Bearman set for FIA Formula 2 move with Prema
Ferrari Academy driver Ollie Bearman is set to move up to FIA Formula 2 in 2023 with Prema, Motorsport.com has learned.
The Briton, who finished third in his rookie FIA Formula 3 season this year, is understood to be moving up the feeder series pyramid with the Italian outfit.
Though Bearman’s seat is yet to be officially confirmed, he is rumoured to be close to finalising a deal.
Bearman’s impressive debut F3 season saw him score one win and eight podiums, finishing behind ART’s champion Victor Martins and Zane Maloney (Trident).
Bearman, alongside Arthur Leclerc and Jak Crawford, helped secure Prema its third F3 teams’ championship in four years, having narrowly missed out to Trident in 2021.
The 2021 ADAC and Italian F4 champion is a finalist for the 2022 Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award, having also reached the finals in 2021.
It is uncertain whether either of the team’s current F2 drivers, 2021 F3 champion Dennis Hauger and Jehan Daruvala, will continue with Prema in 2023.
Daruvala previously said it was unlikely he would continue in the series next year, having completed three campaigns at that level.
The duo currently sit fifth (Daruvala) and 11th (Hauger) respectively with one round to go in Abu Dhabi, although Daruvala is just nine points shy of third place in the standings.
Prema has already confirmed one driver for its 2023 F3 programme, with Mercedes junior Paul Aron moving up from Formula Regional European Championship.
The 18-year-old drove for the team during his maiden season of single-seaters, contesting Italian F4 in 2019, before returning for his FRECA efforts in 2021 and ’22, finishing third in the standings last season.
He is currently occupies third in the points heading into this weekend's Mugello season finale.
Aron took part in the post-season F3 test in Jerez last month for the team, alongside current Carlin F3 driver Zak O’Sullivan and fellow FRECA driver Dino Beganovic.
O’Sullivan finished 11th in the standings this season, Carlin’s best finish in the modern F3 era.
Ferrari junior Beganovic, who also drives for Prema in FRECA, currently leads the standings with 255 points.
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