Which young drivers have what it takes to become Formula 1 stars, and how are they preparing for the ultimate challenge in motorsport? Let’s take a closer look at some of the most promising F1 young drivers competing in the Formula 2 and Formula 3 support series.
The 2025 Formula 1 season has already seen several talented rookie drivers make their debut: Isaac Hajar, Liam Lawson, Kimi Antonelli, Ollie Birman, Gabriel Bortoletto, and Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto, who are both competing for the same F1 racing seat.
All of these drivers have followed the traditional Formula 1 pathway, progressing from their first starts in karting to increasingly competitive F4, Formula Regional, and F3 championships. Even after reaching F1, the step up to the Formula 1 World Championship is a significant challenge, requiring drivers to hone their racecraft, technical skills, and mental resilience. Off the track, fans can enjoy the excitement of race weekends in other ways, such as trying out online games with a Slotozen Casino promo code no deposit for extra bonuses and free spins.
This season, Liam Lawson swapped places with the more experienced Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull Racing, while Jack Doohan and Franco Colapinto continued to battle together on track. F1 teams constantly monitor these young racing drivers in the support series, searching for the next rising stars who could secure a seat in Formula 1.
Which of these talented drivers will rise fastest through the ranks and make their mark in Formula 1?
Arvid Lindblad
Born: 8 August 2007
Nationality: British
Team: Campos Racing
Series: Formula 2
Arvid Lindblad is the youngest race winner in Formula 2 history and is considered one of the most exciting F1 young drivers on the junior ladder. The 17-year-old British-Swedish racer has been collecting championship titles for several seasons and has been part of the Red Bull Junior Team since 2021. He has also taken part in Formula 1 testing with Red Bull, highlighting how closely he is being monitored by a top F1 team.
Lindblad made an immediate impact in 2024, winning his Formula 3 debut race and claiming victories in both races at his home round at Silverstone. He finished the season fourth overall, demonstrating both consistency and raw speed. Ahead of his first full Formula 2 season, he won the Formula Regional Oceania Championship and later celebrated his first F2 victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
On track, Lindblad stands out for his composure, race intelligence, and ability to push a car to its limits. He has a strong sense of timing, knowing exactly when to accelerate and when to conserve his pace. Despite his rapid rise, he remains grounded about the challenges ahead.
“I’ve moved up the Formula 1 pathway quickly, so I don’t have a lot of experience yet,” Lindblad says. “I’m focused on improving step by step because Formula 2 is a big jump.”
His ambitions are clear, and he credits the right environment for his progress.
“The goal is to fight for wins and podiums. Red Bull has given me great support, and the Campos team is incredible. I’m surrounded by people who help me in every area, so I’m confident I can succeed.”
Pepe Martí
Born: 13 June 2005
Nationality: Spanish
Team: Campos Racing
Series: Formula 2
Pepe Martí joined the Red Bull Junior Team a year earlier than Arvid Lindblad, despite starting his motorsport career later than most of his rivals. Encouraged by his mother, Martí began karting in his early teens, a late start in a sport where many drivers begin almost as soon as they can walk.
“My first international race was at 13, at junior level, which was quite late,” Martí explains. “Before that, I had almost no karting experience. I had to learn very quickly, and in three years I went from being a regional driver to competing at world level. I finished fourth in the 2019 World Karting Championship, starting from second on the grid.”
Martí quickly made up for lost time, climbing through the Formula 4 and Formula 3 championships and establishing himself as a reliable and intelligent driver. His first major breakthrough in Formula 2 came with a sprint race victory in Abu Dhabi at the end of the 2024 season. He carried that momentum into 2025, adding another F2 win in Bahrain.
Even though a single mistake cost him a potential victory in Jeddah, where he was beaten by his teammate, Martí has consistently shown maturity and composure. His calm approach and steady race pace have cemented his reputation as one of the most credible Red Bull-backed young drivers in the F2 championship, keeping him firmly on the path toward Formula 1.
