Written by Silvia Cojocaru, Edited by Gabriel Tsui
While winning the Formula 2 championship may not lead to a guaranteed place in Formula 1, claiming the junior title still means that the champion will have to look for a seat away from Formula 2.
Being part of a driver academy will help in this regard, as teams are committed to develop their young drivers. In some cases, one might not even have to win the junior title to claim a seat in Formula 1, as it’s the case for Oliver Bearman, who will be joining Haas in 2025.
However, as supposed to his championship rivals, Isack Hadjar and Zane Maloney, Paul Aron is not part of an academy or drivers programme, meaning that his future is the most uncertain. There is still plenty of time for the title battle to be settled, however, if Aron ends up winning the championship, what are some possible options for him in 2025?
Formula E
Back in May, Aron joined Envision Racing in place of the absent Sébastien Buemi for the Berlin E-Prix double header. With his only previous experience in Formula E coming from the rookie practice session in Misano, the Estonian driver was able to run within the top ten at his first ever race in the Formula E championship, before dropping back to 13th place.
Despite describing the race as “crazy”, the young driver was able to adapt to the new environment fairly quickly, proving he could make the move to other championships in the future. As this is the only other series he has some experience with, it might be Aron’s safest bet for 2025.
Indycar
As many other Formula 2 drivers before him, Aron may opt to make the switch to Indycar. Similarities between the two racing series have been noted time and time again, so this might also be a solid alternative for Paul.
There already seems to be an interest in Estonian drivers in the championship, as Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing opted to retain Juri Vips in a backup role for the 2024 season. Following that previous partnership, the teams may look at Aron as another opportunity at developing a high upside driver from Formula 2.
Endurance Racing
When it comes to Endurance Racing, Aron may look at the Baltic Endurance Championship as a genuine option to try out. After getting his foot in, he can decide whether he’ll continue taking part in other endurance series as well, but regardless, garnering some experience with this type of racing can help his career in the long run.
Formula 1
As he is no longer a part of the Mercedes development program, Aron has countless opportunities to be scouted by other Formula 1 teams. However, as the grid is already starting to shape up for next year, it seems unlikely that the Estonian could make the move so soon.
Another year in the junior championship may actually be ideal for him in this regard, as it gives teams more time to build an interest in him.
One of his best options may actually be with Red Bull, as this is a team which is constantly on the lookout for new talent, and by the end of this season they might take on even more young drivers.
Despite recently cutting down on the number of junior drivers in their development program, Sergio Pérez’s lacklustre performances this season mean that his future with the team is still up in the air. If he leaves the Red Bull family entirely, this could lead to an open seat for Aron at RB, or a place as a reserve driver if Liam Lawson is opted for said open seat.
Whatever path Paul Aron ends up on, there will be opportunities to see him continuously embark on the path towards success and keep on evolving as a driver. In moments facing competition fiercer than ever before, he has already shown exceptional determination and professional work ethics. Gathering experience in a variety of racing series will surely get him closer to a Formula 1 seat in the future.
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