As the Formula 2 championship continues to celebrate its second graduate winning a Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship in Kimi Antonelli, other successful Formula 2 graduates competing in Formula 1 have had the opportunity to reflect on their time in the championship and how it shaped them into the drivers they are today.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, Haas driver Ollie Bearman, recently crowned F1 World Champion Kimi Antonelli, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, Williams driver Alex Albon, Mercedes driver George Russell, and 2025 F1 World Champion Lando Norris all reflected on their time in Formula 2 as the championship celebrates 10 years of racing.
Leclerc calls F2 a “very important learning process”
Charles Leclerc progressed to F2 in 2017, joining PREMA Racing following a GP3 title win the year prior. The Monegasque claimed seven wins and a total of 10 podiums on his way to the Formula 2 Drivers’ Championship title.
Leclerc emphasized the importance of understanding that F2 is a learning experience ahead of Formula 1. He added that while drivers may have less of a spotlight on them in the junior categories, performing well is still crucial, as their future could ultimately be determined by the people watching.
“Formula 2, there was the strategy as well that you start learning. I think that’s where you start working with more and more people and that’s very useful for Formula 1. Before that, you kind of race with a lot less spotlight on you, but surely you know in the back of your head now you’re performing in front of the people that will decide your future.”
The Ferrari driver further highlighted how competing under increased scrutiny prepares drivers for the expectations that come with reaching Formula 1.
“It’s, again, a very important learning process because you’ve got to be performing in these kinds of situations because when you get to Formula 1, then it’s 100 times that and everybody looks at every single thing you do in the car. To perform at this level in front of so many people for the first time in their career is actually a very important learning process for Formula 1 right after.”
Bearman learned a lot about himself during time in Formula 2
Ollie Bearman joined the Formula 2 grid in 2023, remaining in the championship for 2024, with the Brit spending both of his seasons with PREMA Racing. Bearman experienced a relatively mixed time in Formula 2, finishing sixth and 12th in the Drivers’ Championship in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Despite the varying results, Bearman explained that his time in the championship provided valuable lessons that extended beyond his development behind the wheel. The Haas driver reflected on how the challenges of F2 helped him better understand himself, particularly when dealing with pressure and working alongside others.
“The Formula 2 learning that I took was big. I learned a lot about myself, how I react under pressure, how I react in challenging situations, how I interact with people as well. I think it’s a really important skill. So I think I entered Formula 2 and Formula 3 as a kid, and I came out more of an adult.”
Antonelli states coming to F2 from Formula Regional was a “big step”
2026 F1 World Champion Kimi Antonelli made the step up to Formula 2 in 2024 following an impressive junior career that included titles in Italian F4 and the Formula Regional European Championship. Joining PREMA Racing as a rookie, the Italian faced the challenge of adapting to a new car while competing on the same weekends as Formula 1. The Italian has spoken on multiple occasions about how F2 has shaped him into the driver he is.
Antonelli described the transition from Formula Regional as a significant step, highlighting the limited practice time in F2 and the importance of quickly understanding a circuit before qualifying. He explained how the championship taught him to adapt to new environments and find the limit of the car as quickly as possible.
“Coming from Formula Regional was a big step, but you know, just the fact also being in the same weekend as the Formula 1, understanding a bit more the dynamics and what F2 taught me a lot is trying to be there straight away because obviously with only one practice and then straight into qualifying, and especially on new tracks, it was very important to understand where the limit was and trying to get as close as possible to then be ready for qualifying.”
Oscar Piastri emphasizes the need to “adapt very quickly” to F2
Oscar Piastri joined the Formula 2 grid in 2021 with PREMA Racing after claiming back-to-back championship titles in Formula 3 and Formula Renault Eurocup. The Australian immediately made a strong impression, winning the F2 Drivers Championship in his rookie season with six victories and 11 podiums.
Reflecting on his progression through the junior categories, Piastri highlighted how each step presented a different challenge, particularly when it came to adapting to new machinery. With limited opportunities to familiarize himself with the car, he explained that learning to adjust quickly was one of the most important skills he developed throughout the junior ranks.
“Going through the junior ranks, all the cars are very different. You know how you had to drive the F4 car and then went to F3, it was different again. F2 was different again. So you’re always kind of learning new things in some ways subconsciously.”
