A typical criticism amongst followers of Method 1’s predominant feeder sequence, Method 2 and Method 3, is that drivers hardly ever get the prospect to progress into race seats within the high tier. Championship-winning abilities have typically been pressured to take a seat on the sidelines in a reserve capability and wait till a longtime identify retires.
This was particularly evident within the low season final yr, when there have been no modifications to the F1 grid in anyway. However fast-forward 12 months and the grid could have a really completely different search for 2025, with at the very least 4 contemporary faces set to function. What these already confirmed – Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Oliver Bearman (Haas) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – all have in frequent is their time spent climbing the established ladder.
With this in thoughts, it ought to be acknowledged that this piece could have appeared considerably completely different had been it written on the similar time final time period, such is the character of recency bias. To come back to a conclusion on the matter, Motorsport.com spoke to a wide range of sources with in-depth expertise of the system to think about their opinions.
The boss
Because the CEO of F2 and F3, Bruno Michel will at all times put a optimistic spin on the subject of whether or not the system works in its present guise. However a key think about assessing whether or not the system is damaged is knowing the metric by which success, and equally failure, is measured.
Explaining this, Michel tells Motorsport.com: “On the finish of the day, an important factor for us is to guarantee that the drivers that shall be in Method 1 are prepared for Method 1. That’s our job and that’s the place you’ll be able to see that the pyramid is working as a result of when drivers are attending to Method 1, they’re prepared.”
Whereas it’s largely true that drivers making the step up have been prepared for F1, it stays the case that not all champions or different high expertise are capable of make the leap for one purpose or one other.
One such instance was arguably Logan Sargent, who struggled at Williams earlier than being dropped halfway by means of 2024 with Franco Colapinto stepping up from the junior class.
Believing that the distinction in automobile specification and philosophy from F2 to F1 at that time had performed a component – F2 having then run the identical automobile since 2019 and F1 shifting to ground-effect know-how in 2022 – the American informed Motorsport.com: “F2 is a superb sequence that has nice drivers, however I feel the hole between the vehicles might be a bit too huge for what it ought to be.
F2 boss Michel says drivers who do get the prospect to race in F1 are well-prepared, however the issue is extra all the way down to restricted alternatives
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photos
“There are simply so many extra high quality particulars in F1, and there is simply so many extra issues that add into efficiency than simply getting within the automobile and driving such as you do in F2.”
Given the disparity in equipment, Liam Lawson’s transfer to Tremendous Method – a class with larger technical complexity – was wanted earlier than he was deemed F1-ready.
After the weird 2023 winter which noticed no low season driver modifications in anyway – a primary for F1 – as troublesome as the present Dallara F2 automobile is to familiarize yourself with, the closer-to-F1 philosophy has clearly showcased sure attributes in drivers that bosses within the high tier wanted to see so as to confidently give fast promotions up the ladder.
F2’s earlier title winners from 2023 and 2022, Theo Pourchaire and Felipe Drugovich, are with out everlasting race seats in any class, whereas even Oscar Piastri was pressured to spend a yr on the sidelines at Alpine earlier than his messy swap to McLaren alongside Lando Norris for 2023.
“Method 1 has [for now] bought 20 seats and a few years there are seats out there, and a few years there aren’t, it’s quite simple,” Michel provides. “We have now had years previously the place there are three drivers going to Method 1 in the identical season – it was [George] Russell, Norris and [Alex] Albon [in 2019]. The yr earlier than, we had Charles Leclerc, two years after, we had Oscar Piastri, so when there’s a seat out there.”
Of Pourchaire’s scenario, he says: “I’d be pleased to see him with a full-time seat. Proper now, he doesn’t have one, so generally it’s the profession selection of the drivers as properly and I can’t intervene with that. They do what they need to do.”
“A few of them have determined that it’s much less of a danger to take an skilled driver than to take a brand new one” Bruno Michel
Nonetheless, on the particular examples of Pourchaire and Drugovich, it ought to be famous that the duo took three and 4 years respectively to achieve the F2 summit, a timeframe that isn’t typically appeared on favourably by F1 groups, which require drivers that may are available in and make a direct influence.
