Formula 1 is at all times looking out for a brand new star and it appears to have found its favourite sons in Prema pair Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Ollie Bearman, with the latter already confirmed as a Haas driver for 2025. But while drivers linked to the present teams’ academies often steal the headlines, those without such ties sometimes go unnoticed.
That was definitely the case for Hitech’s Paul Aron, a Mercedes junior from 2019-2023, who has been a consistent presence on the front of the F2 grid as a rookie this season. Despite failing to secure a win before the summer shutdown – something that rookie Antonelli achieved twice – a gradual stream of podiums has kept the Estonian at the highest of the standings while others have come and gone at the highest.
Some may point to the dearth of wins as an indication that he isn’t yet able to make the leap, but there’s definitely merit to his level of performance and lack of significant mistakes. And he has already underlined his speed with three pole positions, at Barcelona, ​​the Hungaroring and Spa.
“We tried to talk as much as we could in the paddock and get my name out there as much as possible,” the 20-year-old says of his bid to earn a seat in F1. “I spoke to as many individuals as possible. We’re doing our greatest, but in fact it’s demanding and it might be easier if we were involved with a junior team.
“But at the same time, at least we have the freedom to talk to everyone. There's a lot going on in the F1 paddock, so all I can do is try to get my name out there as much as possible, and to be honest, this year has definitely shown that the best way to do that is through results.”
Aron’s timing within the essential race in Hungary – a poor start from pole position and clashes with Bearman after which Zane Maloney (Rodin) that ended each of their races – was unlucky, provided that it got here after a disappointing weekend at Silverstone, where technical problems cost him each races, and at Spa a essential race podium was lost to mechanical problems on the ultimate lap.
Aron (right) is well ahead of Bearman, who is ready to compete in Formula 1 with Haas but has yet to win a race
Photo: Mark Sutton / Motorsports images
Admitting that Silverstone was “not one of my proudest moments”, Aron suggested that the perfect Formula 3 drivers “deserve” to make it to F2 yearly, with Motorsport.com questioning whether that logic carries over to the following step, where the perfect F2 drivers deserve a spot in F1.
“I think if you’re young and you’re new to F2 and you’re doing well – I’m not saying that because I’m in that situation – that’s what it’s for,” he says. “If you’re young and also you’re doing well, F1 should interest you and you need to be given the prospect to go there.
“That’s why Ollie got his likelihood ultimately. He’s had a extremely tough time this 12 months, but last 12 months, in his rookie season, he got the job done. [F3] 12 months to perform and impress the F1 grid. And I don't see why my position or Gabriela's [Bortoleto, currently second] the situation is different for novices who do well.
“I'm really happy to have the opportunity to race here with Hitech, but I definitely won't have the opportunity to compete in this series again – at least with my current funding”
Paul Aron
“But it's not that straightforward and I can let you know that this 12 months there are players on the starting line – me, Isaac [Hadjar, current points leader]Zane – we’ve all had an excellent season up to now and we’re all good drivers, nevertheless it’s at all times hard to say who exactly deserves a likelihood to step up and who doesn’t.
While the season of silliness has continued this 12 months since Lewis Hamilton announced his surprise move to Ferrari, there have been no truly surprising names linked with places within the line-up, with each Antonelli and Bearman already firmly within the running.
Of course, there’s a wider range of options available within the reserve driver market. 2021 Formula 2 champion Oscar Piastri spent a 12 months within the role with Alpine before joining McLaren, and Bearman is currently considered one of three reserve options at Ferrari in Formula 2.
While Aron desired to keep as many doors open as possible, one option he almost ruled out was a return to F2: “It’s never seen as a positive thing for those who finish quite high within the championship and do it again. Nobody really likes that because people assume you don’t consider in yourself enough.
Aron has been in talks with many F1 teams as he’s currently not affiliated with any
Photo: Mark Sutton / Motorsports images
“Speaking of facts, yearly is different. It's a technical sport, so quite a bit is determined by a quick automobile and the synergy between the motive force and the automobile, and you’ll be able to never fully guarantee that because everyone seems to be different, every automobile is different, every team is different – so there's at all times a risk of starting again within the series. Yes, for those who were fast one 12 months, you'll probably be fast the following 12 months, but you’ll be able to never guarantee that.
“The thing is, this season has clearly cost the budget, and these aren’t low cost seasons, and I used to be almost fighting for a spot on the grid this 12 months, even after ending third in F3. So I’m very completely happy to have the chance to race here with Hitech, but I definitely won’t have the chance to compete within the series again – at the least with my current funding.
“If potential help got here from somewhere, that might be a possibility, but when we finish in the highest three within the championship, I will surely expect a likelihood to advance, and if not, I might consider other options.
“We approached this year as a one-year plan. We never approached F2 as a year of development and then going all-in in the second year. I took the mindset that this was the year and that's why I pushed myself and the team so hard.”
That's all well and good, but why would an F1 team consider a driver who isn't a part of their junior academy, hasn't won a single race and hasn't signed a title yet?
While the reply will not be immediately obvious to those watching Aron for the primary time this season, his ability to learn from his mistakes and develop his driving between seasons is a trait shared by only the perfect drivers. While his crash in Hungary was clumsy and certain the results of a rush to make up for a poor start, it’s a mistake you’re unlikely to see again.
Then you have a look at his progress between seasons and also you see that even after a series of inauspicious weekends, he continues to be ahead of Zak O'Sullivan, considered one of the 2 drivers who beat him in F3 last 12 months – and is barely five points behind the opposite, Bortoleto. And on this F3 campaign he has beaten Gabriele Mini and Dino Beganovic, two drivers who finished ahead of him within the 2022 Formula Regional European Championship – and are still competing in F3 this 12 months.
Hadjar (left) has overtaken his rivals within the championship, but Aron is ahead of rookie O'Sullivan and five points behind Bortoleto
Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
“That’s been the story of my entire career,” adds Aron, who has 4 third-place finishes within the junior series. “There were guys who beat me during the year and won the title, but I was always able to step up and beat them the year after.”
Formula 2/F3 CEO Bruno Michel has seen many talented drivers make the step as much as Formula 1, so he’s keen to draw those destined to succeed in the highest.
“He’s definitely a very talented driver – he’s very fast,” Michel says of Arona. “But he hasn’t won a race yet and he’s made a number of mistakes which have cost him a number of points.
Despite a series of inauspicious weekends, he still trails Zak O'Sullivan, considered one of only two drivers to beat him in F3 last 12 months – and trails him by just five points, Bortoleto
“He's been incredibly consistent, and that's a huge advantage when you want to win a championship, and he's smart about it because he knows how to do it. But he's also got to win a race in F2 at some point, which I'm sure he'll do before the end of the season. That's his next step. After all that, it's a bit of a shame he's not part of the F1 programme, but I'm sure he will be in the near future, and I've got no doubts about that.”
“It obviously means a lot,” Aron says of Michel’s assessment. “He’s seen all these young guys come through the ranks, so he certainly has some experience of what a driver has to do to be good, what he has to do to be fast and what he has to do to be ready for F1.”
Of course, it's the F1 paddock that Aron really must persuade. But if he continues to enhance – and eventually wins – he'll turn out to be increasingly difficult to disregard.
Will Aron manage to show his guarantees into victories and a likelihood in F1?
Photo: Andy Hone / Motorsports images
