35 replies to this topic

[purplehaireddolphin]

Having seen a podium full of Union Flags on Sunday via the support races (5 out of 6 places were British) I got to wondering if people on here rated any of the young Brits in GP2 and GP3.

There's Sam Bird, Jolyon Palmer, James Colado, John Lancaster, Adriam Quaiffe-Hobs, Melville McKee, Alexander Sims, Nick Yelloly, Jack Harvey, Ryan Cullen, Josh Webster, Lewis Williamson and Dino Zamparelli.

I know a lot of their progress will be cash related, but do you see any future F1 stars there?

[maverick69]

Having seen a podium full of Union Flags on Sunday via the support races (5 out of 6 places were British) I got to wondering if people on here rated any of the young Brits in GP2 and GP3.

There's Sam Bird, Jolyon Palmer, James Colado, John Lancaster, Adriam Quaiffe-Hobs, Melville McKee, Alexander Sims, Nick Yelloly, Jack Harvey, Ryan Cullen, Josh Webster, Lewis Williamson and Dino Zamparelli.

I know a lot of their progress will be cash related, but do you see any future F1 stars there?

Sam Bird and John Lancaster.

John Lancaster is also a great name for a British racing driver! Only Captain Flashheart can top that!

[Markn93]

I've been thinking for a while about starting a thread like this, but why just include GP2/3, Jake Dennis won the Autosport award last year and Ben Barnicoat is a young guy on Macca's young driver programme who I think will be in single-seaters next year. Those two look to have a bit of potential.

[Ross Stonefeld]

I don't really see any of them getting into F1, sadly. And one of the reasons might be that when you have several near-stars, it's hard for momentum to gather around one in particular.

If I had to go for one, it'd be Calado. But I just don't see the opportunity coming along.

Edited by Ross Stonefeld, 09 July 2013 - 17:11.

[Disgrace]

Lancaster was in the AutoGP scrapheap fairly recently, but is suddenly winning races in GP2 this year. What changed? Sponsorship?

[Bloggsworth]

It will be a major surprise if any of them get a top F1 ride - However good they are.

[sopa]

I don't really see any of them getting into F1, sadly. And one of the reasons might be that when you have several near-stars, it's hard for momentum to gather around one in particular.

If I had to go for one, it'd be Calado. But I just don't see the opportunity coming along.

Yeah, I think Calado had to win Gp2 this year to have F1 chance, which is now passing by.

All the other are nearly-men and can have a chance only if they had lots of money to bring like Chilton had.

[Winter98]

It will be a major surprise if any of them get a top F1 ride - However good they are.

Why do you think that?

(Not trying to be facetious or anything.)

[HammyHamiltonFan]

Having seen a podium full of Union Flags on Sunday via the support races (5 out of 6 places were British) I got to wondering if people on here rated any of the young Brits in GP2 and GP3.

There's Sam Bird, Jolyon Palmer, James Colado, John Lancaster, Adriam Quaiffe-Hobs, Melville McKee, Alexander Sims, Nick Yelloly, Jack Harvey, Ryan Cullen, Josh Webster, Lewis Williamson and Dino Zamparelli.

I know a lot of their progress will be cash related, but do you see any future F1 stars there?

in terms of ability so far the most promising is Jack Harvey, he won BF3 last season and is doing well in his first year at GP3 level, he's also in the McLaren young driver programme and they seem to generally have a good eye for talent.

I think Sam Bird might get a test drive somewhere in 2014/2015, but realistically unless he can dominate GP2 for a while I can't see him in a race seat.

Calado is a possible F1 driver in a year or two but again needs to show he can compete/win all season in GP2, same with Lancaster

McKee was impressive given he is just 18 so he might be worth a watch as well.

the rest I think at best you are talking test drivers or as pay drivers, none of them really look F1 fast other than maybe the 4 I mention above.

looking to WSR3.5 then Will Stevens is a decent shout as a potential future F1 driver/tester as well.

[purplehaireddolphin]

I've been thinking for a while about starting a thread like this, but why just include GP2/3, Jake Dennis won the Autosport award last year and Ben Barnicoat is a young guy on Macca's young driver programme who I think will be in single-seaters next year. Those two look to have a bit of potential.

by all means, we should open it up to other catagories, it's just that GP2/3 are the only lower ones that I get chance to watch, other than F Ford via BTCC, speaking of which Dan Cammish looks good 14 wins from 14 starts

[pacificquay]

Why do you think that?

(Not trying to be facetious or anything.)

British drivers tend to find it harder to get sponsorship or get picked up by F1 teams for some reason.

[noikeee]

There's a handful of pretty good drivers in that list (notably Calado, Bird and Harvey) but none have shown killer superstar potential. And these days to make it to F1 you need either killer superstar potential or big big cash. I think you guys will have to wait a bit longer for the next Hamilton.

[Brandz07]

Calado & Harvey seem the most likely to me, although it's a slim chance without sponsorship.

Bird's been in GP2/FR3.5 for a while now and has been too inconsistent, brilliant one weekend and average the next. Not sure about Lancaster but he's never stood out as 'special'.

Calado is apparently testing for FI at the YDT, so at least he's getting some test time. Hopefully he'll continue his strong form for the rest of the season.

Edited by Brandz07, 10 July 2013 - 12:29.

[purplehaireddolphin]

Bird should have been testing for Merc at the YDT, sadly, that's not happening now.

[Amin]

I'm a big fan of Tom Blomqvist but he's not had a great season so far in Euro F3.

[Jackman]

If I had to go for one, it'd be Calado. But I just don't see the opportunity coming along.

You never know: he's in the Todt Jr camp now and he got Bianchi there, and considering how crash happy he was it seems anything is possible.

