The 18-year-old recently made his F1 debut at the Mexican Grand Prix, where he completed Free Practice 1 for Haas instead of Kevin Magnussen.

Haas fielded Bearman as part of the mandatory requirement for each team to use a rookie in two FP1 sessions.

He did extremely well in the session and set the 15th quickest time, ahead of two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso.

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Of the five rookies who were fielded in FP1 as part of the mandatory requirement, Bearman was the fastest by almost seven-tenths of a second, highlighting his talent.

What’s even more remarkable is that he was just over three-tenths slower than Nico Hulkenberg and just over a tenth slower than F1’s only full-time rookie this season Logan Sargeant.

Sargeant’s seat is currently the only one yet to be confirmed for 2024; however, the expectation is that Williams will give the American a second season.

As for Bearman, his best chance at making the jump to the F1 grid will come in 2025, as there are currently two seats available at Ferrari and two available at Haas, who are a customer team of the Americans.

Two seats are also available at Sauber, although it’s pondered whether Audi will start to take some control over their driver line-up for 2025 ahead of their arrival in 2026.

Ferrari are clearly very fond of Bearman and view him incredibly highly, given that he was given the FP1 opportunity.

Bearman is planning on racing in F2 next year in what’ll be his second campaign in the feeder series, ahead of hopefully making the step into F1 the following year.

He’s fully focused on winning the F2 championship in 2024, something which’ll make him a favourable option for any F1 team in 2025.

Despite 2023 being his rookie F2 campaign, the Briton is already a four-time F2 race winner for Prema and sits sixth in the Drivers’ Championship ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

READ: Charles Leclerc avoids post-race penalty

He’ll be hoping to add to his win tally next season and reach his “clear” goal.

“I won’t be in F1 next year, I will be in F2 again, it’s quite sure,” Bearman said to Sky Sports. “And the goal is clear, second year in F2, I have to win it.

“Hopefully, I can do enough job to finish in this paddock one day. F1 is the next step but it’s a bit more difficult than the previous ones.”

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The striking comments were unveiled as Alonso engaged in a retrospective conversation about his illustrious Formula One journey on the High Performance Podcast.

Intriguingly, despite exploring other motorsport avenues during his two-year hiatus from Formula 1, Alonso confessed a yearning for the unique energy synonymous with the sport. 

He delved into a candid assessment of Formula 1’s distinct attributes in comparison to other racing disciplines.

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“Formula One in motorsport is very different to any other category, much more selfish, much more glamorous in a way, but also more fake in another way,” Alonso asserted. 

He acknowledged that while Formula 1 boasts undeniable allure, drawing fans to attend races or tune in on TV, other competitions like Le Mans, Indy, and Dakar offer a purer form of motorsport.

Amidst these reflections, Alonso’s current Formula 1 campaign is flourishing. He is currently experiencing his most successful season since his remarkable 2013 performance, during which he secured two race victories and clinched a commendable second place in the championship standings. 

In the ongoing 2023 season, Alonso has emerged as a formidable contender to Red Bull’s supremacy, amassing an impressive six podium finishes in the opening 12 races alongside his new Aston Martin team.

The seasoned driver’s journey has been marked by unexpected twists. 

Notably, in 2018, Alonso publicly announced his retirement from Formula 1, only to stun the racing world by orchestrating a sensational return to the grid in 2021. 

Reflecting on his hiatus from the sport, he revealed an intriguing shift in perspective.

“I was watching on TV the Formula 1 races, I appreciated a little bit more all of the stuff that, as a driver, I didn’t like before,” Alonso shared. 

READ: Haas team principal opens up on F1 decline due to Max Verstappen

He acknowledged missing elements such as the national anthem, parade laps, and interactions with media and cameras—experiences drivers often grapple with—highlighting the nuanced dynamics of a racer’s relationship with the sport.

Alonso will be hoping Aston Martin is able to return to its strength of the early parts of the season when racing returns, rather than the more lacklustre performance seen just before the summer break.

Aston Martin has a realistic chance of securing both P3 in the Constructors’ Standings and P3 in the Drivers’ Standings this season, a remarkable improvement on last year’s finishing position.

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Fittipaldi, a standout performer for Red Bull’s junior team in the secondary competition, secured victory in the sprint race and clinched a commendable third-place finish in the feature race at the recent Belgian Grand Prix.

