It’s that time of the year again where I talk about some of the most exciting Up-and-Coming Racing Drivers that maybe don’t get talked about as much as others. And just like the last two years, these are 15 Drivers that we haven’t talked about in the past in order to make the list feel as fresh as possible. So, let’s begin with a Japanese Superstar!
Ritomo Miyata
Ritomo Miyata is a 24-year-old Japanese racing driver who currently drives for Rodin Motorsport in FIA Formula 2 and Cool Racing in ELMS! Ritomo previously won the F4 Japanese Championship in both 2016 and 2017, Super Formula Lights in 2020, and both the Japanese Super Formula and Super GT Championships in 2023 (he also finished second twice in Japanese Formula 3). That’s a pretty impressive resume! So far in 2024, Miyata is only 18th in the Formula 2 Standings, but he’s currently 6th in the European Le Mans Series Championship after winning at the first attempt! Whilst 2024 hasn’t gone exactly to plan so far for Ritomo Miyata, you have to understand that he’s learning each and every weekend currently meaning he’ll only get better!
My Verdict: I really like Miyata, I don’t think he’ll make it to Formula 1, but he should still have a pretty successful racing career.
Arvid Lindblad
Arvid Lindblad is a 16-year-old British racing driver who currently drives for Prema Racing in FIA Formula 3 whilst also being a member of the Red Bull Junior Team. Arvid previously finished third in Italian F4 last year before he went on to win the Macau Formula 4 Race! So far in 2024, Lindblad is having an amazing season as he currently sits second in the Formula 3 Championship (just 6 points off P1) having picked up a massive 4 victories (more than double anyone else)! For Arvid Lindblad to be going this well at just 16 years of age is absolutely incredible and he looks to be a very exciting prospect!
My Verdict: Watch out for this kid cause he has an awful lot of potential!
Leonardo Fornaroli
Leonardo Fornaroli is a 19-year-old Italian racing driver who currently drives for Trident in FIA Formula 3. Leonardo previously finished 5th in Italian F4 (2021), was the best-performing Rookie in the 2022 Formula Regional European Championship, and he finished 11th in his first year in FIA Formula 3. So far in 2024, Fornaroli is going better in Formula 3, currently sitting 4th in the Championship after 4 Podium finishes. I will also give Leonardo Fornaroli some additional praise as he is comfortably outperforming his Trident teammates.
My Verdict: I think Fornaroli is good enough to get into Formula 2, but I can’t see him making it to Formula 1 based on his career so far.
Oliver Goethe
Oliver Goethe is a 19-year-old Danish-German racing driver who currently drives for Campos Racing in FIA Formula 3 whilst also being a member of the Red Bull Junior Team. Oliver previously won the 2022 Euroformula Open Championship (a season where he won 5-straight at one point) and he managed to finish 8th in his first full season in FIA Formula 3 (last year). So far in 2024, Goethe is having a good year as he currently sits 5th in the F3 Championship after winning in Imola (he also finished second in the Feature Race). Once again, I have to praise Ollie Goethe as he is by far Campos’ best driver in Formula 3 this year!
My Verdict: Definitely a decent driver, but I’d be surprised if Goethe went all that well in Formula 2.
Christian Mansell
Christian Mansell is a 19-year-old Australian racing driver who currently drives for ART Grand Prix in FIA Formula 3. Christian previously finished third in both the 2021 GB3 and 2022 Euroformula Open Championships before he finished 12th in his first full season in FIA Formula 3. So far in 2024, Mansell is going better as he sits 7th in the Championship, and he’s also recorded 4 Podiums finishes so far (including three 2nd places). Once again, Christian Mansell is ART’s best-performing driver which is always a good look, especially in the Junior Formulas.
My Verdict: A solid driver that is pretty quick, but I’m not so sure how much further he can go (in terms of the Ladder to F1).
Nikola Tsolov
Nikola Tsolov is a 17-year-old Bulgarian racing driver who currently drives for ART Grand Prix in FIA Formula 2 whilst also being a member of the Alpine Academy. Nikola previously won the 2022 Spanish F4 Championship by 113 points (which is insane given it was his first-ever Single Seaters Championship), but he could only manage 22nd in the Championship in his first season of FIA Formula 3. So far in 2024, things are going better for Tsolov as he sits 8th in the Championship and he’s also managed to win 2 Sprint Races (Monaco and Austria). When you consider how young Nikola Tsolov is, he feels a little bit like a “Diamond in the Rough”!
My Verdict: If nurtured correctly, Tsolov can go places in the Motorsport world. Whether that leads to an eventual Formula 1 seat is impossible to answer at this point!
Tim Tramnitz
Tim Tramnitz is a 19-year-old German racing driver who currently drives for MP Motorsport in FIA Formula 3 whilst also being a member of the Red Bull Junior Team. Tim previously finished second in both the 2021 ADAC Formula 4 and Italian F4 Championships (both behind one Oliver Bearman) before he finished third in the Formula Regional European Championship last year (a Championship won by Andrea Kimi Antonelli). So far in 2024, Tramnitz is 10th in his Rookie Formula 3 Season after picking up 3 Podium finishes. Tim Tramnitz is also MP Motorsport’s highest-scoring driver in F3 this year so he’s doing well overall.
