Formula 2 in 2024: actually, every F1 fan should compulsorily watch it

The Formula 2 championship has not produced a new F1 driver in recent years, but that will be different in 2024. The field of competitors is stronger than ever and so expectations are high. This is THE year you should also tune into Formula 2: you won't regret it.

Ferrari versus Mercedes in Formula 2

The duel everyone is looking forward to in 2024 is Andrea Kimi Antonelli against Oliver Bearman. Antonelli is the crown prince of Mercedes training. Sent on early to F2 to win there, as in all previous classes. At Prema, though, the 17-year-old Italian will have to deal with the man who may have impressed most in 2023.

For Oliver Bearman is his teammate at Prema. Bearman is part of the Ferrari squad and finished sixth in the 2023 F2 championship as a rookie. Bearman particularly impressed during free practice in F1 for Haas. Bearman has a good chance of getting a seat in F1 in 2024, but will have to settle with his new teammate to do so.

It looks set to be a duel for the history books. Both drivers seem destined for a great future in motorsport. A good season means a good chance at F1. So it will be hard against hard, despite driving for the same team. A fight to look forward to, then.

Red Bull, Alpine and Williams also have an iron in the fire

Yet Antonelli and Bearman are not the only contenders for the F2 title. Victor Martins has not yet been announced by ART Grand Prix, but the Frenchman is likely to drive his second season in F2 for the French team in 2024. Martins was the best rookie in 2023 with a fifth-place finish, but at 22 he is no longer the youngest driver in the class. In addition, Martins knows that his team Alpine does not offer many opportunities for young talents in F1.

ART did already announce Zak O'Sullivan as an F2 driver for 2024. The Brit is only 18 years old, but Williams already has high hopes for him. Antonelli is a contender for a Williams seat in 2025, but if Sullivan himself performs well, he too has a chance of promotion to F1. Sullivan came up short of the F3 title in 2023. The Briton finished second.

At Red Bull, the contracts of Sergio Perez, Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda expire at the end of 2024. So a chance for Red Bull talents to make the step up. With Isack Hadjar and Pepe Marti, Helmut Marko has secured two talents at Campos Racing. Not normally the most competitive team and so the talents have to make the difference themselves. Hadjar failed to do so in 2023 with a 14th place in his first F2 season. Pepe Marti finished fifth in Formula 3.

Why you should watch Formula 2 in 2024

Formula 2 will be a must watch for all F1 fans in 2024. Indeed, this season will see talents emerging who will make the step up to F1 and possibly compete for the world title in the future. The year before their move to F1 is what you want to witness. Think back to Lewis Hamilton's GP2 season, Max Verstappen's breakthrough in Formula 3 or Charles Leclerc's dominance in F2. 2024 is going to be another year like that and you don't want to miss it.