs for 2024, this ranking does not solely focus on their likelihood of reaching F1. Instead, it evaluates their achievements and potential up to this point.
Please note that we are only including drivers who have competed in a maximum of two F1 races. Additionally, as Red Bull’s junior program provides drivers for two F1 teams, we are counting their roster as one, resulting in a ranking of nine drivers.
Ollie Bearman is officially the reserve driver for Haas, but he is primarily associated with Ferrari as a young driver. Therefore, 27-year-old Pietro Fittipaldi is the strongest development driver for Haas. Fittipaldi has already made two starts in F1, replacing Romain Grosjean after his accident in Bahrain in 2020. While he may not be a serious contender for a full-time race seat at Haas, he is valued and respected within the team. His main focus for 2024 will be a full-time campaign in IndyCar with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Gabriel Bortoleto narrowly surpasses Ugo Ugochukwu as McLaren’s top protege in Formula Regional. Bortoleto, who is part of Fernando Alonso’s management group, has shown great promise and is closer to F1 than Ugochukwu. He surprised everyone by winning the Formula 3 championship last season and had a strong start in Formula 2, taking pole position in the Bahrain feature race. Bortoleto may be Brazil’s best hope of having a presence on the F1 grid.
Among the Williams junior drivers, Zak O’Sullivan emerges as the strongest contender. After winning the GB3 title in 2021, O’Sullivan moved up to F3 with Carlin. Although he had a challenging season, he showed flashes of brilliance, including a podium finish at Silverstone. In 2023, he joined Prema and finished as the runner-up behind Gabriel Bortoleto. O’Sullivan has the opportunity to improve his F2 ranking this year, and he has already made an impressive debut by outperforming his more experienced teammate in qualifying.
Felipe Drugovich has established himself as a constant presence in the Aston Martin F1 garage, but it seems unlikely that he will secure a seat in F1. However, Drugovich has done an excellent job of trying to prove himself and had a standout season in 2022. Despite strong competition in F2, he dominated the grid and won the championship with ease. While it may not have been enough to secure an F1 seat, Drugovich deserves recognition for his achievements.
Ayumu Iwasa, a Honda protege, faces a crucial season in Super Formula as he seeks to be a factor in the 2025 F1 season. Iwasa caught attention in 2020 by winning the French F4 championship. Although his campaign in F3 in 2021 was somewhat disappointing, he had a successful rookie season in F2 in 2022, winning two races. Iwasa’s move to Super Formula will be challenging, but if he can succeed, he could become a contender for an RB seat.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli is Mercedes’ top prospect. At just 17 years old, he has not even competed in F2 yet, but his potential is unmatched by any other driver on this list. Mercedes sees him as the next Max Verstappen and is determined to prevent rival teams from signing him. Antonelli has had a remarkable racing career so far, dominating Formula 4 and putting in a solid performance in the Formula Regional European Championship. Regardless of his F2 season, Antonelli is destined for F1, following in the footsteps of Verstappen and Lando Norris.
© 2024
A major football match took place yesterday between the teams of Flamengo and Vasco da Gama. The game was thrilling from start to finish, with many goals and incredible plays. The fans turned out in force at the stadium and had an incredible celebration, singing and cheering at every moment.
Flamengo started the game with a lot of pressure and quickly opened the scoring with a beautiful goal from their star striker. Vasco did not give up and managed to equalize in the first half with a header goal from their defender. The match remained balanced, with both teams seeking a goal at every moment.
In the second half, Flamengo came back strong and scored two more goals, turning the scoreline to 3-1. It seemed like the victory was secured, but Vasco did not give up and managed to narrow the gap with a penalty goal. The game became even more exciting in the final minutes, with Vasco pressing for an equalizer. But Flamengo managed to hold on to the advantage and came out of the field with the victory.
The Flamengo players celebrated the result greatly and the fans went wild. It was a great football match that will be remembered in the history of both clubs. Now, Flamengo is preparing for the next challenge, while Vasco seeks to recover in the competition.
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