planetf1.com

So with all regular-season championships done and dusted (to my knowledge), it's time to start talking about 2018. Isn't it?

Sadly, FV8 3.5 has ran its last season. This once great racing series (under Formula Nissan, FR3.5 guises mainly) has been destroyed by the FIA.

That leaves F2 as the only big feeder series. Below it, we have GP3 which will run its last season, as it will merge with F3 in 2019.

High-profile driver changes for F2:
- Leclerc to leave the series as champion (we'll keep an eye on the Sauber announcements of the coming weeks )
- Lando Norris to drive for Carlin, teammate of Sette Camara
- de Vries and Gelael to drive for Prema

Prema's choice of drivers is very weird this year. You could make a case for de Vries as second best rookie, but Gelael is baffling. Not enough talent, too good a team for him.


Nothing much has been decided on GP3 or F3 seats for now. One thing to watch is where dominant GP3 champ and Mercedes junior George Russell will end up. F2 probably, but where?

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

With the F2 cars changing dramatically next year, I think it will be interesting to see how the field resets itself - experience in the series shouldn't be worth much, so I'm hoping to see some promising rookies (Norris!) fighting for the title right from the start.

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PF1 TOP THREE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): 2017: 2nd| 2015: 1st
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Galeal is trying his best to buy his way into F1 by going to Prema but as Fouco has shown you still need a certain level of talent.

I wouldn't be too surprised to see Russell staying with ART.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

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2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

with F3 and GP3 merging next year if you're not picked up by a young driver or sponsors you can just about forget a career in single seater racing after F4. We will just be looking at a few bright talents that fit the right profile/come from the right country versus a load of privately financed no hopers.

There's only the bottom half of the formula Renault ladder left... I guess FR2.0 Euro is still somewhat of a step up from national F4 series. In any case the expensive series have won thanks to the FIA, so that will make it harder for those without big budgets.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

I don't understand when we see drivers getting picked up from karting why you think they will not get picked up from F4 or FR2.0?

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

The reality is that most drivers are not "picked up" and depend on sponsors to go racing. It gets increasingly expensive with each step, so evidently harder for those that are not loaded or haven't been enrolled in a junior programme.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

Is this not the chicken and the egg, how do you think that drivers are able to race in the first place?

Vandoorne got picked up by McLaren after winning the FR2.0 title, also all this angst for FR3.5 but drivers were not getting picked up by F1 teams anyway, all the drivers that went from FR3.5 to F1 were already sponsored by F1 teams, drivers like Vettel, Alguersari, Ricciardo, Vergne, Magnussen and Sainz.

What did winning the FR3.5 title do for Rowland apart from getting him into GP2 and now apparently he's off to Japan having turned down the Prema F2 seat, he knows that ultimately he doesn't have the backing for F1, however a proper ladder system were the best drivers get promoted would see drivers like Rowland getting a better chance of F1, this is the ideal of Ross Brawn.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

Fine, then keep defending skyhigh costs just because you've always been an F2 supporter over FR3.5.

I'm done here.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

I think you miss the point that if you can't afford to race in F2 then you are never going to afford to race in F1, and this thought that drivers were finding a cheaper back door into F1 wasn't happening, ask the likes of Wickens, Frijns and now Rowland.

Why do you choose to overlook Brawn's statement that he wants future drivers to make it into F1 based on talent rather than money, he wants the best drivers not the best funded drivers, also the best way to determine the best drivers is not to have fragmented racing series.

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

So... It didn't happen on a consistent basis so let's eliminate the possibility altogether and artifically kill the series by flexing muscles in a huge conflict of interest.

It's baffling how you can even condone this.



Must be only in your head that "selection based on talent rather than money" goes hand in hand with promoting THE most expensive series. I mean, effin' Gelael is at Prema next year. Would like to see you working that one out.

Also, I have a bridge to sell you.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

No it didn't happen on a consistent basis as in once in a blue moon, so the system was broke yet you think it worked perfectly alright.

Galeal is still basically a product of the old system you must think that Brawn is a miracle worker and he can change things overnight?

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

That's you putting words in my mouth AGAIN. I said FR3.5 had a right to exist as it did, for many years, coexist just fine with GP2.



OK. Please tell me how the fact that only the most expensive (by a huge margin) top feeder series remains, will help those who have small budgets.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

Ok so what is he actually going to do?

If you don't have the budget to race at the highest level in the junior series then you will never have the budget to race in F1, and winning the FR3.5 title never bridged that gap, I don't know how many different ways I have to say that?

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

I can only go through the basics of what he said like having a proper structured ladder that a driver progresses along and the only access to F1 is through F2 so you can't do a Stroll and simply buy your way in.

He also said the system would promote talent over budget, he wants the best drivers for F1 not the ones with the most money, so we are left with what we think that may all involve?

