GB3 race winner Max Esterson will move up to the remainder of the FIA Formula 2 Championship season, as he joins Italian team Trident Motorsport for the final two events in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
The 21-year-old competed in GB3 across the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, before moving up to FIA Formula 3 full-time at the start of 2024, where he scored points at the first attempt.
The New Yorker now has the opportuity to sample the main F1 feeder category, with four more races to run this year.
“It's great to be making the step up to Formula 2, even if it's a little sooner than I had imagined" Esterson said.
"Just two years ago I was running a Formula Ford and winning the Formula Ford Festival, and now I'm about to make my debut in Formula 2. It's all happened quickly but the people closest to me are all confident about my ability to successfully make the jump. I've been working hard with the team at Trident and feel I'm well prepared and ready to go.
"I want to give a special thanks to Maurizio Salvadori and Giacomo Ricci for making this happen, and to the rest of the Trident team for making me feel so welcome.”
Team Manager Giacomo Ricci added: “We are excited to finally be working with Max in a race situation. We first met him over two years ago when he was still driving Formula Fords and have closely followed his progress since then.
"He had some very strong outings this year in FIA Formula 3, his first year in international competition, especially as he was with one of the smallest teams, and on circuits which were almost all new to him.
"He is smart and has a mature, calm personality; he is hard working, and while he has already shown great pace, he is only in his fourth full year of racing and still learning – so we're excited to see his progress this year.”
Esterson will become the sixth GB3 graduate to race in Formula 2 this year, following champions Zak O'Sullivan and Luke Browning, plus fellow race winners Kush Maini, Ollie Bearman and Christian Mansell.