Oliver Hätte
Born: 14 October 2004
Nationality: German-Danish
Team: MP Motorsport
Series: Formula 2
Next up in the Formula 2 paddock is Oliver Hätte, the German-Danish driver racing for MP Motorsport. He built his reputation in the junior categories through a blend of speed, skill, and consistency. During the 2022 Euroformula Open Championship, Hätte was a constant front-runner, finishing on the podium 17 times and claiming 11 race victories throughout the season.
He earned his first Formula 3 win at a rain-soaked Silverstone, showcasing his car control and confidence in challenging conditions. Last season, Hätte moved to Campos Racing, where he delivered a double podium finish at Imola, further strengthening his credentials. He is now tackling his first full F2 season, facing the toughest challenge of his career to date.
Racing runs in Hätte’s blood. His father, Roald, and older brother, Benjamin, are also competitive drivers, and in 2022 they won their class at the 24 Hours of Dubai endurance race. Interestingly, Hätte is related to the 18th-century poet, philosopher, and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. One of Goethe’s famous lines resonates in a racing context: “There are people who make no mistakes because they never strive to do anything worthwhile.” It’s a quote that could easily adorn a Formula 2 garage wall.
Tim Tramnitz
Born: 16 November 2004
Nationality: German
Team: MP Motorsport
Series: Formula 3
After a strong debut season in Formula 3, Tim Tramnitz quickly established himself as a serious championship contender with MP Motorsport. Like many drivers moving up the junior ladder, the transition to F3 proved challenging. He began the season in impressive style, securing three podium finishes in the first four rounds, but later faced difficulties finding consistent performance in qualifying while the team searched for the optimal car setup.
Despite these challenges, Tramnitz ended the season on a high note. His breakthrough came with a victory in the final sprint race at Monza, a result that highlighted both perseverance and steady development throughout the year.
“It was an incredible feeling to finally stand on the top step of the podium,” he said. “The way we worked together as a team was very strong, and to win in my debut F3 season was a huge relief.”
Tramnitz has impressed at every stage of his racing career. In 2021, he finished second in both the ADAC Formula 4 and Italian F4 Championships, before moving up to the Formula Regional European Championship, where he claimed third place overall. This consistent progression has made him one of the most closely watched German talents in the junior single-seater series, marking him as a potential future star in Formula 1.
Nikola Tzolov
Born: 21 December 2006
Nationality: Bulgarian
Team: Campos Racing
Series: Formula 3
Karting prodigy Nikola Tzolov first gained widespread attention during his dominant rookie season in Spanish Formula 4 in 2022, where he claimed 13 wins from 21 races. This remarkable performance earned him a rapid promotion to Formula 3, a major step up even for a highly talented driver.
The transition to F3 proved challenging, and Tzolov initially struggled to find his best form at the higher level. Towards the end of last season, he joined the Red Bull Junior Team and moved to Campos Racing, a familiar environment where he had previously enjoyed success in Spain. The change brought immediate results, with race victories in Bahrain and Monaco demonstrating his progress and renewed confidence.
Tzolov is focused on learning from his early F3 experience and taking a measured approach to his career development.
“I have the chance to gain more experience so I don’t repeat the same mistakes I made when moving to Formula 3,” he says. “My focus is on learning, competing for the championship, and then moving up to Formula 2 in 2026 — that’s the best path for me.”
How to get into Formula 1?
The FIA Global Pathway programme provides a structured route for the most talented karting drivers aiming for Formula 1. Through this system, young drivers gain crucial racing experience while learning how to work effectively within a team — a skill that often determines success over an entire season. The programme also helps drivers attract sponsors, whose backing is essential for moving up the motorsport ladder.
The final steps on this pathway are FIA Formula 3 and FIA Formula 2, international championships held during Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends. Competing in these series allows emerging talents to showcase their skills in front of F1 team principals, engineers, and sponsors. With only 20 seats available in the world’s premier racing series, the competition is intense.
Not every driver follows the same path. Some can skip certain stages of the ladder. A prime example is Max Verstappen, who spent just one season in Formula 3, winning six consecutive races before jumping straight to Formula 1.
What is a super licence?
A FIA Super Licence is the mandatory qualification that proves a driver has the necessary experience and skills to compete in Formula 1. To earn a Super Licence, drivers must be at least 18 years old and accumulate 40 points over the previous three seasons in FIA-recognised championships.