My Verdict: Tramnitz has a strong Junior Formula record up to this point, and I can definitely see him winning Races in this category.
Mari Boya
Mari Boya is a 20-year-old Spanish racing driver who currently drivers for Campos Racing in FIA Formula 3. Mari previously finished second in both the 2020 F4 Spanish and 2023 Eurocup-3 Championships, and he also finished 17th in his first year in FIA Formula 3. So far in 2024, Boya is doing okay, he’s 12th in the F3 Championship, but he did manage to win the Sprint Race at his home circuit which is pretty cool! I expect Mari Boya to get a third year in Formula 3, but he will need to start pulling out better and more consistent results.
My Verdict: To be honest, I’d be surprised if Boya even makes it to Formula 2.
Noel Leon
Noel Leon is a 19-year-old Mexican racing driver who currently drives for Van Amersfoort Racing in FIA Formula 3. Noel previously won the 2019-20 NACAM Formula 4 Championship, the 2021 Formula 4 United States and NASCAR Challenge Series – Mexico Championships, and he also won last year’s Euroformula Open Championship so he has a pretty impressive resume! So far in 2024, Leon sits 13th in the Formula 3 Championship after securing 2 Podium finishes so far! To be fair to Noel Leon, he is a while ahead of his VAR teammates so he’s doing a pretty good job!
My Verdict: I rate Leon, I think he will win multiple Races at this level once he signs for a stronger team.
Alex Dunne
Alex Dunne is an 18-year-old Irish racing driver who currently drives for MP Motorsport in FIA Formula 3 whilst also being a member of the McLaren Driver Development Programme. Alex previously won the 2022 F4 British Championship and he also finished second in both the 2022 Italian F4 and 2023 GB3 Championships. So far in 2024, Dunne is 14th in the F3 Standings, but he has scored a Podium and showed some strong pace at certain venues. For Alex Dunne to be associated with McLaren is a big deal, and he needs to be able to handle the pressure to move his career forward.
My Verdict: A quick driver that has the potential to challenge for this Championship in the next two years.
Callum Voisin
Callum Voisin is an 18-year-old British-Swiss racing driver who currently drives for Rodin Motorsport in FIA Formula 3. Callum previously finished 4th in his first season in GB3 (2022) before he went on to win the Title last year! So far in 2024, Voisin is 16th in the Championship with a Podium finish to his name (P3 in the Silverstone Feature Race), and whilst that might not look amazing, it’s worth mentioning that he’s doing quite alright given Rodin (and Carlin’s) history in this series!
My Verdict: I think Voisin could do something good if put in the right team, but whether he’d make it to Formula 2 is unclear at this point.
Doriane Pin
Doriane Pin is a 20-year-old French racing driver who currently drives for Prema Racing in F1 Academy, Iron Dames in WEC, and FRECA, and she also happens to be a member of the Mercedes Junior Team. Doriane previously won the 2022 Ferrari Challenge Europe (Pro) Championship and she also finished second in last year’s Formula 4 South East Asia Championship (she missed the whole first round too). So far in 2024, Pin is second in F1 Academy after winning the opening round whilst she is also competing in Sportscars. There’s no doubt that Doriane Pin is under pressure to perform, but there’s no reason why she can’t!
My Verdict: Given time, I think Pin could get a chance in Formula 3, but we’ll have to see on that.
Chloe Chambers
Chloe Chambers is a 20-year-old racing driver who currently drives for Campos Racing in F1 Academy whilst also representing Haas F1! Chloe previously competed in the W Series in 2022 and she managed to finish 6th in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North American Championship last year. So far in 2024, Chambers is massively smashing expectations as she sits third in the F1 Academy Standings after bringing Haas their first-ever victory last time out! Chambers was seen by some as the future of W Series at one point, so she might be finally starting to deliver on that in F1 Academy!
My Verdict: I’ve been impressed by Chambers so far this year, let’s hope she can keep it up!
Rafael Camara
Rafael Camara is a 19-year-old Brazilian racing driver who currently drives for Prema Racing in FRECA whilst also being a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. Rafael previously finished second in the 2022 Formula 4 UAE Championship, third in both the 2022 Italian F4 and ADAC Formula 4 Championships, and then third in both the 2023 and 2024 Formula Regional Middle East Championships! I can tell you that three of those Championships were one by one Andrea Kimi Antonelli! So far in 2024, Camara leads the Formula Regional European Championship after winning 4 of the 8 Rounds (whilst only being off the Podium once). So far, so good for the young Brazilian!
My Verdict: Camara looks really good, and I expect him to be at Prema in Formula 3 next year!
Tuukka Taponen
Tuukka Taponen is a 17-year-old Finnish racing driver who currently drives for R-ace GP in FRECA whilst also being a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy. Tuukka previously finished second in the 2023 Formula 4 UAE Championship and he also managed to win this year’s Formula Regional Middle East Championship (in dominant fashion)! So far in 2024, Taponen is second in the Formula Regional European Championship having won 3 of the last 4 Rounds! It’s crazy to think that Tuukka Taponen is only in his second year at this level!
My Verdict: Another really exciting prospect, I expect Taponen to be competing for the Formula 3 Title within the next couple of years.
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