Pepe Martí: Red Bull's future F1 prodigy is ready to step up

After Carlos Sainz Jr. erupted on the F1 scene, many Spanish F1 fans felt it would take generations to find a future replacement. The incredible legacy of Alonso and Carlos Sainz won't be forgotten, but who will pick up the baton for the future generations? His name is Pepe Martí.

He is arguably one of the youngest drivers with the most projections in the F1. Already tied to Red Bull, he seeks to further his advancement in the sport. The young driver confessed he idolized Fernando Alonso growing up, and he would like to beat him on the tarmac.

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"My first years watching Formula 1 were the years of Fernando Alonso at Ferrari, fighting for victories and championships. It always gave us those joys of being fighting at the front. I grew up with that, a Spanish F1 icon. For me, it was and is my reference," he shared during an interview.

A14 Management currently represents Martí, a company owned by Fernando Alonso, who seeks to help the young driver into his big F1 leap. "Alonso has instilled in me that you have to get the most out of the car in every situation. It is his mentality and the advice he gave me," he told Sport.

But who is Pepe Martí? The young Spanish driver was born in Sabadell (Barcelona, Spain) on June 13, 2005. He started his professional career in motorsports at a very young age, and began competing professionally at the age of 11.

Young Martí was way ahead of his competition and would win the Junior Spanish Karting Championship, in addition to achieving a fourth-place finish at the OKJ World Championship.

In 2020, he made his first big leap into Formula 4, driving a single-seater for the first time. He made his debut in 2021 for Xcel Motorsport.

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The Catalan driver achieved a victory in Yas Marina, in addition to being seventh in the drivers' classification, which allowed him to take a new and important step in his career within Formula 4.

Thanks to a series of good performances in January 2021, he signed for Campos Racing, a local Spanish team based in Alcira (Valencia).

His unstoppable growth in the lower categories of the sport made it clear he had the potential for the F1. Martí would sign a contract in 2022 to join Pinnacle Motorsport to compete in the Asian Regional Formula Championship. He also signed a one-year extension with Campos Racing, to become a FIA Formula 3 driver during the 2022 season.

The Red Bull Junior Team went out to poach him and eventually signed him on to the team in 2023. Joining one of the world's most dominant motor racing teams was a massive step in his short-lived career.

He then became the fifth Spanish driver to enter the Red Bull drivers academy program, after Carlos Sáinz Jr. – who has managed to succeed in Formula 1.

"Red Bull is a great Formula 1 team, the champion, and I had just won the race at the Circuit, it was a moment of euphoria, an explosion of emotions," Martí told Sport during an interview.

"It was the perfect weekend, with pole, fast lap, and victory after leading the race. And the cherry on top is the meeting with Dr. Marko. I will always remember it as a memorable moment," added the young Spanish driver.

Martí has showcased remarkable driving skills throughout his time in F4 and F3. He secured two third-place finishes in the Champions Cup in 2019, alongside his triumph in the Asian F3 in 2022.

After his great year in F3, Campos Racing offered him a seat in the silver category of motorsport (F2), while still being backed by the Red Bull academy.

Martí has emerged onto the FIA Formula 2 scene with remarkable podiums throughout his 2024 season, leaving many fans wondering when we will see him in the F1.

The young Spanish driver is so close to fulfilling his childhood dream, which was to drive an F1, much like Alonso and Sainz. "It is more than a dream, F1 is already my objective," shared Martí during an interview for Sport.

"Being at the Red Bull Academy, you see Formula 1 very close, almost close to touch, but it can also be a trap," said the Barcelona driver, who recalled in another interview with Spanish newspaper Marca that "F1 atre big words. (…) I think I have to focus on many other things and on always going fast, nothing more."

Today Pepe Martí has become the future and the present for Spanish motor racing, and many fans hope he reaches his full potential. Who knows, he might be celebrating podiums next to Sainz and Alonso in a couple of years!

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