Of the 2025 graduates, whereas solely Bortoleto – or Isack Hadjar ought to Crimson Bull elect to put him at RB – stand an opportunity of being promoted to F2 with the title of their pocket, all have proven race-winning tempo and a capability to rapidly adapt to new equipment. Within the fast-paced world of recent F1 the place the rewards are so nice, there may be merely not time for a studying yr whereas occupying a race seat.
The variety of graduates making the full-time leap instantly from F2 to F1 subsequent season is important. Michel concedes younger drivers want “luck” on their facet to be ready to make the swap because the market “regulates”, with a few of the previous guard leaving to create house.
The fast success of younger drivers similar to Piastri and Bearman, in his three one-off outings at Ferrari and Haas, seems to have given groups larger confidence in up-and-coming stars quite than counting on the ‘protected’ skilled arms, with new faces set to function from the entrance of the grid to the again in 2025.
The 2023 F2 champion Theo Pourchaire shall be a reserve driver for the Peugeot WEC squad in 2025
Photograph by: Peugeot Sport
“It’s a steadiness and at some factors, it’s true, there are some drivers that aren’t so thrilling for F1 groups and so they choose to go for skilled drivers,” Michel displays. “However when you might have a younger man arriving and being extraordinarily promising, OK, perhaps he’ll value you a number of factors in his first season as a result of it’s his first season.
“However [Fernando] Alonso began at one level, Lewis [Hamilton] began at one level – all of them did. I bear in mind Max [Verstappen]’s first season in Method 1 was not really easy.
“Since a place within the [constructors’] championship is price fairly some huge cash, they need to guarantee that they optimise their likelihood to get a powerful place and a few of them have determined that it’s much less of a danger to take an skilled driver than to take a brand new one.
“However this additionally has a restrict, and in some unspecified time in the future, one thing like what Ollie did in Jeddah [happens] and [he] made one-third of the F1 grid look previous.”
The crew view
Within the second tier alone, Prema boss Rene Rosin has seen six drivers progress to F1 since his squad joined the grid of F2’s forerunner GP2 in 2016. This quantity will develop to eight subsequent time period, when Bearman and Antonelli land their full-time seats. Actually, one-quarter of the 2024 grid could have graduated from the Prema GP2/F2 effort.
However given the hit-and-miss nature of the driving force market in recent times and with the present window showing distinctive given the dearth of motion in earlier years, it’s truthful to ask Rosin outright if the system might be thought-about damaged.
“To say that it’s damaged is a giant, huge phrase,” he replies. “I feel in precept, the system works. However after all, we at all times have the query of time as there may be not at all times house in Method 1.
“You have got drivers which have multiple-year contracts, and if yearly it’s essential to proceed changing them, it’s not attainable. So it’s only a query of timing.
“There are some drivers not in Method 1 that should be there. However extra of the problem is a query of timing, as there should not at all times locations out there. With 20 vehicles in Method 1, it’s fairly troublesome that yearly yow will discover areas.
“There are years like three, 4 years in the past when you might have areas and years the place you might have none. However after all, this isn’t an indication that the system is damaged.
This yr’s Prema F2 drivers, Antonelli and Bearman, will each have full-time F1 seats subsequent yr
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photos
“Saying the system is damaged, no. I feel we see that it’s working fairly properly from Method 4, Method 3, Method 2 and Method 1, and all of the drivers which can be passing by means of are prepared to leap into Method 1.”
The drivers
We now come to an important folks within the dialog, the drivers, for it’s their profession that might in the end fly or flop based mostly on the well being of the prevailing system. At this stage, it ought to be famous that each one 20 present F1 drivers have featured in F2, F3 or the equal that was round on the time of their junior profession (Fernando Alonso is the one incumbent on the grid who raced in Method 3000, the predecessor to GP2). Prefer it or not, this can be a signal of a profitable system – a view that McLaren’s Piastri shares.
Whereas Max Verstappen didn’t function in both F2 or F3, European F3 and GP3 mixed forward of the 2019 season to create F3 so, whereas not on the F1 help invoice, he nonetheless featured on the identical pathway.
