John Bennett, who has multiple series experience in his pocket, entered Formula 2 with both success and increasing difficulties. Although he finished as the vice-champion with three victories and eleven podiums in GB3 with JHR Developments, his lack of victory brought to light many discrepancies. Given that he was a formidable competitor, his inability to clearly outperform the winner highlighted the need to strengthen his race execution and consistency under pressure.
The most important part of his season was his FIA Formula 2 debut. It was an amazing accomplishment to earn points in his maiden race, showcasing his versatility and race craft. Since he entered the game late and had little time to adjust, he hasn’t had the chance to prove himself over a full season. Although Van Amersfoort Racing promoted him to a full-time position, whether he can translate his GB3 success to Formula 1 remains uncertain. VAR’s 2025 season will be a real test of his capacity to grow in a fiercely competitive setting, as he has always failed in Formula 2.
On the big leap from GB3 to Formula 2
While addressing the media, including Pit Debrief, Bennett reflected on his experiences and future opportunities.
“It was for sure a massive jump. I’d had a couple of international rounds, like at Spa in Hungary in GB3, but yeah, like first international championship and first time racing with the FIA. So yeah, it was a bit of an unexpected jump and yeah, a lot of learning on the fly at Qatar and Abu Dhabi, having never driven the car before,” he said, reflecting on the sudden changes.
When asked about his expectations and the influence of his unexpected call to Formula 2 for the final few rounds of the season, he said, “definitely feeling very confident going into this year. You know, I think the results we got at Qatar and Abu Dhabi were quite strong, all things considered, but now having been able to prepare all winter, you know, I’m 100 times more prepared than I was at Qatar. So yeah, really looking forward to starting this year off strong.”
On the impact of his experience in Formula 2 on the upcoming season
“There are quite a few new tracks. I think I’ve only been to Silverstone, Hungary, and then the final two in the Middle East. So yeah, a lot of learning for this year. But yeah, I mean, sim preparation is really just super key. It’s really like the only stuff we can do before turning up to the weekend. So yeah, just learning all the tracks inside out, watching all the races from the previous years to learn, you know, where people are overtaking, what they’re doing.”
He spoke about the difference between the formats of GB3 and Formula 2, he said, “You know, in qualifying, you’d have multiple pushes, whereas in F2, you really just get pretty much one shot. And then also in the races, managing your tyres, and it’s an hour long compared to a 20-minute sprint race in GB3. And then there’s also pit stops. So it’s quite a big jump. But I think having those two rounds last year at Qatar and Abu Dhabi really helped me a lot into this year. You know, so it’s not a complete shock turning up in Australia. But yeah, to answer your question, a lot of sim preparation really is needed for all these tracks.”
Impact of variety of race craft experience
Reflecting on his journey, he spoke about the value of versatility and gaining experience across different types of cars. He believes that constant exposure to new challenges helps refine a driver’s ability to push to the limit. “I think it is very important. You know, I think so far I’ve had a bit of a weirder career path than most people to lead to F2, I think. I didn’t really compete in go-karting and started in Ginettas, which is like a GT car, when I was 16, and then skipped F4 to GB3, and I’ve sort of skipped F3 into F2.”
“But I think the more versatile you can be, I think any track time is always good and learning how to be on the limit in different types of cars is always going to help a driver. So yeah, I’m always a fan of driving anything I can. Just to, yeah, I mean, always be on the limit and it’ll always just make a driver more versatile,” he said.
On the history of Van Amersfoort racing
“It’s definitely a massive privilege to drive for a team like Van Amersfoort. I think a lot of teams, you know, on the F2 grids have a great history behind them, but VAR is definitely a special one. And yeah, it means a lot. The owner is super passionate. You know, everyone there just wants to win. And, you know, hopefully I can add my list to that list of great drivers in the future,” he reflected.
