It's easy to ask the questions when some of the current crop are struggling, but when you look at the careers of Schuey, Vettel & Raikkonen, all three had very limited race experience in junior formulea before ending up in an F1 car and they haven't turned out too shabby. There have also been drivers who have been around for ages who had no right to be on the grid after 200 races, let alone 2 (Andrea de Cesaris, and remember, rookies back then had to deal with 1300bhp of turbo-lagged crudeness and not much downforce, these lot have it easy!) The cream will always rise to the top and the chaff will get thrown aside. Sometimes you have to experiment to see who is what. Based on junior formula, Kobayashi had no right to be in F1 with Toyota late in 2009, but look at how he turned out. We feel it's a travesty that he isn't in F1 right now!
That's the thing though, ASC... If good drivers are looked over in favor of pay drivers, then the cream may not actually be making it in to F1.
I don't think he's starting the curve in the right place though, I think the way Bottas has been introduced is a much better idea. If I was in charge, I'd like to see young drivers given an hour of Friday practice for familiarisation with F1 machinery, but also competing in GP2 or similar alongside this, so they're still honing race craft. After a year like that they'd be much better prepared for F1. Jumping right in with only 2 tests before signing a contract for 2013 seems unnecessarily hasty. Yes, that model won't fit everyone, but it should still give a platform for the Vettels, Raikkonen's, etc of this world to impress in free practice, and perhaps step in mid-season if they're good enough. On the topic of VdG, it's an interesting one because everyone was really impressed with Pic last year. With Kovalainen back for FP1 in Bahrain and Spain, it'll be interesting to see how they both stack up against him. It could be that they're both driving fairly well, but the pace just really isn't in the car. Fair point, I agree that it should always be difficult for drivers to get in, but based on talent not sponsorship packages. I was more referring to the situation with Force India, where I feel that their financial landscape pushed them into choosing Sutil. It might sound harsh, but there's no way that Susie Wolff should be doing that test. If she was genuinely good enough she'd be getting a chance in Maldo's car during FP1, rather than being stuck in a simulator (I say Maldo's car as Bottas is more inexperienced so probably benefits more from track time). Her career is probably most similar in route to Di Resta's. But whilst he won in F3 and DTM, she failed to complete a season in F3 (granted due to injury) and has then floundered at the back of the DTM grid. If she had shown any genuine talent in the several seasons she'd spent there, she'd have got a better drive within that series- from what I can find, she didn't. I also don't see why Williams are continuing to support her, from a racing perspective. They need Maldo for his money, and he's no slouch in the car either. Then they backed Bottas last year, and he's come in and looked at home, and is competitive with Maldonado. I don't see either driver going anywhere soon, but if they do, is a 31 year old Rookie with a poor record in lower formulae really the best they could do? They'd do better to find an actually young driver, or to employ a wise old head for a year or two whilst they find one. I can't see any racing logic why she'd be preferred. It's not like she'd bring in that much more money either. Also, I think her competing could damage the image of women in F1 rather than boost it. Her coming in, struggling and getting nowhere for a couple of seasons before retiring hardly says "Women have arrived in F1". The new youngster Red Bull have signed to their young driver program is a much more promising development.
Quite. The cream only rises to the top if left to settle naturally. The present situation is more analogous to milk being constantly heated, skimmed and watered down.
