F2: Who will ride where next year? Our information on the 2023 grid

It is not only Formula 1 that the silly season is in full swing these last few weeks. The teams of Formula 2 have also made good progress in establishing their driver duos for the 2023 season. The first contacts with each took place at the beginning of the summer, and certain discussions have even already led to contract signings. Here, at present, is the AUTOhebdo information we have on the 2023 Formula 2 grid, while no driver has yet been made official. 

Let's start with two leading teams, who have sorted out their line-ups for several weeks already. At Prema, the young Ollie Bearman (17 years old), one of the great revelations of the season in Formula 3 (3rd), will move up to the Formula 1 antechamber category within the Italian structure. At his side, Prema recalled a veteran of the house, winner of the FREC under the red and green colors in 2019, the Dane Frederik Vesti. After a season of learning at ART Grand Prix, the member of the academy Mercedes will therefore find his old house and will team up with the resident of the Ferrari Driver Academy. 

Isack Hadjar at Hitech

As for Hitech Grand Prix, it will be the great return of a 100% team Red Bull, as in 2021 with the Liam Lawson-Jüri Vips duo. The Frenchman Isack Hadjar, brilliant in Formula 3 within the team of Oliver Oakes, will indeed continue the adventure with the structure based in Silverstone, and will team up with another driver sponsored by the Red Bull, the American Jak Crawford (7th in F3 this year). The two drivers have already signed their contracts.

Isack Hadjar will move directly into Formula 2. © Sebastiaan Rozendaal / Dutch Photo Agency / DPPI

They will not be the only representatives of the can giant in Formula 2, since Ayumu Iwasa, whose top speed surprised many people this year at DAMS, will continue the adventure within the team recently bought by Charles Pic . If Roy Nissany would have liked to go back for another year, which he is still trying to do, it is the Monegasque Arthur Leclerc who should obtain the seat at DAMS.

Disappointing last year at Prema when he remained on the F3 championship title, Dennis Hauger did not manage to keep his seat within the structure led by René Rosin. Instead, the Norwegian should find refuge among the drivers' title winners with Felipe Drugovich, in this case MP Motorsport. As for his teammate, he should not be too disoriented since he could be accompanied by Jehan Daruvala, his teammate in 2022 at Prema. The Indian appears to be on pole for the seat, despite also talks with ART Grand Prix.

Jack Doohan, the scarecrow?

At Carlin, Liam Lawson not being up for a third year, and Logan sargeant being expected in F1 at Williams, the place was completely free. Trevor Carlin and his teams should field Zane Maloney, the Barbadian rookie who finished runner-up in F3 and who could also join the Red Bull academy. To support him, it seems that Enzo Fittipaldi knew how to find the right arguments. The Brazilian has a good chance of winning one of the two seats. 

Jack Doohan should return with UNI-VIrtuosi. © Eric Alonso / Dutch Photo Agency / DPPI

As for the Trident team, the latter would like to perform in F2 as well as it has in F3 for two seasons. For the 2023 season, she will therefore call on two drivers she knows well. The French Clément Novalak, who discovered F2 this year at MP Motorsport (14th) but who especially shone with it in F3 in 2021 (3rd in the championship) and the Czech Roman Stanek, member of the team in Formula 3 (5th of the final ranking) this year.

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If he hesitated for a while to do another year of Formula 2 after having achieved three poles, three victories and while he is still in the running for third place in the championship, Jack Doohan will be there in 2023. He will be one of the big favorites since he should continue the adventure with UNI-Virtuosi, always alongside the Japanese Marino Sato. The Australian has long harbored the ambition of signing in F1 next year, after being propelled to the head of theAlpine Academy following the affair Oscar piastri. But the arrowed A obtained the signature of Pierre Gasly that she wanted so much. The French team will expect a lot from Mick Doohan's son in 2023. 

At Campos, still according to our information, Ralph Boschung should participate in his sixth Formula 2 campaign. After missing several rounds for health reasons this year, the Swiss should return with a vindictive state of mind. It seems that it is the Indian Kush Maini, author of a podium this season in F3 with MP Motorsport, who will accompany him within the Spanish structure.

3 or 4 French people on the grid? 

At ART Grand Prix, things are still quite open. Unsurprisingly, Victor Martins should continue with his French family after his Formula 3 championship title obtained with the Ile-de-France team in 2022. However, nothing has yet been ratified, Victor and his management being in the process of finalizing the budget. As for the other seat, it's still unclear. It would seem that a third year of Theo Pourchaire, which remains unlikely, should not be completely ruled out. 

Victor Martins will have new opportunities to fly the French flag. © Antonin Vincent / DPPI

The Grassois, who will probably be F2 vice-champion this year, was announced as one of the team's 3rd drivers Alfa Romeo for 2023, but at ART Grand Prix, we still hope to convince him to leave for an additional season, which is not really his initial plan. Other drivers, like Jehan Daruvala and Juan Manuel Correa, are also serious candidates. 

Finally, nothing has leaked at all for Charouz, while at Van Amersfoort Racing, different profiles are being studied, including those of Richard Verschoor, Juan Manuel Correa and Amaury Cordeel. As a reminder, next season will start in Bahrain early March. Until then, things can obviously still change, and the last buckets will finish filling up.

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