Rookie driver Oscar Piastri surprised many by romping to the 2021 Formula 2 title, beating the likes of current Formula 1 incumbent Guanyu Zhou and highly regarded teammate Robert Shwartzman.
Piastri raced for the dominant Prema outfit and won six races in what was an extremely competitive grid. While the season ultimately proved to be a blowout, The 2022 season should be a little more competitive, with a field stacked with talent all the way up and down the order.
Here are five drivers to keep an eye on as the season begins in Bahrain
Jehan Daruvala
Red Bull junior Jehan Daruvla, who will now race for the mighty Prema squad, should be one of the favorites for the title in 2022. The Indian is in his third season in the series and will be expected to lead Prema’s charge as they attempt to complete a hat trick of driver championships.
Daruvala, a member of Red Bull’s famed driver academy, could be well placed for a Formula 1 seat, especially if Pierre Gasly decides to leave the Red Bull stable or if Yuki Tsunoda fails to perform in 2022.
Theo Pourchaire
Pourchaire will be racing for ART Grand Prix, the same team that propelled a certain George Russell to the title, and the teenager should be in the running to make his Formula 1 Free Practice debut if he can deliver on his enormous promise.
Juri Vips
Vips is a highly regarded driver, but he lacks the pedigree of a championship-winning team, unlike the two aforementioned drivers. Nonetheless, Red Bull has demonstrated their faith in the Estonian by confirming that he will participate in free practice throughout the season, and he is well placed to secure a future in F1 if he can bring home some solid results.
Liam Lawson
Lawson, like Vips, is a Red Bull junior who will make a few FP appearances throughout the season. With his move to Carlin, Lawson could be a dark horse for the championship in 2022.
Dennis Hauger
While Hauger needed two attempts to win the F3 Championship, the Norwegian will be racing for the Prema team, meaning he will inevitably be in contention for podiums and wins. But whether he can sustain a serious championship charge will come down to how quickly he can adapt to the demands of the F2 car.
Hauger, the fourth Red Bull junior on this list, has the potential to dethrone his more established stablemates if he can conjure up a bit of magic like his predecessor, Piastri, did last year.