Fittipaldi’s lineage boasts a strong connection to Formula 1 greatness, as he is the grandson of the esteemed two-time F1 world champion, Emerson Fittipaldi. 

Moreover, he is the younger sibling of Pietro Fittipaldi, who holds the position of reserve driver at Haas.

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“In F2, the crucial first step is consistent performance,” Fittipaldi stated during an interview with Sky Sports. 

“Sustaining this momentum in the upcoming race weekends might open doors to unexpected opportunities. 

“If one excels and delivers remarkable results, particularly in the championship, it’s highly likely that doors will open for new prospects.”

Fittipaldi further remarked, “Presently, my primary focus is on maintaining my strong performance, continually enhancing my skills as a driver each time I hit the track. 

“With this approach, I am hopeful that opportunities will naturally unveil themselves.”

Red Bull Racing has exerted its dominance throughout the initial half of the 2023 season, asserting victory in every single race. 

However, doubts linger over their secondary driver, as Sergio Perez’s performances have lagged behind Max Verstappen’s exceptional displays.

Red Bull’s renowned young driver development program has consistently nurtured exceptional talent, boasting luminaries such as four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, the skilled Daniel Ricciardo, and the extraordinary Max Verstappen. 

Nevertheless, recent years have witnessed the disappointment of talents such as Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly being relegated from top-tier positions. Nyck de Vries faced a similar fate within the sister team AlphaTauri, while Yuki Tsunoda has struggled to deliver consistent results in the same vehicle.

In 2021, Red Bull diverged from tradition by signing Sergio Perez, previously unaffiliated with the team. 

While Perez’s performance has been satisfactory on the whole, his struggles in this season’s dominant car have cast uncertainty on the team’s secondary driver position. 

This development implies that three out of the four Red Bull seats could be up for grabs in the upcoming years, assuming that Daniel Ricciardo’s tenure at AlphaTauri is a short-term arrangement.

This potential vacuum in the driver lineup paves the way for promising young talents like Fittipaldi, who has maintained continuous communication with Dr. Helmut Marko, the head of Red Bull’s flourishing young driver initiative.

“Dr. Marko extended his congratulations to me after the race victory during the race weekend,” Fittipaldi revealed.

“Max’s remarkable string of wins demonstrates his exceptional speed. 

READ: Update provided on Max Verstappen incident

“As an emerging driver, I genuinely admire Max; he stands as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, in history.

“Their current dominance underscores the privilege of being affiliated with the Red Bull family and a member of the Red Bull junior team. 

“It’s genuinely awe-inspiring to be a part of the most distinguished Formula 1 team in history.”

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Bearman, who originally finished sixth in the F2 feature race, was demoted to eighth place after receiving a five-second penalty and a penalty point for contact with Kush Maini at turn 17. 

The incident caused Maini to make contact with his Campos Racing teammate Ralph Boschung, but no action was taken by the stewards in that regard.

Prema driver Bearman escaped a further penalty for an alleged incident where he was accused of forcing Maini off at the same corner, after Maini had attempted to pass around the outside of turn 15. 

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As a result of Bearman’s penalty, Jehan Daruvala of MP Motorsport was promoted to sixth place, elevating him to 11th in the championship standings.

Additional penalties were handed out to Daruvala, Roy Nissany of PHM Racing by Charouz, and Richard Verschoor of Van Amersfoort Racing for pitlane speeding. 

All three drivers received five-second penalties, while Nissany also received a 10-second penalty and two penalty points for contact with Prema’s Frederik Vesti. 

As a consequence, Nissany dropped from 12th to 17th in the final race result, allowing Verschoor to move up to 16th place.

Ralph Boschung, who retired from the race, was penalised with a five-second penalty and two penalty points, bringing his total to five on his license. 

The penalty was imposed for overtaking Ayumu Iwasa at the second safety car line. The incident occurred when Iwasa exited the pitlane, and he crossed the second safety car line before Boschung did. 

Therefore, the stewards deemed Boschung’s pass on Iwasa at turn two to be illegal during a safety car period.

READ: Honda calls for talks but remains coy on Aston Martin deal

Arthur Leclerc of DAMS was fined €500 for pitlane speeding during the reconnaissance lap. 

