Bearman promoted to Formula 2 with PREMA Racing for 2023

PREMA Racing have announced that Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman will be graduating to Formula 2 with the team for the 2023 campaign.

The British driver will get his first taste of F2 machinery during the post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit from November 23-25.

Bearman steps up on the back of an impressive rookie season in Formula 3 with the Italian team, where he finished third in the Drivers’ Championship, only seven points off Champion Victor Martins. Along the way, he claimed eight podiums. including a maiden victory in Spa-Francorchamps and his efforts helped PREMA to regain the Teams’ title.

"I’m really excited to continue another year with the PREMA family, this time in F2,” said Bearman. “I’m really happy with how my first season went in F3. It was a really nice introduction and I felt like the team coached me throughout the year really well.

“I will continue to work hard over the winter with the Ferrari Driver Academy, in order to be fully prepared for 2023. It will be a tough challenge, but everyone works so hard and I’m really looking forward to the challenge. I’m already really excited for the test in Abu Dhabi and for the first round of 2023 in Bahrain."

READ MORE: Evolving from rookie to title protagonist, now Oliver Bearman’s coming of age

At 17 years old, Bearman already has an impressive single-seater CV, with 2023 set to be only his fourth season in single-seaters. In 2021, he broke new ground as he became the first driver to achieve two Formula 4 titles in the same year by winning the ADAC and Italian F4 Championships.

Team Principal Rene Rosin added: "We were amazed by how quickly and successfully Ollie transitioned from F4 to Formula 3 racing. He is a really talented driver, and while he will be making his first steps in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, we are confident he will improve race by race with the support of our team and the Ferrari Driver Academy as well.

"It won't be easy, because the step from F3 to F2 is considerable, but we are confident in his potential for the season ahead."