“F2 and F3 are very aggressive with loads of proficient drivers on the grid in order that naturally pushes and drives you,” he tells Motorsport.com. “That competitors is the most important factor. Racing on sure F1 race weekends additionally helps and permits you to showcase what you are able to do across the similar circuit. From a racing perspective, it introduces you to components like driving on completely different tyre compounds all through a weekend.”
“It’s an distinctive sequence, offering a lot alternative on the principle stage…there’s no hiding away from something” Jack Doohan
Reflecting on his yr out of racing in a reserve capability with Alpine, he provides: “F1 is a special beast when it comes to all of the off-track components however my yr as reserve driver gave me the prospect to see that facet of issues, which was useful. On-track, it’s completely different equipment with completely different calls for and you must be ready for that.
“Everybody has their very own pathway however I’m clearly pleased with my journey and success within the junior classes and delighted that it led me to F1, which was at all times the dream. I nonetheless maintain a detailed eye on F2 and F3 races now.”
Doohan will make his F1 debut in Abu Dhabi this weekend as a precursor to a full-time race seat subsequent yr. The Australian spent two years in every of F3 and F2, ending second general in his ultimate marketing campaign within the former, whereas managing third within the latter final season.
Regardless of taking 10 race wins throughout the mixed 4 campaigns – 4 of the six in F2 coming in function races – Doohan’s F1 hopes had appeared to many as slim to none earlier than the drastic shakeup this yr, one thing that has given him a rounded opinion on what the sequence provide.
Like Piastri, Doohan can even contest his rookie season in F1 after a yr as Alpine’s reserve driver
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photos
“It’s robust,” he explains. “Method 1 is one thing that’s so troublesome to get into and really easy to get out of. You’ll be able to spend – like me – seven years to get in from the second you step right into a single-seater automobile. Six years of racing to get into Method 1 and in case you’re not performing, like we’ve seen with even Nyck [de Vries] and different drivers, you might be out in a matter of races.
“So it’s no simple feat however Method 3 and Method 2 positively, with out them, I wouldn’t have hit actuality, I wouldn’t have needed to actually hit all-time low a number of occasions to bounce again and actually get me to the place I’m at present.
“It’s an distinctive sequence, offering a lot alternative on the principle stage. There’s no hiding away from something. All the things is seen and whenever you’re performing, it’s the world’s neatest thing. However whenever you’re not, you would like you can simply disguise away, however the actuality is that you must face these fears and take the great with the dangerous. It actually simply shapes you into enabling us to prepare for this step, which I’m so grateful that each one that has paid off.”
Requested simply how the 2 championships put together drivers in a structured method that builds in direction of F1, he says: “Alright, you don’t get the pit stops in F3, however you get a 30-car subject combating for one piece of monitor in qualifying with all of the drivers eager to have a three-second hole between vehicles to have a little bit of clear air. It’s simply not going to occur.
“In order that shapes you, preparing for site visitors administration, discovering place, with the ability to get the automobile prepared and the tyres prepared in that out and heat lap whereas having to cease and decelerate to 30kph to seek out that monitor place that you simply want after which just remember to have the entrance tyres prepared for Flip 1.
“It’s placing you in uncomfortable circumstances and troublesome environments, by which you must excel if you wish to carry out and qualify properly. This will get you prepared for one thing that, really, whenever you get to Method 1, it’s extra simple when you might have tyre heaters and 20 vehicles.
“I may go lots extra into depth however the pyramid, the ladder, the best way they’ve structured it, the best way it’s carried out and is meant to be taken is phenomenal.”
Motorsport.com sought to talk with each Drugovich and Pourchaire to get their ideas on the system after to date lacking out on F1 seats, however neither was keen to talk on the subject.
De Vries lastly landed a full-time seat in F1 4 years after successful the 2019 F2 title, however was dropped after simply 10 grands prix in 2023
Photograph by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Photos
Newly crowned-F3 champion Leonardo Fornaroli, who will race for the Invicta F2 crew in 2025, tells Motorsport.com: “They’re two superb sequence. You’re studying loads driving the F2 vehicles, particularly on the race administration and tyre administration, which in Method 1 is super-important. And subsequent yr, we could have the pitstop as properly – a primary time for me – so will probably be a brand new factor to be taught and I can’t watch for this.”