I'll summarise this when I get home, if anyone's interested: http://plus.autosport.com/premium/feature/5262/formula-1-rookies-beyond-the-timesheets/
When the red lights went out at the start of the Australian Grand Prix, the five debutants had racked up the following testing mileage: Valtteri Bottas 5140km (plus 15 Friday drives) Jules Bianchi 6300km (plus nine Friday drives) Giedo van der Garde 5549km (plus six Friday drives) Esteban Gutierrez 5485km (plus one Friday drive) Max Chilton 3780km (plus one Friday drive) VALTTERI BOTTAS Expectations were sky-high for Bottas heading into this season. As well as his prodigious ability, he has the most relevant preparation of any of the rookies, with 5140kms of test mileage for Williams since November 2011, 15 Friday practice outings last year and an association with the team dating back to the start of 2010. We must add the caveat that he did not race at all last season and skipped the Formula Renault 3.5/GP2 step in the ladder. On paper, results are unspectacular. But he is in the ninth best car, so falling twice in Q1 is hardly grounds to condemn him. His qualifying record compared to the rapid Pastor Maldonado, a grand prix winner, is perfectly respectable for a rookie. He outqualified Maldonado in Australia, which was a good start. In Malaysia he was three-and-a-half tenths off and, after being caught out by a change in wind direction in China on his all-or-nothing single run, he ended up just under half-a-second off. "You are in the same car as your team-mate and you can still compare quite well," says Bottas. "It was funny to see the results of qualifying and all the rookies were in the bottom six, but always what kind of car you are in matters a lot. But it seems to be very tricky with the car and tyres and if you have more experience it helps." Race-wise it has been a completely different story. In all three races, his result has been better than Maldonado. Unlike his team-mate, he didn't bin the car in Australia pushing too hard (although he did have one trip across the grass). In Malaysia, Bottas not only recovered from dropping to last on the opening lap after being crowded off the track to finish only 1.5 seconds off the points, but was also ahead of Maldonado, who had been off earlier in the race, when his team-mate retired with a KERS problem. Then, in China, his race performance was very similar to Maldonado and thanks to running softs in the final stint, Bottas passed his team-mate for 13th a couple of laps from home. Had the pair turned in such performances in a car a second a lap faster, people would be talking up Bottas rather than suggesting he had been disappointing. There is clearly more to come from Bottas, in qualifying in particular. But given the experience advantage Maldonado has over him, he has good reason to be very satisfied with the first three weekends of his career in such a tricky-to-drive car. ESTEBAN GUTIERREZ Of all the rookies, Gutierrez faces the toughest task. Not only is he up against Nico Hulkenberg who, by rights, should be in a top car and has undoubtedly flattered the difficult Sauber so far, but his 5485kms of test mileage are backed up by a solitary outing as Friday driver. He is also the youngest driver on the grid and was arguably promoted a season too early after two up-and-down campaigns in GP2. No question, Gutierrez has struggled. He has yet to get within a second of Hulkenberg in qualifying and made a big error at Turn 6 on his qualifying lap in China which he was certain cost him a Q2 slot. This was fair enough given his Friday afternoon time would have been enough to put him there even if his qualifying simulation didn't. After two unobtrusive and conservative runs in Australia and Malaysia, during which he never seriously threatened the points, he made an embarrassing mistake in China and clattered into the back of Adrian Sutil. To his credit, Gutierrez immediately realised what he had done, blaming his failure to factor in the extra speed he was carrying thanks to DRS, combined with the loss of downforce caused by Sutil's wake. Perhaps Gutierrez's desire to kick on after his solid start played a part. "The results in my first two races, it was very important to gain this experience and seat time," said Gutierrez before the race in China. "Of course, finishing a race is not enough, from now on I am aiming for the points. I want to make this next step. My main focus is to minimise the small mistakes throughout the whole race, which make a big difference by the end. "The improvement can be more on the race side. The reality has been better than what I expected, the speed that I had compared to Nico is better, and this is something that keeps me very motivated. The conditions have not been the easiest. "I just try to focus on what I have and push my own limits. It's very valuable to have Nico as a team-mate because some team-mates don't have the same level of car or someone as good [as team-mate]. But he is my most precise reference." While Gutierrez's start to the season has been unconvincing, he needs to be given at least half-a-season's grace given the hurdles he faces. Rookie errors have their name for a reason, and can be forgiven. The team has been impressed with his approach and willingness to learn - qualities that must come to the fore over the next few months to ensure he doesn't sink without trace. JULES BIANCHI In a way, the only surprise about Bianchi's season is just how surprised people are by his pace. Frankly, this has never been in doubt, but what is more impressive is the way he has handled the pressure of the big league. While some circumstances were against him this season, notably the late deal that allowed him only a day-and-a-half of running in the car pre-season, he does have a significant experience advantage over team-mate and fellow rookie Max Chilton. It was certain he was going to win the intra-Marussia battle whatever happened, even if such emphatic supremacy was less assured. Bianchi has been affiliated with Ferrari since 2009, meaning he has the advantage of regular running both on-track and in the simulator. While he has only had 6300kms of testing in F1, he also had nine practice outings with Force India last year. This is not to belittle his progress, which has been very impressive and has rightly earned him rave reviews, not least from Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali. If he keeps this up, he will certainly start to attract the attention of bigger teams. GIEDO VAN DER GARDE The affable 27-year-old has been on the periphery of the grand prix scene for a long time, dating back to his first, very brief, test with Super Aguri in January 2007. Since then, he has also had outings for Spyker/Force India, Renault and Caterham prior to landing a full-time ride, although his 21 days still only add up to 5549 kms of testing, plus six Friday outings last year. When you are in the worst car in the field, particularly when it is also very difficult to drive, it is by definition almost impossible to make an impression. The only times he has been picked up by the television feed are when he has been off the track. But he has finished all three races, beating Chilton in Malaysia and outqualifying Pic in Australia thanks to getting a bit more out of a car that proved very tricky in wet conditions before putting it in the wall. "It's how it is at the moment," says van der Garde of life at the back. "For me, it's a really good step to come into F1 but it is very different, because normally I've been top five and am now at the back of the grid. Normally, when I get to the grid I had lots of time, but now you stop and then it's 'oh ****, the lights are on!'" While he has been unable to match Pic on a consistent basis, generally getting embroiled in the secondary Caterham vs Marussia battle with Chilton, his team-mate does have a year's advantage over him. All in all, while not extraordinary, his start to the season has been about par. Particularly because, as van der Garde says, "it's not an easy car". MAX CHILTON The complexion of Chilton's rookie season has been completely transformed by the three changes of team-mates. Had he been up against Timo Glock, everyone would have expected a big gap and probably thought he was doing fine. Against Luiz Razia, he would have likely been on a similar level, certainly not far behind, and maybe even been able to be the lead Marussia driver. But against Bianchi, who people had strangely low expectations of, he has ended up looking very much a second-class citizen. That's an unfair way to look at his season so far. While he did have far more pre-season running in the Marussia than Bianchi, he only has just over half of the total mileage and didn't have his first taste of an F1 car until the 2011 rookie test, two years after his team-mate. He's not beyond criticism, however. He has spent a little bit too much time scrapping with van der Garde, although he did comfortably beat the Dutchman in China, and did appear to get somewhat lost in Malaysia. Likewise, the qualifying deficits to Bianchi have been too big – he hasn't been closer than three-quarters of a second – although in China he lost all of Friday afternoon practice and his second Q1 run and also had car troubles in Malaysia. But on the plus side, he has finished all three races and learned a little of the black art of managing blue flags. Much like Gutierrez, Chilton has to be given half-a-season's grace before drawing anything other than the most tentative conclusions. While his junior career suggests he is potentially a decent, rather than a great, driver and you would expect him to be eclipsed by Bianchi even in ideal circumstances, the difference between the pair so far is far from representative. For Chilton, the bottom line is a "could do better" but realistically he was always going to be battling a very steep learning curve early on. © 2013 AUTOSPORT.COM
I agree with the article that Chilton and Gutierrez do face insanely difficult tasks in matching their teammates (especially Gutierrez), but even so, neither has shown anything to suggest they'll succeed. Van der Garde is a non-factor to me, he's too old and too slow, and Bottas and Bianchi should be ok, Bianchi more than OK.
Unfortunately that has always been the case. But my past standards, the pay drivers of today are far better than those that came along in the 80's and 90's. Ultimately it is up to the FIA to determine if a driver is good enough to be issued with the necessary superlicence to allow them to race in F1. As I said with Kobayashi, based on junior formula he had no right to a seat in F1, but certainly did not look out of his depth when he got there. Mansell also had a less than impressive career prior to F1. How many times have we seen drivers excel in lower formulae, only to flop big time when making the step to F1? How was Jan Magnussen not a triple world champion if you simply went on his talent shown in F3? Sometimes you have to take a chance. The most succesful driver in the history of F1 was initially a pay driver!
well, the reality is that pretty much every driver that gets to F1 is initially a pay driver, th eonly exceptions are the newly created driver programs.
These ideas always come up but of course the people who have the power to implement them don't really ever do so, still they are fun to come with either way. I have heard many good ideas. Here's a potential idea Every teams main test/reserve driver has to be currently racing in either GP2 or world series by renault. The team have to give them 1 full day of pre season testing. The teams are allowed 5 days of in season testing (and no more) and all 5 must be carried out by the main test/reserve driver. These could be done on the thursdays preceeding a race so that the team already have staff and equipment there regardless. As each team would have the same number of test days available it would all balance out in "fairness" of a team being able to test for a whole thursday before the race weekend begins. (obviously they couldn't choose a track like monaco but they could go for basically every non street circuit like Silverstone or Hungary for example) Then every test/reserve driver on the grid races a whole season in GP2 or world series by renault as well as having 1 pre season and 5 in season test days in the F1 car. And as the develepment race is crucial it should encourage the teams to give such a vital chance to the more promising drivers. It would also throw an interesting slant at the development race as a bonus. Also still keep the end of year young drivers test as well but the teams must put a different driver in the car for those days to help even more drivers.
