21 replies to this topic

[LHamilton0810]

I find this to be a confusing concept, especially as 5 of the previous 6 GP2 champions since the series bagan has reached F1 immediatly after winning it?! To make it even more baffling, both years, drivers who finished lower than them in the GP2 championship have managed to get an F1 drive with Esteban Gutierrez 3rd, Max Chilton 4th and Giedo van der Guard 6th in 2012 and Marcus Ericson 6th in 2013! and is this going to carry on in the future?

[Donkey]

Money.

[boldhakka]

Perhaps GP2 isn't a very good meritocracy? 

[Jackmancer]

These drivers won the championship more by experience than talent. 

[HaydenFan]

In all honesty, does winning the title at the highest of the lower levels really mean anything? I mean of all the F2/F3000/GP2 champions, only 11 of the 51 racers won a Grand Prix. And none won a title in F1 until Hamilton took the title in '08. And with the two defending GP2 title winners not in F1, that makes for 5 total drivers to win at that level to never reach F1 (and over half never were given a contending car either). 

 

In terms of talent, it's about the feel of the driver. What do teams see in someone. Many top F1 drivers never truly excelled in the lower levels, but went out and took GP wins and titles. Money is now a bigger factor. And when you see even the top drivers in GP2 and FR3.5 struggle for funding, trying to find double or triple the funds to compete in a bottom F1 team, F1 just becomes a dream. 

[uzsjgb]

You seem to suggest that the best driver will win the championship. Is that always the case?

 

Another point to watch out for is the potential a driver has. If a driver is at the height of his potential when becoming a GP2 champion, is that enough for F1? Or would it not be a much better choice to invest in a driver who did not show his full potential in GP2, but who has a much larger potential to still unlock?

[Lights]

In the early GP2 years, it was obvious the winner had the talent for F1 as he had just as much experience in that series as his rivals. But in later years, for the lack of any interesting alternatives, some drivers just kept driving in GP2 year after year building up experience until they finally won the title at some point, against probably more talented rookies who were new to the series.

[windoesnot]

Money bag drivers who finish below the champion in the apprent feeder series have always found a way into F1. Its the way its always been and always will be.

 

The last 2 GP2 champions have not exactly set the world alight doing so, its far more impressive to finish say 2nd in your first season of a series than to win it in your 4th or 5th when its a spec formula. Hang around long enough and you'll find yourself winning, especially as the rest of the field hasnt exactly been stellar recently either. Leimer won the title with only 3 wins to his name too, doesn't exactly jump out as you does it.

 

They are far, far below the talent of consecutive champions Rosberg and Hamilton from 05 and 06.

[ensign14]

Because they followed the Sospiri Career Path.  I.e. stay long enough in a formula until anyone that's any good has moved up or out, and then glom the title through sheer experience.  See also Marko Asmer, Randy LaJoie.

[Mohican]

The two complications of testing restrictions and tyre management (aka lottery) has moved GP2 on from being a formula where rookies could win to something else altogether. It is no coincidence that the GP2 champions in recent years have been experienced drivers.
This may be an unintended development but is still clear.

[Sheepmachine]

I think part of the problem is unless you've won the championship in your first or second season then the f1 teams don't really care unless you hand them a huge bag of money. If it's your 3rd,4th or 5th season in GP2 before you are finally champ your viewed as past it (Pantano, Valsecchi, leimer). Also Renault World Series is now viewed as the place to look for talent more now than GP2.

[RuleyRamundo]

They are very good and I hope that they will race in F1 soon because they could be future F1 WC's I hope they get the chance though. If not they can always try to win the WEC or WRC  or Indycar crowns. 

[Juan Kerr]

Because they followed the Sospiri Career Path.  I.e. stay long enough in a formula until anyone that's any good has moved up or out, and then glom the title through sheer experience.  See also Marko Asmer, Randy LaJoie.

So what are they supposed to do purposely come second?

[punknhedd]

So what are they supposed to do purposely come second?

 

No, the point is it wouldn't really matter where they finished.  The fact that they won (after multiple years in the series) is not as much an indicator of potential F1 success as someone who, for instance, came in pretty high in his rookie season with strong finishes toward the end of that rookie season.  Then, as someone mentioned, there are also the team, money, backing, and sponsorship considerations.

[ollebompa]

Being successful in a lower formula is all about speed, only having that takes you nowhere in F1.

Edited by ollebompa, 29 March 2014 - 06:31.

[Jerem]

They're rather stay in GP2 because it is faster than F1 now!

 

Seriously, the latest drivers coming from GP2 have been unimpressive, except maybe Grosjean (and to a lesser extent, Bianchi), and even his problem was too much GP2-style racing (i.e. crahsing). You already need a bunch of $$ to make it to GP2, and only the ones with a larger wallet can make it to F1. So either you join GP2, win straight away and impress F1 teams, or you spend enough money doing years and years of GP2 and eventually get even more experience so better results, and more sponsors and make it to F1.

[SpartanChas]

I think the most important things are money and/or being in a youg driver programme with a team that can fund you. Look at this year's rookies, Magnussen and Kvyat were both supported by big teams, Ericsson bought his way in. 

 

If you're supported by a big team, might as well save a few quid and do FR3.5. There are exceptions, obviously. Marciello and Bianchi went through GP2, and I guess Vandoorne doesn't really need the extra year of 3.5.

[Ross Stonefeld]

They're rather stay in GP2 because it is faster than F1 now!

 

 

That's a bit of an exaggeration...

[Rob]

Because they followed the Sospiri Career Path.  I.e. stay long enough in a formula until anyone that's any good has moved up or out, and then glom the title through sheer experience.  See also Marko Asmer, Randy LaJoie.

 

You still have a to be a reasonably good driver to do that. Not necessarily a great one, but a bad driver with experience won't ever win a title at the level of GP2. Vince's problem was that he stepped up to F3000 too early in his career. He went straight from Formula Vauxhall Lotus to F3000. An exceptionally talented driver would be fine, but Vince was never a Fangio or a Senna and I think a couple of years doing F3 would have prepared him much better for F3000.

[billm99uk]

I wonder it would be worthwhile to limit drivers to three years in GP2 now? Of course, the teams would never go for it, they'd have to drop their prices, but.if its supposed to producing F1 stars...

Edited by billm99uk, 29 March 2014 - 23:06.

[Requin]

I wonder it would be worthwhile to limit drivers to three years in GP2 now? Of course, the teams would never go for it, they'd have to drop their prices, but.if its supposed to producing F1 stars...

 

That's the thing. It was not designed to produce F1 stars. It was designed to make money for Bernie by giving the illusion that it is the best path to F1.

[chumma]

Money talks.