[Ross Stonefeld]

All he needs is to become part of the Ferrari program, then buy some Friday testing at Force India, then wait for a backmarker to bounce his checks. So let's look again in 3-5 years.

[Winter98]

British drivers tend to find it harder to get sponsorship or get picked up by F1 teams for some reason.

Thanks for the reply.

I didn't know that. Any idea why?

[Ross Stonefeld]

Conventional wisdom. I'm not sure it's actually the truth these days. Especially with things like Racing Steps Foundation.

[Jackman]

These things are cyclical - there were a lot of Germans coming through the ranks a few years back, there are now a lot of Brits in GP2/3, for example.

[Winter98]

Conventional wisdom. I'm not sure it's actually the truth these days. Especially with things like Racing Steps Foundation.

Knowing the passion Brits have for F1, and motorsports in general, that has to be good thing.

Edited by Winter98, 10 July 2013 - 15:46.

[F1ultimate]

There's a handful of pretty good drivers in that list (notably Calado, Bird and Harvey) but none have shown killer superstar potential. And these days to make it to F1 you need either killer superstar potential or big big cash. I think you guys will have to wait a bit longer for the next Hamilton.

Worth adding is that the era of Glock, Hamilton and Rosberg are gone. A GP2 championship no longer guarantee an F1 seat. Further more F1 is not very emphatic about nationality so British drivers can't expect hand outs from British teams.

[billm99uk]

I think British sponsorship tends to be spread out rather thinly in comparison to many countries as we have a bucketload of 'prospects', whereas others only have one or two.

[Kyo]

None of these have shown potential to become a superstar. Calado and Harvey may become solid F1 drivers if they get a chance.

[midgrid]

Anglo-Dane Emil Bernstorff and Anglo-Emirati Ed Jones are both showing promise this year in F3 as well.

[KWSN - DSM]

Most likely none of them, I am not convinced that any of them stand out like Button and Hamilton did as F1 ready talent, of the current British drivers in F1 I personally do not rate Chilton or Di Resta as top level talent, and would have no issue with either being replaced by other drivers deserving of a chance to show if they have it or not.

It is so darn hard to make it to F1, so either the stars need to align or you have to show something special, none of the mentioned have shown anything. The idea that McLaren's talent spotting is of a high level, may or may not be correct but I can not remember any driver since Hamilton who came to F1 through their system since Hamilton, and no idea who I should name before him.

[Bloggsworth]

I think British sponsorship tends to be spread out rather thinly in comparison to many countries as we have a bucketload of 'prospects', whereas others only have one or two.

No chance of a state sponsored British F1 drivers... cough.... Venezuela...

[Ross Stonefeld]

Well you need state industries for a start. And Venezuela is a little closer to the exception rather than the rule.

[MattFoster]

I would say that having 4 of the 22 drives in F1 right now the concept of it being more difficult for a Brit driver to get to F1 is a little shaky.

I would love to see either Sam Bird or John Lancaster get a chance. Lancester in particular reminds me of Mansell, who got better as he went along through his career.

[billm99uk]

Most likely none of them,

Y'never know. I never thought Damon Hill would amount to much after watching him in the junior series

[KWSN - DSM]

Y'never know. I never thought Damon Hill would amount to much after watching him in the junior series

Indeed you never know, Damon Hill did not feature at all on my radar prior him actually landing in the Williams. Getting to F1 is so darn hard, and it is not just talent and money that will lead you there sometimes luck plays a part.

Kobayashi would never have been a F1 driver had Glock not binned the car during Practice. Yet he became one, and got quite a following around the world. I am sure that if I dig, I can come up with other drivers who lucked in, and would not have become F1 drivers had it not been for luck.

[Seanspeed]

Lancaster has one sprint race victory and people are thinking he might be F1-level? The guy has been mediocre at best for the rest of his racing career. He drove for ART in F3 Euro and only managed 12th in the standings. In his 2nd year of WSBR, he finished 13th in the standings, while his teammate, a guy I've never even heard of, finished 4th.

I think Chilton showed more than this guy did.

[Markn93]

I think it's two sprint victories, Sean. Silverstone and Nurburgring.

[billm99uk]

Lancaster has one sprint race victory and people are thinking he might be F1-level? The guy has been mediocre at best for the rest of his racing career. He drove for ART in F3 Euro and only managed 12th in the standings. In his 2nd year of WSBR, he finished 13th in the standings, while his teammate, a guy I've never even heard of, finished 4th.

I think Chilton showed more than this guy did.

Actually the thing I remember him most for prior to this year is the 2010 Silverstone start line crash with Ricciardo:

Ricciardo & Lancaster Round 1 Silverstone 2010

Definitely a WTF moment!

He's shown the odd turn of speed, but never on a consistent basis, so who knows.

Edited by billm99uk, 11 July 2013 - 12:33.

[Brandz07]

Lancaster has one sprint race victory and people are thinking he might be F1-level? The guy has been mediocre at best for the rest of his racing career. He drove for ART in F3 Euro and only managed 12th in the standings. In his 2nd year of WSBR, he finished 13th in the standings, while his teammate, a guy I've never even heard of, finished 4th.

I think Chilton showed more than this guy did.

Choosing Lancaster over someone like Calado is short-sighted.

Edited by Brandz07, 11 July 2013 - 12:46.

[Brandz07]

Actually the thing I remember him most for prior to this year is the 2010 Silverstone start line crash with Ricciardo:

Ricciardo & Lancaster Round 1 Silverstone 2010

Definitely a WTF moment!

He's shown the odd turn of speed, but never on a consistent basis, so who knows.

Didn't that ruin Ricciardo's championship too? IIRC.