Davide Valsecchi now wants to see two more ‘special’ F2 drivers promoted to Formula 1

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Last season saw all 20 Formula 1 drivers retain their seats but 2025 will see a handful of rookies making their full debuts.

Mercedes confirmed Kimi Antonelli during the Italian Grand Prix and he’ll be joined by Oliver Bearman and Jack Doohan on the grid next year.

There are two more seats still to fill for next season and speaking on the F1 Nation Podcast, pundit and former GP2 series champion Davide Valsecchi has shared who he would love to see given an opportunity to fill them.

One of the seats is at RB and it appears to be a shootout between incumbent Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson.

There doesn’t appear to be room for Isack Hadjar at RB despite the fact he currently leads the Formula 2 championship.

Sauber appear to be no closer to deciding their line-up although a decision is expected to be made in the near future.

Valsecchi has suggested that he would love to see Paul Aron and Gabriel Bortoleto make the step up from F2 to Formula 1.

Aron is a former Mercedes junior but is not currently attached to a driver program which will count against him.

READ MORE: Oliver Oakes considered bringing Paul Aron to Alpine from Hitech

Bortoleto is in McLaren’s academy and while their line-up looks like the most settled on the grid, the Brazilian may be in the frame for F1’s final 2025 seat.

Davide Valsecchi wants ‘special’ Gabriel Bortoleto and Paul Aron to be given their chance in F1

Speaking about promoting young drivers, Valsecchi said: “My question is, it’s not easy at all to evaluate the Formula 2 drivers at the moment.

“So you’re saying that Antonelli, 6th in the championship, he’s going to be in Formula 1, replacing the best driver in Formula 1 history, 6th in Formula 2.

“You’re saying that Colapinto, he was 6th or 7th in the championship before this weekend is going to replace Sargeant who ended up 5th in the championship the year before?

“Okay, then my question is, you tell me that Bearman has some special skills because he’s shown them, he proved it in Formula 1 with Ferrari and Jeddah. And in Formula 2, the championship is lost.

“The level is so confusing and I always spoke about meritocracy… I don’t know how to think and how to evaluate the drivers in Formula 2.

“From my point of view, Bortoleto and Aron, they have something special and they’re not considered in Formula 1. That is my feeling.

READ MORE: Fernando Alonso absolutely loved what Gabriel Bortoleto did at Monza

“I would like to see them in Formula 1. It’s confusing this situation. We promote Berman because he proved in Formula 1. Yeah, but Bortoleto never had the chance.

“Why we don’t give him the chance? Probably he’s going to win the championship as a rookie. Already last year, did it in Formula 3? I mean, he deserves something.”

Gabriel Bortoleto putting himself in the frame for Sauber’s second 2025 seat

Sauber have a few drivers on their shortlist for next season and Audi’s new head of F1 Mattia Binotto needs to decide between youth and experience.

Valtteri Bottas is still a free agent and his previous seasons in F1 could make him a valuable asset for a team who have a huge amount of work to do to become competitive.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber from team principal to Audi future

Bottas is expected to be in pole position to stay at Sauber but Bortoleto is the other name on Audi’s shortlist for 2025.

Bortoleto held talks with Sauber at Zandvoort and then put his money where his mouth is at Monza.

He came from last on the grid to win the Feature Race and has narrowed the gap to Hadjar at the top of the standings.

If he can win back-to-back F3 and F2 titles, then it would make it very hard for Sauber – or another team in 2026 – to look beyond him.