Ahead of the F2 twelfth round in Baku, Oliver Goethe spoke with selected media, including LWOS, about his unexpected step up to F2.
The 2024 season of Formula 2 has been characterized by several changes. Franco Colapinto moved to F2, Taylor Barnard switched to Formula E, and Zak O’Sullivan and Roman Stanek left the grid. This led to some important team reorganizations.
Among the new F2 drivers, Oliver Goethe stands out. The German, who was brought in from Formula 3 as a replacement for Franco Colapinto at MP Motorsport, had a challenging start in the series but is determined to prove himself.
Like most of the drivers we see on the grid, the passion for motorsport comes from when they were little. Looking at his father and brother, Oliver Goethe was overwhelmed with the desire to race too. He made his debut in single-seater racing in the Spanish Formula 4 championship, competing in three rounds. In 2020, he started a full campaign with MP Motorsport in the same series. Six podiums and one victory earned him fifth place in the championship at only fifteen years old. Following his success, he joined the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine the following year. Unfortunately, he struggled to showcase his skills, finishing in 23rd position and scoring three points in only two races.
The shift in the German’s career
At that point, the German realized he needed a change. The following year, he focused on the Euroformula Open and the Formula Regional Asian Championship. In the European circuits, Oliver Goethe regained his momentum and with eleven wins, eighteen podiums, and seven pole positions secured, he became champion. His performance caught the attention of the Formula 3 paddock. Following an accident involving Hunter Yeany in Austria, the German was chosen to replace him at Campos Racing. This opportunity allowed him to showcase his skills and prove that he deserved a place for the following season.
His debut in the junior series had the desired effect. From the first qualifying round, Goethe was able to outperform his two temporary teammates: David Vidales and Pepe Martì. In just 4 rounds, Goethe collected 15 important points and proved his worth as a driver to several people.
The young driver’s aspirations were rewarded when he was chosen by the Trident team to join their 2023 lineup, alongside Gabriel Bortoleto and Leonardo Fornaroli. The young Red Bull driver finished in the Top 10 of the championship, securing eighth place with a victory at Silverstone in the Feature Race. The experience gained in his first full year in Formula 3 has been useful this year. Oliver Goethe’s consistency brought him to fight for the championship until the call to replace Colapinto in F2 came. Until the twelfth round in Austria, Oliver had never left the points. As we have seen with Leonardo Fornaroli, crowned F3 champion without a single victory, consistency is in some cases the most rewarding factor.
Oliver Goethe graduates to F2
After Williams decided to replace Logan Sargeant with Franco Colapinto in Formula 1, this change also had an impact on the minor categories. MP Motorsport quickly searched for a replacement for the Spaniard, and they chose Oliver Goethe for the position.
“The decision and news came very last minute, coming into the Monza race week. So I was actually in the airport just about to fly to Milan on Tuesday when I got the first call about potentially having the seats. I found out about Franco’s promotion to F1 maybe an hour before the announcement. I was coming from Valencia from doing some simulator with Campos for F3 and then everything just changed super quickly. I got to drive the F2 car for the weekend. I didn’t get to do any simulator.” – Oliver Goethe speaking to LWOS.
Oliver Goethe said, who with little preparation found himself catapulted into a F2 car. Unfortunately, his debut at Monza did not go as hoped. The German had to retire immediately after the lights went out. Zak O’Sullivan made contact with him before approaching the first corner, which sent the MP Motorsport driver into a spin, causing him to hit the barrier.
Since moving up to Formula 2, Oliver has struggled to find the right pace to suit the car:
“I’m not still fully comfortable with the car, to be honest. Unfortunately, I got taken out in the Sprint Race [at Monza], so that reduced the amount of mileage I was having that weekend quite a lot. But yeah, completing the full Feature Race, like every lap, I was just gaining confidence. And felt more comfortable with the car. So I think I’ll improve. There are certain things that are quite different from F3 and I still have some bad habits. However, this is something I can work on just by doing laps, I’ll gain the confidence and feel fully comfortable.” – Oliver Goethe speaking to LWOS.
The German driver faced four challenging races, particularly in Baku. In the Feature Race, he was involved in an accident at the start with Kush Maini and Pepe Martì, from which all the drivers came out unhurt. With two rounds remaining, Oliver will have the opportunity to demonstrate his ability to handle pressure and earn a spot in Formula 2 next year.
