Where the F1-ready talents are racing in 2016

18 comments on “Where the F1-ready talents are racing in 2016”

1. 

   PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
   10th June 2016, 12:05

   This is a nice list but realistically only a handfull have the aim to reach F1. All the LMP1 drivers for example really won’t give up their seat for a Sauber drive…so from those 34 how many would really want to be in F1..?
   1. 

      GeeMac (@geemac)
      10th June 2016, 12:16

      I would imagine that Bird, Kirchhofe, Leimer, de Vries, Sirotkin, Giovinazzi, Rossi, Marciello, Lynn, Rowland, Rosenquist, Ocon and Vandoorne would love an F1 drive. So 13 of them.
      1. 

         Victor_RO
         10th June 2016, 12:55

         Bird has a factory Ferrari contract in GT, I’m not sure he’d give that up for a backmarker seat in F1. As for Rossi, I think the Indy win has massively changed his career prospects and direction and shifted them substantially away from F1.
2. 

   sam3110 (@sam3110)
   10th June 2016, 12:15

   Lotterer, Vandoorne, Ocon, Rosenqvist, Lynn, Rossi, Sirotkin, de Vries. Of those, I expect Ocon, Vandoorne, Rossi and Sirotkin to make it into regular F1 drives.

   Lotterer missed his time, Rosenqvist will probably stay stateside, Lynn isn’t good enough, de Vries I don’t know a lot about so I can’t decide on him. Sirotkin I think will have enough backing to get a formula 1 drive paid for
   1. 

      Christopher Rehn (@chrischrill)
      10th June 2016, 13:31

      Rosenqvist took some 5-6 seasons to win the F3 championship. He is definitely quick, as we can see in IndyLight, but he is too old. I don’t think he will get any closer to Formula 1, but I can see him ending up in DTM or WEC for sure.
      1. 

         Henrik
         10th June 2016, 15:57

         Umm, Felix Rosenqvist will not be 25 until November and last season, he completely dominated the European F3 Championship:

         (11 rounds x 3 events = 33 races)
         17 pole positions
         13 wins, 6 seconds, 5 thirds for a total of 24 podiums
         13 fastest laps

         This driver should be in F1
         1. 

            anon
            10th June 2016, 18:07

            Henrik, as Christopher points out, there is the counterpoint that Rosenqvist’s title came in his fifth season in Formula 3 (having started out in 2011), such that he had a substantial advantage in terms of experience over the rest of the field. Part of the reason why he is leaving is because, even if he wanted to stay, he can’t because they’ve now introduced a rule stopping drivers from staying in that series for more than 3 years.

            Furthermore, his team, Prema, has been dominating Formula 3 in recent years, so there is perhaps the question of how much influence his team had as well – it’s not to say that he hasn’t shown any promise, because he has, but that you need to consider the wider context rather than just his performance in 2015 alone.
            1. 

               Henrik
               11th June 2016, 1:52

               Anon, what you miss is:

               a) Rosenqvist’s *five* Prema teammates (Jake Dennis, Brandon Maisano, Nick Cassidy, Max Günther and Lance Stroll) between them collected 6 poles, 8 wins, 9 seconds, 8 thirds (25 podiums) plus 5 FL – meaning Rosenquist was better than them combined. This was also his first year with Prema. In previous years when he drove for what you claim are far worse teams, he still managed to figure prominently in the poles, wins, podiums & FL statistics finishing 2nd in 2013 and 3rd in 2012 for Mücke Motorsports. This kind of scuppers Christoper’s and yours “he’s had five years”-argument if Prema are/were so incredibly much better than anyone else.

               b) Rosenqvist is the most dominant champion since the new format was introduced in 2012. In 2014, champion Ocon had 15 poles, 7 wins, 9 seconds, 3 thirds and 7 FL (Max Verstappen had 7 poles, 10 wins, 3 second, 3 thirds, 7 FL). In 2013, champion Marciello scored 12 poles, 13 wins, 5 seconds, 1 third and 7 FL. In 2012 (10 rds, 20 races), champion Juncadella had 5 poles, 5wins, 5 seconds and 5 FL.

               The bottom line is that had Rosenquist been British, German or a teenager he would have been in F1. It’s not always the best drivers that get into F1, but that’s the way it is…
3. 

   Kurt (@dangerpaws)
   10th June 2016, 12:30

   Even though he doesn’t have enough superlicense points, I still think IndyCar driver Josef Newgarden has the talent to race in Formula 1….and do well.
   1. 

      Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
      10th June 2016, 14:35

      @dangerpaws He’s definitely one of the most interesting young drivers in the championship. But the points system is not very generous towards IndyCar drivers and he’d have to win the title this year in order to be eligible for F1 next year.
      1. 

         WilliamB (@william-brierty)
         10th June 2016, 17:24

         @keithcollantine @dangerpaws …nor was his European career particularly noteworthy.
      2. 

         Placid (@placid)
         11th June 2016, 5:53

         He only has 4 points towards his FIA superlicense scoring.
4. 

   Excuse me :D (@square-route)
   10th June 2016, 13:39

   None of that stuff matters.
   The stuff that really matter, Maldonado has it.

   #sarcasm
5. 

   Park
   10th June 2016, 13:48

   I think there are new rules that need to be noticed. https://www.racefans.net/2015/12/07/revealed-which-drivers-have-enough-superlicence-points-to-race-in-f1/

   Have accumulated at least 40 points during the three-year period preceding his application (see here for how many points each championship awards)
   Have been granted a superlicence (excluding free practice only superlicence) in any of the previous three seasons.
   Have been granted a superlicence prior to the previous 3 seasons (excluding free practice only superlicence). In this case, the driver must be judged by the FIA to have recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability in single-seater formula cars.
6. 

   Placid (@placid)
   10th June 2016, 15:02

   Rossi’s deal with Andretti-Herta is a 1-year deal as is with Manor. The Indy Car season ends in the middle of September so he could be available for Malaysia onwards. But at the same time, he raised his stock sending a message to the F1 paddock. He could possibly land with a mid-pack team in F1 unless Indy Car’s Big 2 ( Penske or Ganassi ) decide to offer him a deal.

   He is worthy for a Formula 1 drive for 2017. But as of 2016: well see if he can finish inside the top 5.
7. 

   Arahones
   10th June 2016, 20:51

   Why is Palmer on this list?
8. 

   Louie
   10th June 2016, 21:25

   This is of course a big ask, but having a column for the driver’s age would be helpful.
   1. 

      Hic142 (@hic142)
      22nd June 2016, 18:57

      +1

Comments are closed.