Ones to watch: Five British talents to keep an eye on in 2023

With Formula One returning this weekend, racing paddocks across the world are roaring back into life, and across every packed grid, 2023 is looking bright for home-grown British talent.

From a 17-year-old from Chelmsford to the driver fronting IndyCar’s British invasion, here are five names you should follow closely this coming season.

Oliver Bearman

Ask anyone in motorsport about Oliver Bearman, and they’ll tell you that the 2021 ADAC F4 and Italian F4 champion is destined for great things. After finishing third in his debut FIA Formula 3 season last year – scoring more podiums than any other driver – Bearman has high hopes for 2023 as he takes the next step in his career. With the backing of the Ferrari Driver Academy, he’ll join the Formula 2 grid to form one half of a competitive-looking Prema Racing line-up. Aged just 17, Bearman will be the youngest driver on the F2 grid this season, but is, by far, the F1 feeder category’s most exciting rookie.

Jamie Chadwick

Courtesy of her exploits in W Series over the past four years, Jamie Chadwick has become a household name for any motor racing fan. Given she’s won more than half of her starts in the category, starred on the podium in 85% of all of the series’ races, and won every title to date, it’s easy to understand why that’s the case. In 2023, Chadwick will swap the international scene for the ever-competitive IndyCar feeder series, Indy NXT (formerly Indy Lights), with the hope of joining America’s premier open-wheel category. She’ll be driving for US racing veterans Andretti Autosport – the same team that powered Kyle Kirkwood to title success in 2021, with the season set to start on March 5.

Luke Browning

Look back at Luke Browning’s career to date, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a championship that he hasn’t impressed in. Since graduating to single-seaters in 2019, he’s tasted victory 19 times, and taken 51 different trips to the podium. In 2020, he defeated Zak O’Sullivan to the British F4 title, and after most recently dominating GB3, won the highly prestigious 2022 Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award. Luke announced this week that he will be racing with Hitech Pulse-Eight in Formula 3!

Abbi Pulling

Alpine Academy protégé, Abbi Pulling, represents the future of women in motorsport and is on the lookout for further success in 2023 after a breakout campaign last season. Pulling started her career at the age of nine and quickly built a reputation before stepping up to professional single-seater racing in 2020. She scored seven podiums in British F4 across two seasons and joined the W Series grid part-time in 2021 before stepping up to a full-time seat last year. After finishing fourth in the 2022 title fight, Pulling will link up with Carlin for the inaugural season of F1 Academy and is eyeing championship success.

Zak O-Sullivan

2021 GB3 champion Zak O’Sullivan is set to take the motorsport world by storm in 2023, as he prepares to contest his second season in Formula 3. O’Sullivan’s journey to the F1 support bill has been marked by success, and with runner-up finishes in Ginetta Juniors and British F4, his pace and talent are unquestionable. Backed by Williams Racing, the 18-year-old will drive for Prema this season and will be looking to build on a promising rookie campaign. With one pole position and two podiums in his F3 career so far, and now racing with the series’ most competitive outfit, the 2021 Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award winner will have high hopes.