Points are awarded based on performance in the junior single-seater ladder, meaning that consistent results across multiple seasons are just as important as outright speed. Obtaining a Super Licence is a crucial step for any driver aiming to reach the top of Formula 1 racing.
Stage 1: Formula 4
After karting, most drivers take their first step into open-wheel racing through Formula 4. This tier includes a variety of national and regional championships, where young talents start to develop their racecraft and adapt to single-seater cars. Formula 4 is also an important stage for securing sponsorships and manufacturer support, which are essential to progress up the Formula 1 ladder.
Within this tier, the F1 Academy holds a unique position. It is the only international open-wheel series dedicated exclusively to female drivers. Races are held during Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends, giving participants valuable exposure not only as drivers but also for female engineers, mechanics, and team personnel in the paddock.
Stage 2: Formula Regional – National F3
Formula Regional is the next key step on the pathway to Formula 1, acting as a bridge between Formula 4 and international Formula 3. The series includes multiple regional championships across Asia, the Americas, Europe, Japan, the Middle East, and Oceania, offering young drivers the chance to gain more experience in single-seater cars.
At this stage, drivers have several development options. Many compete in national Formula 3 championships alongside Formula Regional. These series often use older-generation F3 cars, which are faster and more technically demanding. Success requires improved physical fitness, endurance, and technical knowledge, as well as the ability to adapt to more challenging race conditions.
This season, the Red Bull Junior Team has taken a different approach. Its three drivers — Enzo Tarnavichkul, Ernesto Rivera, and Jules Caranta — are competing in the new Eurocup-3 series in Spain. While this championship does not award Super Licence points, it provides close collaboration with Campos Racing and a structured development environment, allowing the drivers to focus on long-term performance rather than immediate promotion.
Stage 3: FIA Formula 3 Championship
The FIA Formula 3 Championship is the only fully international Formula 3 series, representing a major step up from regional F3 and Formula Regional championships. The cars are more powerful, larger, and technically more advanced, while the overall driver level is significantly higher, making this a crucial stage on the pathway to Formula 1.
At this level, drivers work closely with engineers and mechanics to optimise aerodynamics, including precise downforce settings. Effective management of Pirelli tyres and strategic use of the DRS system are essential skills. Car setup is critical, as F3 weekends offer very limited running. Despite its reputation for intense wheel-to-wheel racing, drivers often have only three or four laps in qualifying to post a competitive time.
Mistakes in FIA F3 carry serious consequences. Errors are not just about losing positions—they can affect a driver’s impression in front of the entire Formula 1 paddock.
“I think it was one of those seasons where I learned the most,” says Tim Tramnitz. “We were up against extremely strong opponents. DRS forced me to change my approach to racing, as did working with tyres during both races and qualifying. It was a real challenge for my racing mindset.”
Stage 4: FIA Formula 2 Championship
The fiercest competition on the junior single-seater ladder sits just below Formula 1. In the FIA Formula 2 Championship, a new generation of drivers competes directly for a limited number of F1 seats, making the series as much a mental challenge as a physical one.
At this stage, drivers are not only trying to catch the eye of Formula 1 team principals but are also measured relentlessly against their direct rivals. Formula 2 introduces pit stops, adding another layer of race strategy and management that closely mirrors the demands of Formula 1 racing.
Success in F2 does not guarantee promotion, but strong results place drivers firmly on the radar of F1 teams. For many, this series serves as the ultimate proving ground. Master FIA Formula 2, and the door to Formula 1 glory is within reach.
What is a junior team?
A junior team is a structured development programme designed to guide the most promising young drivers from karting through the junior single-seater ladder and ultimately toward Formula 1. Nearly all drivers who have raced for Red Bull Racing or Scuderia AlphaTauri (formerly Toro Rosso) — with only a few exceptions — have come through the Red Bull Junior Team.
Many other F1 drivers have benefited from similar junior programmes run by other Formula 1 teams, which provide consistent support, training, and career guidance. Before these junior team systems existed, young drivers often had to navigate the path to Formula 1 with limited resources or mentorship. Today, such programmes offer comprehensive support, covering everything from early karting experience to preparation for the Formula 1 World Championship.
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