The McLaren driver added that the limited track time available in Formula 2 makes adaptability particularly important, with drivers needing to get up to speed quickly rather than relying on multiple practice sessions.
“I think that adaptability, that’s the really important thing going through the ranks because you don’t have that much track time. You don’t have any sets of tyres to really get in the swing of things. You’ve got to adapt very quickly.”
Alex Albon states that drivers “cannot be shy” or opportunities can be missed
Alex Albon competed in Formula 2 in 2018 with DAMS, finishing third in the Drivers’ Championship with four victories and eight podiums. The Thai driver highlighted the unique opportunities that come with competing in F2, particularly the chance to make an impression directly in front of Formula 1 team principals and other key figures in the paddock.
Albon stressed that drivers need to take advantage of the exposure that comes with racing alongside Formula 1, explaining that simply performing well on track is not always enough if they fail to make the most of the opportunities available to them.
”This is your chance, this is your opportunity to make that next step. You have an opportunity that no other championship has where you are really in the eyeline of all the Team Principals and so you have a good race, you need to take advantage of that. You cannot be shy and miss out an opportunity because you didn’t go up and have a chance with various teams.”
The Williams driver also recalled how a strong run of performances during his F2 campaign helped spark conversations with Red Bull, emphasizing the value of having direct access to the people making decisions about his future.
“I remember that year, I had, I think it was three pole positions in a row and that’s when a conversation with Red Bull started. You rub shoulders all the time, you see everyone, you see the Formula 1 drivers, you see the Formula 1 Team Principals. That immediate communication with the Team Principal goes a lot further than having a conversation through a manager and I think that also helps me kind of get my case out there.”
Russell states that in F2 “everyone has the same opportunity”
George Russell joined the Formula 2 grid in 2018 with ART Grand Prix, going on to win the Drivers Championship in his rookie season. The Brit finished ahead of a highly competitive field that included several drivers who would eventually make their way to Formula 1, including Lando Norris and Alex Albon.
Russell reflected on the strength of the 2018 grid, highlighting how the championship provides drivers with an equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities, given that everyone competes in the same machinery.
“There were seven drivers from that season who all raced in Formula 1. So I think that must be one of the highest, as a percentage, of drivers who ended up racing [in F1]. Everybody’s in the same car, so everybody has that same opportunity. I was racing against Lando and Alex, and so many great drivers who also made it to Formula 1 – Nyck de Vries, Nicholas Latifi.”
The Mercedes driver also recalled the surreal feeling of being on the same race weekends as Formula 1, explaining how competing in F2 made the prospect of reaching the top category feel closer than ever.
“It’s quite surreal because when you’re younger, all the F1 drivers look like superheroes. Every time you see them, you’re in awe. And in F2, you feel like you’re within touching distance of Formula 1. When suddenly you’re on the grid with them, it’s just crazy.”
Norris hopes winning a F1 championship can “inspire some of the younger kids”
Lando Norris progressed to Formula 2 in 2018 with Carlin following a runner-up finish in the 2017 FIA Formula 3 European Championship. The Brit finished second in the Drivers’ Championship in his rookie season, collecting a total of nine podiums and one victory before making his Formula 1 debut with McLaren in 2019.
Following his 2025 Drivers’ Championship triumph, Norris reflected on the significance of becoming the second Formula 2 graduate to win a Formula 1 World Championship. He expressed his hope that his achievement, alongside Antonelli’s success, could inspire younger drivers progressing through the junior categories and reinforce the value of the pathway to Formula 1.
”A Formula 1 world championship is an incredible thing to achieve and hopefully [it can] inspire some of the younger kids that are in F2 now or F3 or F4 in terms of that’s the correct ladder to do. I didn’t win Formula 2 so it doesn’t mean you have to win Formula 2 if you want to get into Formula 1 if you want to be a champion.”
Norris also highlighted the quality of drivers who have progressed through Formula 2 over the past decade, describing it as one of the best places for young drivers to test themselves against the competition. The McLaren driver added that being among the first graduates to achieve a Formula 1 title made the milestone particularly special.
“I think that’s a good thing and I think what was showcased very well in that year of F2 just how many good drivers came through it and if you want to race against the best obviously Formula 2 was certainly and still certainly is exactly that. To be the first F1 champion that’s come through F2 is pretty special. So something that will always put a smile on my face for sure.”
