When a driver begins karting, there is a lot to learn. Braking points, tire management, overtake location, and several other skills matter a lot in terms of moving up the ranks. With every junior driver’s goal being Formula 1, there is one key skill that teams put a lot of focus on.
As much as speed is a crucial quality to becoming a Formula 1 driver, having racing maturity is key. Being able to pick your moments for an overtake, push your tires, and race cleanly is what a team wants to see in an F2 driver.
Racing cleanly is an absolute must in Formula 1. As you work your way through F4, F3, and F2, the number of avoidable incidents only decreases. The stepping-stone into F1 is F2. The difference is rather large, as F1 can go several races without a safety car or collision. In F2, most races tend to feature at least one safety car due to an avoidable accident.
Not being able to race cleanly can hold drivers back
In the current class of Formula 2 drivers, several are incredibly fast. However, the ones being considered for Formula 1 rides are not necessarily the fastest and do not win all the time. Arvid Lindblad is a great example.
The British driver, at just 17 years old, is someone who shows a great example of race maturity, clean overtakes, and is quite accident-free. Lindblad’s consistency has made him a prime candidate to join Racing Bulls next season.
On the other hand, McLaren junior driver Alex Dunne has proven to be arguably the fastest driver in Formula 2 this season. The Irishman proved it in an F1 car as well, as he finished P4 during FP1 in Austria not too long ago.
Dunne’s main issue is poor decision-making. He is overly aggressive and has shown a level of immaturity which earned him a negative reputation. He is known as an accident magnet who has caused several throughout this season.
Racing cleanly with skill and precision is the difference between having a career in Formula 1 and a career in another series. It may very well be why Lindblad will be with Racing Bulls in 2026 and Dunne will likely continue in F2.