- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Overnight, Team Rapax announced their lineup for this year's GP2 season: Tom Dillman and Ricardo Teixeira. And I have to say - the choice is uninspiring. Dillman has potential, but Teixeira is a moving chicane, mostly there because of his Angolan petrodollars (though that's probably what allows Dillman to race). Looking at the GP2 grid this year, I can't help but notice that it's more of the same. Gone are the days of Hamiltons and Hulkenbergs - most of the grid is taken up by pay-drivers like Max Chilton and Rodolfo Gonzalez who plainly don't have the talent for Formula 1, but live beyond their means because of their bank balances.
This got me thinking: where is the next generation of Formula 1 driver going to come from? Some time in the next few years, there is going to be a glut of available seats as drivers - like Schumacher, de la Rosa, Karthikeyan and Webber - start to retire. And no doubt the dead weight from this year will be trimmed out. There is going to come a time when we need a whole host of new talent to enter the frame. The question is, can we put a name and a face to that talent?
The first driver that gets my attention is Estonia's Kevin Korjus. He's had some good results in Formula Renault 3.5, and this year he's with Tech 1 Racing, who have a pretty good reputation. He also tested for Renault at the Young Driver Tests in Abu Dhabi last year, and I think he's very impressive. He's also partnered with Jules Bianchi - who is highly-rated himself - this year, so if Korjus prevails in FR3.5, then I fully expect him to step up to Formula 1 in 2013. Even if he doesn't beat Bianchi, he's still demonstrated he's got the talent.
Sticking with Formula Renault for the moment, I'm also impressed by Robin Frijns. He's had a lot of success in Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula BMW, and he's also topping the timing sheets in 3.5 Series testing. It's his maiden season in 3.5, and he's looking pretty good for it. This year will be a much better indicator of his talent, but if he keeps going the way he has been, then I think Formula 1 is definately in his future.
Another driver that I'm following closely is Sergey Sirotkin. He looked really good in Formula Abarth last year, and while his first race in AutoGP this year was a bit of a disaster, he did qualify on the front row for his first race, set the fastest lap in both races and recovered to fourth place in the second race - and he's only sixteen years old. He's got plenty of potential, and plenty of time to show it before he can step up to Formula 1.
Continuing our theme of Eastern European drivers (the former USSR seems to be undergoing the motorsport renaissance Bernie was hoping Asia and the Middle East would experience), I'm also watching Romanian Robert Visiou, who is racing for Jenzer in GP3 and Team Ghinzani in Italian Formula 3 this year. He's only sixteen, and although he hasn't shown the promise Sirotkin has, he's an interesting prospect because he's doing some really intense racing programmes this season.
I know I said GP2 was a bit lacking in the talent pool this season, but that doesn't mean there isn't any hope at all. Felipe Nasr has joined DAMS, and he's got a long list of impressive achievements to his name, including winning British F3 last year. DAMS really stepped up in 2011 (even if Varhaug was useless), and if any of the GP2 rookies is going to win the title this year, I think Nasr will be the man to do it.
Finally, David Zhu caught my eye. I think that Chinese involvement in Formula 1 is inevitable, whether through a driver or a team, and I think Zhu might be the best chance China has right now. He's racing in Formula 2, and while that series is largely a mediocre joke, I can't help but wonder if it was a political move. The three F2 champions to date have all been decently-rated (if not highly), but for various reasons, they have not quite moved on the way they should have (ie Stoneman's cancer). Winning the Formula 2 title makes one eligible for a superlicence, so if Zhu were to win, then the combination of title and possible sponsors would make him a viable candidate for a Formula 1 team. I'm not sure if he will make it or if he can make it, but this year could be very interesting.
Okay, that was a bit longer than I intended. Six drivers that I'm watching; I was originally only going to post three. If I had to pick three of them to make it, then I'd say we can expect to see Korjus, Sirotkin and Nasr in the near future. They've demonstrated the talent; they just need an opening (and probably a sponsor).
Now it's your turn - who do you think will make it?
This got me thinking: where is the next generation of Formula 1 driver going to come from? Some time in the next few years, there is going to be a glut of available seats as drivers - like Schumacher, de la Rosa, Karthikeyan and Webber - start to retire. And no doubt the dead weight from this year will be trimmed out. There is going to come a time when we need a whole host of new talent to enter the frame. The question is, can we put a name and a face to that talent?
The first driver that gets my attention is Estonia's Kevin Korjus. He's had some good results in Formula Renault 3.5, and this year he's with Tech 1 Racing, who have a pretty good reputation. He also tested for Renault at the Young Driver Tests in Abu Dhabi last year, and I think he's very impressive. He's also partnered with Jules Bianchi - who is highly-rated himself - this year, so if Korjus prevails in FR3.5, then I fully expect him to step up to Formula 1 in 2013. Even if he doesn't beat Bianchi, he's still demonstrated he's got the talent.
Sticking with Formula Renault for the moment, I'm also impressed by Robin Frijns. He's had a lot of success in Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula BMW, and he's also topping the timing sheets in 3.5 Series testing. It's his maiden season in 3.5, and he's looking pretty good for it. This year will be a much better indicator of his talent, but if he keeps going the way he has been, then I think Formula 1 is definately in his future.
Another driver that I'm following closely is Sergey Sirotkin. He looked really good in Formula Abarth last year, and while his first race in AutoGP this year was a bit of a disaster, he did qualify on the front row for his first race, set the fastest lap in both races and recovered to fourth place in the second race - and he's only sixteen years old. He's got plenty of potential, and plenty of time to show it before he can step up to Formula 1.
Continuing our theme of Eastern European drivers (the former USSR seems to be undergoing the motorsport renaissance Bernie was hoping Asia and the Middle East would experience), I'm also watching Romanian Robert Visiou, who is racing for Jenzer in GP3 and Team Ghinzani in Italian Formula 3 this year. He's only sixteen, and although he hasn't shown the promise Sirotkin has, he's an interesting prospect because he's doing some really intense racing programmes this season.
I know I said GP2 was a bit lacking in the talent pool this season, but that doesn't mean there isn't any hope at all. Felipe Nasr has joined DAMS, and he's got a long list of impressive achievements to his name, including winning British F3 last year. DAMS really stepped up in 2011 (even if Varhaug was useless), and if any of the GP2 rookies is going to win the title this year, I think Nasr will be the man to do it.
Finally, David Zhu caught my eye. I think that Chinese involvement in Formula 1 is inevitable, whether through a driver or a team, and I think Zhu might be the best chance China has right now. He's racing in Formula 2, and while that series is largely a mediocre joke, I can't help but wonder if it was a political move. The three F2 champions to date have all been decently-rated (if not highly), but for various reasons, they have not quite moved on the way they should have (ie Stoneman's cancer). Winning the Formula 2 title makes one eligible for a superlicence, so if Zhu were to win, then the combination of title and possible sponsors would make him a viable candidate for a Formula 1 team. I'm not sure if he will make it or if he can make it, but this year could be very interesting.
Okay, that was a bit longer than I intended. Six drivers that I'm watching; I was originally only going to post three. If I had to pick three of them to make it, then I'd say we can expect to see Korjus, Sirotkin and Nasr in the near future. They've demonstrated the talent; they just need an opening (and probably a sponsor).
Now it's your turn - who do you think will make it?
