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Oliver Goethe was given a last minute chance to make the step up to Formula 2, an opportunity that was not without its downsides.
Heading into the final weekend of the Formula 3 championship in Monza, seven drivers still had a mathematical chance at becoming the 2024 Champion. The seventh and final driver, 35 points off the lead, was Goethe. With a maximum of 39 points available per weekend, his chances were slim, but with all seven of the top drivers in close contention, he had a good shot at finishing in the top five.
But there were other plans for the Red Bull junior driver, as Logan Sargeant’s mid-season dismissal from Williams Racing made waves in the junior categories. Formula 2 driver Franco Colapinto was called up to replace Sargeant in Formula 1, leaving MP Motorsport a driver down for Monza and the rest of the season.
So Goethe was called up to Formula 2, the move announced just two days before he would take to the track in a brand new category. The announcement meant that, while Goethe would accomplish his goal of moving to the next step of the Formula 1 feeder series ladder, he would miss his chance to make up any ground in the final round of the Formula 3 championship.
Missing the F3 title-decider
Speaking to selected media, including FormulaNerds, ahead of his second round as a Formula 2 driver, Goethe was candid about his disappointment at missing his shot at the Formula 3 title.
“Yeah, it was a bit annoying that I couldn’t compete in the last race,” he told FormulaNerds. “I was still technically in the fight for the championship, the chances were extremely slim but I was in the fight for the top five.
“But I can’t complain, I got the opportunity to drive F2 for the rest of the year, and for me this is a much more important path for my career, if I had to choose either or.�
“The goal for me is to do F2 next year and for me, doing the F2 rounds is a better decision. But of course it’s a shame to miss out on the last round [of F3]. I would have loved to have gained some positions in the championship, especially because it was so tight.”
In the end, Leonardo Fornaroli took the title after claiming pole position in Monza and finishing second in the Feature Race. Goethe kept his place, finishing the season in seventh despite not competing in the final round of the season.
Formula 2 debut
While Fornaroli was becoming the 2024 Formula 3 Champion, Goethe was making his Formula 2 debut with MP Motorsport. He qualified 12th, before an unfortunate first lap incident saw him retire from the Sprint Race. In the Feature, different pit stop strategies saw him lead the race at one point, before he cycled back through the pack to eventually finish in 16th.
Speaking about his weekend, Goethe commented: “I think the debut went pretty well, I was going into that weekend with no preparation or anything, it was a very last minute call, so there were not really any expectations.
“I was just trying to learn as much as possible, enjoy the moment, and it was a good weekend overall. A lot of unlucky moments to be honest, so the results weren’t really there, but the pace was already there to fight at the top already.В?
“I think going into the next rounds, that brings confidence. The tracks I’m going to for the last few rounds are a bit trickier than Monza, tracks I haven’t been to before, so I’ll be gaining experience and learning the tracks, and again, the same approach, just try to learn as much as possible and enjoy.”
This weekend Goethe be racing with Formula 2 in Baku, a track he’s never raced at before. He’ll be joined by three other graduates from Formula 3, though Gabriele Mini, Luke Browning, and Christian Mansell will be making their debuts this weekend having seen out the end of the Formula 3 season.
Feature Image Credit: Joe Portlock via Getty Images