Can I ask how where you got those numbers from (I'm not doubting you, Im just interested). Also given the testing ban, is that mileage all from the young driver tests and pre season tests?
Autosport. I'm not sure for all of them but Bianchi got a fair bit in 2009 with Ferrari when testing was 'free', I think van der Garde got some with McLaren to. Those numbers seem to be just test sessions but they word it confusingly.
The only way I see a team giving junior drivers consistent time in a car is if its their current car and is testing upgrades etc and therefore it is of benefit to them. Because as I understand it teams can right now give any junior driver they want as much time in an F1 car as they like so long as the car is 2 or more years old. Sauber could if they had wanted have given Esteban 10,000 km in the 2010 car before the season began for an extreme example which is why I think my idea above (junior testing time helping their development battle) needs to happen.
Adrian Newey is concerned about an 'unhealthy' situation in the junior ranks "We seem to be in a situation where now in GP2, for instance, experience counts hugely," Newey said at the Spanish GP. "Quite often it will be drivers in their third or fourth season who win the championship, which seems to me quite an unhealthy way to be. "Then to have junior formulas where the tyres are lasting three or four laps before they've gone off heavily? Young drivers need mileage, they need seat time and it concerns me that the way the lower formulas are going they're just not getting that." Since its debut in 2005, the GP2 Series has propelled more than 20 drivers to Formula 1. That is a phenomenal record, and the title-winning campaigns of rookie champions such as Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg caught the eye and gave them a lot of momentum as they made the step up to F1. But the goalposts have moved since those days. Like in F1, racing in GP2 is no longer simply about who is the fastest. That dreaded phrase 'tyre management' is key, and it appears to have led to a downturn in the fortunes of rookies. Newey's second point about track time is possibly even more critical than the first. It's not a huge problem if experienced drivers who have already been written off by F1 teams are winning the championship, providing close enough attention is being paid to star performers who are in their first or second years.
I don't agree with the tyre management thing in GP2, I'm sure they can do a race distance on a single set. There's an element of looking after them to have the pace later in the race, but that's to be expected when they're doing a whole race on a single set. The racing standards are still appalling though. The last two laps of the sprint race in Spain were hilarious, they're absolutely useless. It's going to be carnage this weekend. Also, WSR are supporting the F1 this weekend so we'll be able to see GP2 and WSR drivers racing the same track on the same weekend. It will be interesting to see how they compare.
From what I have seen of both series this year WSR should easily come out on top I'll take Magnussen, Vandoorne and Da Costa over the bunch of crazy kids driving in GP2 right now.
Since its the time of year rookies push for F1 drives, for those who can, What is the best route into F1? The question of how drivers advance to Formula 1 has never been more contentious. In recent weeks, Red Bull's decision to promote 19-year-old Daniil Kvyat to a Toro Rosso seat has led to criticism that he is under-prepared, while newly-crowned GP2 champion Fabio Leimer is likely to find only a third-driver role at best. While GP2 has a good record of producing grand prix drivers, with half of the current grid graduates, Leimer would be the second successive champion not to make a direct step up after Lotus reserve driver Davide Valsecchi. Conversely, Formula Renault 3.5 champion Kevin Magnussen has got the nod from McLaren to replace Sergio Perez in a 2014 race seat. With limited F1 testing opportunities thanks to an in-season test ban that is being only slightly eased next year (to the tune of eight days scheduled), question marks are being raised over how well drivers are being developed. This lists the full-time programme each of the 22 drivers currently on the Formula 1 grid were running prior to their graduation to grand prix racing. Sebastian Vettel FR3.5 Mark Webber F3000 Fernando Alonso F3000 Felipe Massa Euro F3000 Jenson Button British F3 Sergio Perez GP2 Kimi Raikkonen FR2.0 Romain Grosjean GP2 Nico Rosberg GP2 Lewis Hamilton GP2 Nico Hulkenberg GP2 Esteban Gutierrez GP2 Paul di Resta DTM Adrian Sutil Japanese F3 Pastor Maldonado GP2 Valtteri Bottas F1 Friday driver Daniel Ricciardo FR3.5 Jean-Eric Vergne FR3.5 Charles Pic GP2 Giedo van der Garde GP2 Jules Bianchi FR3.5 Max Chilton GP2
