Are Bearman and Antonelli that good

The short answer is, I think, yes.

Prema have had real difficulties setting up/dialling in the '24 spec F2 car - which is a surprise in itself.

F2 tends to be very much based upon which team you drive for somewhat more so than in F3 years ago. Secondly drivers related to big F1 teams get significant time on the multi million pound simulators and with trainers and psychologists. This sorts out the quality and in many ways shows that F1 is way more about income than talent with a salary cap now in place.

Does F2 have that many different winners in a season?
Sounds great. Can we just scrap F1 and have that as the top rung so we get more interesting racing?

Jokes aside, is it a bigger field and less variation between cars that makes the difference?

Hauger & Martins are both into their 3rd seasons of F2. In general terms these days that would put them on a predicted career path of either the WEC, Sky commentary team or Formula P/S (pipe & slippers).

Historically the real GP2/F2 hot shots get lifted out of the category after just one season - Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton, Piastri, Rosberg & Norris

Of the longer F2 incumbents Gasly had 3 seasons before heading to F1. Grosjean, Maldonado & Palmer (Jolyon) each had 4 seasons before their F1 conversions.

Outliers - Nissany did 5 seasons of F2 and thankfully, despite testing, never made it onto an F1 grid.

Latifi hit the big time after 6 seasons of F2.


I rest my case your Honour.

Six different feature race winners from eight races so far this season, and I think 12 winners overall including sprint races. It’s all been rather weird with the new cars for ‘24, many of the teams have been struggling to get them properly dialled in.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Formula_2_Cha...

The F1 teams really put their junior drivers to work, they’ll be doing a lot of simulator time and track time in old cars, as well as extensive physical and physiological training. We got to see Bearman step up into F1 when Sainz was sick, with a very creditable performance at a difficult circuit in Jeddah, and if Toto thinks that Antonelli is the next Lewis Hamilton then I’m not going to disagree. The teams will have very good benchmarks for their performance against the regular race drivers and sim drivers, and wouldn’t be putting the resources in if they didn’t think they were up to being future F1 drivers.

Mercedes could even go with Antonelli straight into the main team next season as an 18-year-old, which would be the biggest vote of confidence in a rookie since McLaren gave one Lewis Hamilton a drive back in 2007. The only thing that would seemingly get in the way of that promotion, is if the team can get Max Verstappen’s signature.

Wow, thanks for the appreciation guys.

I always knew I was pretty special, but it's really nice of your guys to confirm it for me. Good on you all.

Most of the F2 Teams have struggled to get a firm grip on the new cars, so you can only really judge between teammates. Antonelli is doing pretty well in this respect. He's scored in 8 races this season to Bearman's 5 and leads him by 25 points.

Is that only over this side though ? Perhaps they have their own home press on their side.
The British press are amazing to build up a talent (yes they have talent too) usually only so they can bring them down a peg or two later.
It sells tabloids or click bait these days.