Additionally, Prema received a fine of €1,500, with €1,000 being imposed for releasing Vesti from his pit stop with damaged front-left suspension, and the remaining €500 due to an incident where “the air blower fell off Car 7 at turn 11 when Car 7 (Vesti) was driving from the F2 paddock to the Formula 1 pitlane prior to the start of” the feature race.

Meanwhile, points leader Frederik Vesti escaped a penalty for an incident involving Roman Stanek just before the first safety car restart during the race.

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The saddening death of Hubert will forever live in the memories of thousands of people across the world, but none more so than Correa’s, with the Ecuadorian having been the person who collided with the Frenchman’s stricken car.

Hubert crashed into a tyre barrier at the top of Eau Rouge after dodging Giuliano Alesi, who lost control of his car.

Hubert was then spat out back onto the circuit after bouncing off the tyre wall, with Correa having been unsighted as he ploughed straight into him.

READ: Fernando Alonso’s unheard radio message at Bahrain GP

The crash broke both of Correa’s legs and put a huge question mark on whether he’d ever return to racing, something he successfully did despite the unfavourable odds.

Correa returned to racing in Formula 3 and spent 2021 and 2022 competing in the junior series; however, he has returned to F2 this year with Van Amersfoort Racing.

At the season-opener in Bahrain last weekend Correa performed valiantly, with the Ecuadorian having finished 10th in the sprint race and in the feature race.

His return to F2 is certainly emotional, given what happened in 2019; however, it’s all been made possible thanks support from those close to him.

Correa, though, had nothing nice to say about the governing body, who the FIA having done nothing for the driver, making him feel “used” and “all alone”.

READ: Lewis Hamilton pays tribute to female Mercedes employee

Correa’s comments were revealed in a trailer for an upcoming episode of the Track Limits podcast, which the F2 driver is a guest on.

“To be honest, Formula 1 and the FIA ​​did nothing to help me after the accident. I was all alone,” Correa told the Track Limits podcast.

“I had my family, my friends and a small group of people around me, but there was no support for me at all from the FIA. I felt used. 

“You give them a good show and they benefit from it, but you get nothing back from them.”

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Ferrari came flying out of the blocks with a one-two finish at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix but strategic errors and an unreliable power unit eventually cost Leclerc a shot at championship glory.

As one of the most talented drivers on the grid, it seems only a matter of time until Leclerc tastes championship glory and with Ferrari expected to improve this year, it could be this season that Leclerc finally wins a title.

Having overcome a lot of physical and emotional hurdles in his early racing career, Leclerc will certainly not be deterred by last year’s failures and heartbreaks.

READ: Ford addresses fears over Red Bull partnership

The Monegasque driver has now opened up on when he experienced the biggest personal tragedy imaginable, the loss of his father.

Hervé Leclerc passed away in June 2017 after a long battle with illness, while his son was in the middle of an intense but successful Formula 2 season.

“My father way mu number one fan. He wanted me to be strong in every race,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

Leclerc took part in a Formula 2 race in Baku only days after his father’s death, with the 25-year-old explaining that his father would not have wanted it any other way.

“I was sure he wanted me to be there and win for him, even if it was the worst way to prepare for a GP,” he said.

“There’s nothing that can prepare you for the moment you lose your father. I have become more mature because the loss of him has made me more responsible, growing as a man.

READ: Nico Hulkenberg comments on relationship with Kevin Magnussen after tensions

“Mentally I became stronger than ever. Losing your father so early in life is something that changes you forever.”

Leclerc bravely stormed to victory in Baku following his father’s death, doing him proud and massively helping his charge for the Formula 2 title.

Only months after his decision to race, Leclerc’s bravery paid off as he was then signed by Sauber to make the jump to F1, where he is now battling at the very top.

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F2 champions like Oscar Piastri and Nyck de Vries have had to patiently wait for their chances in F1, while the likes of Nikita Mazepin, who finished fifth, get the call up instead.

One driver who is still competing in F2 with the hopes of moving to Formula 1 is Jehan Daruvala, who has now signed for MP Motorsport after spells with Carlin and Prema Racing.

The Indian will have to do it without Red Bull’s backing from here on out however, as the energy drink giants have decided to cut ties with Daruvala after three years working together.

READ: Watch: Charles Leclerc creates heavenly noise in Abu Dhabi

At MP Motorsport, the 24-year-old will be partnered with Dennis Hauger, who will remain a part of the Red Bull system for the 2023 campaign.

