Gabriele Mini graduates to Formula 2 in deputy for Oliver Bearman at Baku

Gabriele Mini (pictured) will be making his formula 2 debut this coming weekend. Credit: GSI via Getty Images

2024 FIA Formula 3 championship runner-up and Alpine Academy talent, Gabriele Mini, will make his Formula 2 debut this coming weekend at Baku in place of Oliver Bearman.

Mini, after coming so close to winning the Formula 3 title at the start of September, has earned his reward for a fantastic season by making a step up to Formula 2 for the Baku round in place of Oliver Bearman, at Prema Racing.

Bearman will be advocating his Formula 2 duties for the second time in 2024, after in march he left Prema to compete for Ferrari in place of Carlos Sainz, who had appendicitis. This time around, Bearman will take Kevin Magnussen's place at Haas as Magnussen is banned for hitting the maximum 12 penalty points.

This will be like a practice run for Bearman, who will be driving for Haas in 2025 alongside Esteban Ocon. While this will also be a practice run for Gabriele Mini too, as the young Italian will be looking to take the next step in his progression, of racing in Formula 2 next year.

Bearman was announced to be Kevin Magnussen's replacement for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, this coming weekend on Friday, which left Prema in search of a replacement for the round at Baku, as Formula 2 will act as a support series this coming weekend.

It would have been a tough decision for Prema, as they would be looking to promote one of their highly talented Formula 3 drivers into the seat. All three drivers would be in the Formula 3 title fight heading into the final round.

Either one of Dino Beganovic, Gabriele Mini or Arvid Lindblad could have been given the opportunity to show their capabilities in such a challenging circuit as the Baku City Circuit. In the end, Prema decided to go with Gabriele Mini, who was the highest placed in the standings out of three.

On Mini being announced as their driver to partner fellow Italian and more recently F1 bound driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Prema Team Principal Rene Rosin was asked by Prema media what his thoughts were - regarding the decision to promote Mini.

Rosin said: "We cannot wait to see Gabriele make his FIA Formula 2 debut. It's very rewarding to see him graduate to the top junior single-seater series after making his very first steps with our team back in 2020. It will be a useful opportunity for both him and the team. 

"On the other hand, we want to wish Ollie the best in his second Formula 1 start and we look forward to having him back for the final part of the year."

There is truth to what Rosin mentioned about the length of the relationship that Prema and Gabriele Mini have had throughout Mini's feeder series career, which as a whole has been what could be viewed as a success.

His very first year in single-seaters he would win the Italian F4 championship in some style. Despite only winning four times out of the 20 races he participated in that season, Mini would pick up 12 podiums and it would be his consistency that would help him to the title.

It was a competitive championship that saw the likes of Gabriele Bortoleto, Dino Beganovic, Oliver Bearman, Taylor Barnard and even the newly-crowned Formula 3 champion Leonardo Fornaroli. 

Mini would win the title by 76 points ahead of Francesco Pizzi, a fellow Italian racer, who has also competed in the FIA Formula 3 Championship previously.

On his signing to the Prema Formula 2 team, Mini gave a comment to Prema media on him making the step up in place of Oliver Bearman.

Mini said: "Very happy 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 also very important to join early at Baku."

It will be interesting to see how Mini will get on in his FIA Formula 2 debut weekend at arguably the trickiest circuit on the calendar. Mini has had a great record at street circuits in the past, with winning both of his two Monaco feature races in the FIA Formula 3 Championship.

His debut session will be free practice on Friday morning.

Brandon Whiteside
​Writer - F1 Journal