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Gabriele Mini will make his highly anticipated Formula 2 debut with Prema Racing this weekend in Azerbaijan.
The 19-year-old Italian has been called to fill in for Oliver Bearman, who will be stepping up to Formula 1 with Haas to replace Kevin Magnussen. The Danish driver is currently serving a race ban for accumulating 12 points on his FIA superlicence.
Mini, an Alpine junior driver, has had a strong season in Formula 3 with Prema. He narrowly missed the championship after a last-lap incident and subsequent disqualification in Monza. Despite this, his performances throughout the season have solidified his reputation as one of motorsport’s brightest young talents, paving the way for his early promotion to Formula 2.
Mini graduates to F2 earlier than thought
Reflecting on this unexpected opportunity, Mini said, according to motorsport.com, “I’m thrilled to be joining Prema Racing for the FIA Formula 2 event at Baku. We had a strong season in 2024, and we have been fighting for the title until the last corner. Formula 2 is the main option for 2025, so it’s important to join early at Baku. It’s a great opportunity to learn with the new car and series.”
Mini’s relationship with Prema stretches back to his time in Italian and ADAC Formula 4 in 2020. Though he spent some time with Hitech and ART in Formula Regional competitions, he returned to Prema for the Macau Grand Prix in 2023. His recent F3 campaign further strengthened this partnership, and now, as he transitions into Formula 2, it seems likely that Mini will continue to compete with Prema next season.
Prema team principal Rene Rosin praised Mini’s rise through the ranks, commenting, “It’s very rewarding to see Gabriele graduate to the top junior single-seater series after making his very first steps with our team back in 2020. We’re excited to see what he can achieve in his Formula 2 debut.”
The future of rookies
While this marks a significant step for Mini, it also highlights the growing importance of Prema as a training ground for future F1 stars. Bearman and Mini’s regular teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli have secured Formula 1 seats for 2025, with Bearman set to join Haas and Antonelli bound for Mercedes.
Mini, meanwhile, has his sights set on a full-time Formula 2 seat next year, which would place him on a similar trajectory.
With his proven talent and the opportunity to learn early in the season, Mini’s debut could mark the beginning of a new chapter in his racing career as he continues to climb towards the pinnacle of single-seater racing.
While Mini prepares for its Formula 2 race in Azerbaijan, another Formula 3 driver graduates to Formula 2.
Christian Mansell will drive for Trident for the rest of the Formula 2 season.
Team Announcement! We are please to welcome @CMansell_Racing in our @Formula2 Team for the rest of the season. ? #Trident #TridentTeam #TridentMotorsport #F2 pic.twitter.com/bBnxuqv7Xx
— Trident Team (@trident_team) September 9, 2024
He will replace Roman Stanek, who was very vocal about the fact that he will probably not be able to continue his season after the race in Monza. His contract with the team was for 11 races.
Feature Image Credit: Joe Portlock – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images