While Daruvala has said that he accepts Red Bull’s decision to let him go, he has admitted that his main goal for 2023 is to beat Hauger and prove Red Bull wrong.

“The decision wasn’t a surprise for me – it was pretty straightforward with Red Bull Racing and Dr [Helmut] Marko, there are no hard feelings,” he told Evo.

“We had three great years together. If it wasn’t for the disqualification in Austria, I would’ve still finished third in the drivers’ championship.

“Could that have changed the course for my career? I don’t know. In 2022, I had the best season in Formula 2, from a driving point of view. But I just didn’t have the package under me.

“In the end I was hoping that going to Prema would give me the opportunity to win the championship and go to Formula 1.

READ: Christian Horner wants New York Grand Prix

“it is what it is, there were no results, so it was natural for the relationship to end. My goal is to beat [Hauger] as much as I can and prove that I should’ve been on the programme.”

Yuki Tsunoda is the most recent example of the Red Bull system working, with the Japanese driver now entering his third season with AlphaTauri, with a move to Red Bull his long-term goal.

Should the F1 dream not work out for Daruvala, the Indian has admitted that Formula E may be the most appealing option for him moving forward.

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The incident took place near the Belgian driver’s hometown Temse; however, he was only caught as a result of a clip being uploaded onto popular social media site TikTok.

Despite the 2023 Virtuosi Racing driver having only just been banned from driving for six-months, the offence was actually committed two years ago in December 2020.

The case was only heard at the start of the month, with the decision having been made that Cordeel was both guilty and needed to be banned for six-months.

READ: Guenther Steiner makes revelation after secret Mattia Binotto meeting

As well as this, the 20-year-old was fined €3,600, just to cap it all off!

Cordeel’s lawyer tried to argue the case, but clearly it was to no avail.

“There can be no link whatsoever between the video and the fact that my client was driving,” stated Cordeel’s lawyer.

“It was his father’s car, but otherwise there is enough doubt to say that he was not driving.”

With the F2 driver having lost his licence for six months, some have questioned if racing drivers should require a driving licence, something they don’t currently need to compete.

F2 CEO Bruno Michel does think this is a topic that needs to be discussed with the FIA, with the F2 CEO admitting that the championship must “absolutely” talk to the governing body about it.

“I don’t think there anything specific in our regulations that [says] you need to have a driver’s licence,” he said.

“But that’s probably something that we need to discuss with the FIA as well, and to see how we deal with that. We can’t ignore that fact, for sure. That’s something we will need to absolutely have a word with the FIA and see how we deal with that.”

READ: Christian Horner: ‘We’re not a political organisation’

On the track, Cordeel endured a woeful season for Van Amersfoort Racing, after ending the year in 17th.

His best result was fifth at the final sprint race of the year at Abu Dhabi; however, his season will be remembered for having been banned from F2’s races at Silverstone, after accumulating 12 penalty points.

He is switching to Virtuosi for 2023, where he’ll be racing alongside Alpine Academy driver Jack Doohan.

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This year has been no different, with it having been revealed by Haas reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi that his brother, F2 driver Enzo Fittipaldi, had brain surgery following the conclusion of the 2021 season.

Enzo was involved in a horrific crash at the start of the F2 feature race in Saudi Arabia in 2021, where he was forced to miss the season finale in Abu Dhabi after fracturing his heel.

The grandson of F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi only raced for part of the F2 season with Charouz, having competed in Indy Pro 2000 and F3 at the start of the year.

READ: ‘A shame’: Sebastian Vettel says Aston Martin ‘threw away’ $12 million

He had competed in a full F3 campaign in 2020 but massively under delivered, ending the season in 15th, resulting in Ferrari ending their support of the 21-year-old.

Despite his injury from Saudi Arabia, Enzo returned to F2 in 2022 and completed a full year in the junior category, where he ended the year in eighth place brilliantly.

It has only just been revealed, though, that he underwent surgery for a brain haemorrhage after the 2021 season, making his 2022 campaign that much more impressive.

“Yeah he’s doing an amazing job this year,” Enzo’s brother said, according to The Race.

“He had a massive accident last year, shattered his heel. A lot of people don’t know but when I was doing the test here last year [F1 Abu Dhabi young driver test], and I got COVID, I stayed stuck in quarantine for 14 days, that’s when he flew back home and he actually had brain haemorrhaging and they found it out and went to the emergency room.

