The FIA Formula 2 Championship is incredibly competitive and has launched the careers of its alumni, such as Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri.
Both drivers have now won multiple Grands Prix in Formula 1 and are consistently competing at the front of the field.
Formula 2 has seen a lot of drivers graduate to the highest level in recent years, and two of the current grid will make their full-time F1 debuts in 2025.
Oliver Bearman will step into a race seat at Haas, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be under immediate pressure to perform at Mercedes. Argentinian Franco Colapinto has also been given a chance to race in the final nine races of the year in F1 for Williams.
Richard Verschoor is approaching the end of his fourth season in Formula 2 and, speaking on the Chasing The Dream series, admits he finds it very difficult not to be jealous of other drivers moving to F1.
Richard Verschoor believes drivers saying that aren’t jealous of others moving to F1 are ‘lying’
Breaking into Formula 1 is very difficult as it requires a lot of funding, good timing, and talent behind the wheel.
Drivers such as Felipe Drugovich and Theo Pourchaire have so far been overlooked for an F1 drive despite both winning the Formula 2 title.
The pair are still searching for an opportunity to race full-time in Formula 1, but it is becoming more difficult as younger drivers continue to impress.
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Verschoor is adamant that drivers saying they aren’t jealous of their rivals stepping up to Formula 1 aren’t telling the truth as it is the one thing the entire Formula 2 field share in common.
He said: “I think every driver that’s on the F2 grid and that’s not jealous of the drivers stepping up. They say they are not jealous; they are lying because, of course, we want the same.
“I’ve always struggled for budget, always had to find things myself. There’s other drivers that had it a bit more easy but, still, you always have to do the job.”
Formula 2 does have shortcomings despite being a competitive junior series
Formula 2 is the final step on the ladder to F1 as drivers look to finally graduate to the highest level of motorsport, becoming a professional driver.
The championship does have its pitfalls, as some of the series’ alumni explained that there is too big of a jump in performance from F2 to Formula 1.
Formula 2’s car is also a lot less complicated than the F1 car which leaves the drivers a lot to learn with extra tools on the steering wheel when making the step up and the hybrid power unit.