The feeder series that support Formula 1 at the Bahrain Grand Prix have already begun, and F1 teams are already assessing the young drivers’ potential for the 2024 season and beyond.
The first qualifying session for Formula 2 didn’t go as expected, with Mercedes and Ferrari’s highly anticipated proteges finishing in 18th and 19th place. However, their positions were later improved when Arjun Maini, who had secured pole position, was disqualified for a technical breach. It would be unwise to draw conclusions based solely on a 30-minute session.
Instead, we have a wealth of data from multiple seasons of competition, showcasing the best prospects from F1 teams as they climb the ladder towards grand prix racing. We are using this data to determine the top protege in each team’s talent roster and rank them accordingly.
It’s important to note that this ranking is not solely based on their chances of making it to F1, but rather a comparison of their performance and potential thus far. We are considering factors such as the support they have received and the machinery they have had at their disposal.
While we will reference their F1 chances and 2024 programs, this ranking is not solely focused 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 started no more than two F1 races. Additionally, as the Red Bull junior program supplies two F1 teams, we are counting its roster as one, resulting in a nine-driver ranking.
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 Haas’s strongest development driver. Fittipaldi has already made two F1 starts, filling in for 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 edges out Ugo Ugochukwu as McLaren’s top protege in Formula Regional. Bortoleto, who is part of Fernando Alonso’s management stable, has shown great promise and is closer to F1 than Ugochukwu. He surprised everyone by winning the Formula 3 championship last season and has had a strong start in Formula 2, securing pole position in the Bahrain feature race. Bortoleto may be Brazil’s best hope for a presence on the F1 grid.
Among the Williams juniors, 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 to Gabriel Bortoleto. O’Sullivan has the opportunity to improve his ranking in F2 this year, and he has already made an impressive debut by outpacing his more experienced teammate in qualifying.
Felipe Drugovich has established himself as a consistent presence in the Aston Martin F1 garage, but it seems unlikely that he will secure an F1 seat. Nonetheless, Drugovich has done an excellent job trying to prove himself and had a standout season in 2022. Despite facing stiff 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 aims to be a factor in F1’s 2025 silly season. Iwasa gained attention in 2020 when he won the French F4 championship. Although his F3 campaign in 2021 was somewhat disappointing, he had a successful debut season in F2 in 2022, securing two wins. Iwasa’s move to Super Formula will be challenging, but if he can succeed, he may become a contender for an RB seat.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the top prospect for Mercedes. At just 17 years old, he hasn’t even raced 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 achieving a solid performance in European Formula Regional. Regardless of his F2 season, Antonelli is destined for F1, following in the footsteps of Verstappen and Lando Norris.