“He had like very severe brain haemorrhaging so they had to do brain surgery on him and everything.

“We thought he wouldn’t be able to come back in the beginning of the season.

“Obviously he was fine after but it was a very close call and he came back still with the bone not fully recovered and struggled in the first two races but then had a mega season, six podiums, was fighting for top three in the championship here this weekend.

“It didn’t go their way [in the finale] but they still did pretty well and I’m super happy for him that he signed with Red Bull.

“I know how good Enzo is and for sure, the dream there is to have him race in F1 as well.”

Enzo’s super campaign has come with a potentially substantial reward, with the Brazilian having been snapped up by Red Bull, with the driver becoming the latest member of the Red Bull Junior Academy.

As well as this, he will move to Carlin for 2023 in F2, where he’ll presumably be targeting a title campaign, with the driver certainly having the back to do so.

Pietro is hopeful that his younger brother can continue to develop well, with the Haas reserve, who was driving in the post-season test, hopeful that the Fittipaldi brothers will race together in F1.

The Brazilian believes that would be “f***ing amazing”.

“We’re always super competitive with each other and that pushes us forward,” Pietro added.

“With my experience, I’m for sure going to help him as much as I can.

READ: Oscar Piastri has terrible start to McLaren career, Daniel Ricciardo confirms Red Bull talks

“He was here today [at the test] looking at some stuff and trying to give me some feedback in-between runs.

“And obviously the dream is to have both Fittipaldi brothers racing in F1 together, that would be f***ing amazing.

“All we can do is push, maximise every opportunity we have, like he’s been doing this year.”

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The latter has been brought into question following an interview with Caitlyn Jenner, founder of Jenner Racing, which took place in May during the Miami Grand Prix.

The conversation was shown again recently during Sky Sports F1’s 2022 W Series review, with the serious having been abruptly ended following financial issues.

Following a lack of funding, the season ended without the last three rounds of the championship being completed.

READ: ‘I’d be lying’: Nicholas Latifi makes admission about 2023 switch

It meant that Chadwick was crowned a three-time champion earlier than expected; however, she was set to claim the title regardless given her domination in the series.

The British driver wasn’t set to race in the series this season but was brought into it as a Jenner Racing driver; she won’t be returning in 2023.

Many criticised Chadwick for returning to the series after being unable to find a seat elsewhere; however, given how expensive it is, especially for female drivers given the lack of sponsorship and funding, it was the best option for 2022.

Jenner revealed that she understood why people weren’t happy to see Chadwick back in the series and actually agreed with them; however, it is all part of a project to get the talented driver “at least a Formula 2” seat.

“I fought hard for Jamie, it wasn’t easy,” Jenner admitted during an interview prior to the Miami Grand Prix in May, per Sky Sports F1.

“Mostly because she’s won the series the last two years and people are asking why is she still there? I agree with them 100 per cent.

“I had this conversation with Jamie. I said, ‘I want this to be your last year with W Series. Next year, I want at least a Formula 2 ride for you.’ That’s what we’re pushing for.”

Formula 2 isn’t looking like an option for 2023, with a move to Indy Lights the preferred option seemingly for the W Series champion, who recently tested for Andretti Autosport.

This would actually be a smart move for the driver, with the championship representing a great stepping stone to then go on to have a career in the US perhaps in IndyCar, or to then return to Europe to compete in F3 or F2.

Andretti would also be a very good side to get into should a seat be available in Indy Lights, especially given the side’s stature in IndyCar and ambition to soon introduce a team in Formula 1.

Chadwick recently explained that the experience of testing an Indy Lights car was “awesome” and that a move across the pond looks “interesting”.

“Nothing is confirmed yet, but I did the test with the Andretti team, and it was awesome,” Chadwick said on Sky’s ‘Any Driven Monday’ in October.

READ: Sebastian Vettel insists he’s not ‘holding back anything’

“I really enjoyed driving the car and I really loved working with the team.

“I think the Indy Lights, IndyCar route – the road to Indy it’s called – is really cool for young drivers. It’s a big opportunity over there. It’s looking interesting, but nothing confirmed yet.

“It’s nice to now be in a position that I’m looking really positively at these options going forwards. Nothing confirmed, but I’m really looking forward to trying to get things nailed in for the next year.”

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