By Tammi Fairbairn
The F2 championship this year has showcased a remarkable talent pool, with several drivers demonstrating the skills and potential needed to make the leap to Formula 1. As the season takes a short break for the summer, it’s becoming increasingly evident that among the 22 competitors, there are a few standout performers who could soon secure their seat on the F1 grid. Given the fierce competition, the question remains: which F2 driver will rise to the occasion and be the next star?
Nikola Tsolov
The Red Bull driver has been highly rated for several years and is currently first in the drivers’ standings. With four feature race wins and two sprint wins under his belt, the Bulgarian-born driver has proven that he is a consistent driver. Round 7 of the championship saw Tsolov complete the weekend double at Silverstone by winning the feature and sprint race. His consistency has proven worthwhile as he became the first Formula 2 driver to win three consecutive races.
Gabriele Mini
The Alpine junior currently sits second in the championship, 20 points behind Tsolov. His rookie season in F2 last season showed a lot of promise. With a move to MP Motorsport, Mini has challenged for wins and podiums quite consistently. His excellent qualifying pace is shown each race weekend, and with a low error rate, he is showing his star quality.
Rafael Camara
The F3 champion has stepped into the next championship quite flawlessly. The Invicta team has recently produced several F2 champions, and Camara could certainly be the next. The Brazilian-born driver combines his raw pace with consistent race weekends, proving his star quality. He is backed by the Ferrari Driver Academy, which has produced F1 drivers like Oliver Bearman and Charles Leclerc. The combination of all these things sees him as the most complete F1 prospect on the current F2 grid.
Alex Dunne
Currently sitting fourth in the drivers’ standings, the Irish-born driver has a noticeable star quality. Yet, there are a few qualities within Dunne that separate him from the likes of Tsolov. Dunne has an aggressive attacking driver style; he is not afraid to race wheel-to-wheel. However, this leads to mistakes being made and incidents that have cost him heavily. He is capable of standout performances; it is whether he can be consistent with those results.
With the next round of the F2 championship being held at Monza, each driver’s unique strengths and challenges will undoubtedly shape the championship battle. The blend of experience and raw talent amongst all 22 drivers hints at an exciting future for Formula 1. The question of ‘Who will be the next star?’ is subjective as each driver has strengths and weaknesses to back why they are a star driver.
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