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PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

At least it gave people a chance to display there talents. Even if it didn't get them to F1 it at least got them in the shop window for something else. Now that chance has gone. You'll need to be a millionaire to do F3.

So a whole lot of empty words then and no actual action. We all want that. It's how it's achieved. Honestly do you see how taking away cheaper options helps less funded drivers? F2 will be one every year by well funded, decent drivers that can afford to do it for 4 or 5 years. Even someone who could scrape funding for a year won't stand a chance.

The ladder doesn't start at F3 though, also we don't know what the future budgets will be when F3 merges with GP3?

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

It's going to follow the F1 circus so it will be expensive. How much attention do you get in F4?

Which less funded drivers have got to F1 through either F3 or FR3.5?

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

That's not the point. This makes it harder for even the ones who do manage to scrape some funding. Just because it's hard already doesn't mean making it harder is a good thing.

Maybe enough from the likes of Ross Brawn?

Vandoorne got snapped up by McLaren after winning the FR2.0 title, Red Bull have just signed up some teenage karters, drivers get noticed before F3.

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

I'll give you a clue... more demand for less seats isn't going to equal cheaper seats.

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PF1 PICK 10 COMPETITION (4 wins, 14 podiums): 2017: 19th| 2016: 3rd| 2015: 4th
PF1 TOP THREE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): 2017: 2nd| 2015: 1st
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 United States Champion! (world #2)

You seem to be arguing for something that doesn't even work in the first place?

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

That depends on what system may be used, there might be a vetting process, I'm just putting that out there?

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

Until there is it is worth nothing and there is no evidence that there will be.

Red Bull is showing no mercy once again. Just recently Niko Kari just got dropped 2 months ago. Now promising driver Richard Verschoor just got the axe from their development program.

Helmut is getting tough with their young driver program.

https://www.motorsport.com/frenault/new ... tus-984902

But he was kind of crap this year, do you expect them to keep everyone on out of the goodness of their hearts or what? Kari hasn't been impressing, either. Honestly, I more often wonder why RB back the juniors they do for so long than why they drop them.

If it was my junior programme I would allow them one mediocre year. Especially if the year before had been as good as Verschoor's 2016.

Lots of very good drivers in F1 at one year in the junior series where they struggled a bit. Even Hamilton.

I probably would too. Not too sure about the comptetiveness of Spanish and SMP F4, though.

The other thing is the Verschoor beat Verhagen in the FR2.0 championship last year but Verhagen is retained.

I do think that they have dropped him quite early from the program, drivers at that level often need 2 years to leave a mark, I'm looking at F1 drivers like Vandoorne, Ocon and Gasly.

It's not just experience but also being in the right team, It's curious how Red Bull don't put their drivers in what you might call the best teams, look at GP3, ART are the best team but for some reason Nico Kari gets placed in another team for 2 years.

Next season Verschoor is staying in FR2.0 but changing teams which should see him in a better car, in some respects he has more control over his career provided he has the necessary backing.

In regards to Verhagen it's his first season of European racing hence why perhaps he's been given a little longer to prove himself?

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

If the stated reason for Ticktum chosing Euro F3 (with Motopark) over GP3 for 2018 - see respective autosport.com article - is true, another reason for more variety in feeder categories surfaces: apparently, he cannot do GP3 because he has Red Bull simulator duties on F1 race weekends ...

You've posted this twice, do you think Red Bull would stop Ticktum competing in GP3 because of simulator work if they was no other alternative?

F3 and GP3 presently are roughly at the same level anyway.

_________________
PF1 Pick 10 Competition

2013: 5th Place
2014: Champion
2015: 3rd Place
2016: 4th Place
2017: 9th Place
2018: Currently 1st

Wins: Canada 2018, Abu Dhabi 2017
Podiums: (6)

It just shows yet another advantage of having more feeder series than the one's on F1's support bill.

I know very little about Lando, other than the reserve driver bit.

I've also heard that Stroll's dad blocked him at one of the F2 teams - is that true?

Seems a bit weird if so!

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Should I grow a beard?

It is indeed rumoured (though not confirmed IIRC) that Stroll's father blocked Norris at Prema. He is one of the major shareholders of Prema though (again, IIRC), so he gets his say I suppose.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!

Seems even stranger then if true - if you're a shareholder wouldn't you want the best driver you could get? (assuming Lando is a decent driver, I know nothing about him)

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Should I grow a beard?

After Leclerc, Norris is easily the most promising driver in the junior series at the moment.
I just have one theory, but I'm not sure because it's so unusual for this to happen. But I can only think Stroll is trying to protect his son in F1 by trying to keep other talented young drivers out of the good seats so they have a harder time to reach F1.

And in saying that, I also hope I'm dead wrong and there's a perfectly fine explanation for it, because this would be a pathetic way of handling things.

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Go Vandoorne - Verstappen - Vettel!