Does Cadillac change issues?
F1 has had simply 20 seats out there since Manor’s departure on the finish of 2016. This quantity is a far cry from years passed by, when pre-qualifying was wanted to whittle the entries all the way down to 30 vehicles that will battle for 26 locations on the beginning grid.
Whereas anticipating a return of these heady days is unrealistic, lately a deal in precept was agreed that can see Cadillac be part of as an eleventh crew for 2026, including two additional seats into the combination.
It’s all good and properly with the ability to counsel that one thing is damaged or, at the very least, doesn’t perform in addition to it may do, however the troublesome factor is discovering methods to enhance the system
Talking forward of the latest Qatar weekend, American F2 driver Jak Crawford spoke with measured pleasure concerning the alternatives this might create.
“I’d hope that with the addition of a brand new Method 1 crew, after all, there are solely two extra seats out there however that’s quite a bit for F1 so as to add two extra seats,” the Aston Martin junior remarked. “In order that’s two extra drivers that shall be both transferring up [or across].
“It’s simply two extra seats which can be out there for F2 and F3 drivers. After all, we’re going to have lots of rookies in F1 subsequent yr from F2 however the earlier yr, there was solely Logan [Sargeant], so hopefully, we’ll see that placing much more Method 2 drivers up on the Method 1 grid.”
Whereas it’s a good thought that each seats shall be open to drivers climbing the ladder, it’s possible that just one place could be open to a rookie, with an skilled challenger positioned within the lead function. With Mario Andretti – a newly appointed board member of Basic Motor’s racing programme – stating that signing IndyCar driver Colton Herta is a “precedence”, it may properly be that neither place is open to these on the well-trodden pathway.
Two extra seats will open up when Cadillac joins the grid in 2026, however one might be for IndyCar ace Herta leaving fewer possibilities for F2/F3 graduates
Photograph by: Cadillac Communications
What might be improved?
It’s all properly and good to counsel that one thing is damaged or, at the very least, doesn’t perform in addition to it may do. However the harder factor is discovering methods to enhance the system.
Whereas compiling this considerably prolonged undertaking, Motorsport.com requested interviewees the place such positive factors might be made, however there have been few ideas till we spoke with present F2 championship chief Bortoleto.
He mentioned: “I’m undecided I like the dash race system. I feel it makes the weekend nice, it’s extra enjoyable, however perhaps change the dash race to make it the function race on Saturday.
“On the finish of the day, lots of issues can occur – you do quali, it’s essential to make your automobile as quick as attainable and also you go straight to the function race with no data of the dash race earlier than, so it’s essential to go with out the expertise.
“I’d perhaps swap sides, so do the alternative with dash on Sunday and the function on Saturday – or perhaps do two qualifyings and two races.”
Underneath the present system in each F2 and F3, the dash races function {a partially} reversed grid, giving drivers the chance to both showcase their capability to steer from the entrance or struggle by means of the pack – an expertise the function race would give the alternative of.
However on tracks the place overtaking is troublesome, though it develops extra abilities in preparation for F1, it will possibly alter the championship image drastically.
“I by no means stopped to consider this, however that’s perhaps one thing I’d change,” Bortoleto provides. “As a result of the dash race can nonetheless offer you lots of factors, and there are some tracks that it’s inconceivable to overhaul on, like Monaco.”
On a Saturday F2 drivers will contest a dash race, the place the highest 10 from qualifying will begin within the reverse order – in F3 it’s the high 12
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Motorsport.com says
When getting down to produce this function earlier within the yr, this author was of the mindset that seems to be extensively shared, at the very least by these vocal on social media, that the system is both damaged or is in want of some tweaking on the very least. However then the F1 modifications for 2025 occurred, and immediately the backyard appears inexperienced as soon as once more.
Neither Michel nor Rosin had been ever going to talk in poor health of the system that they each work exhausting on of their respective capacities, so there was some studying between the strains required when talking to each.
But it surely in the end can’t be denied that with 22 F2 drivers, 20 present F1 abilities and a handful of others from world wide all vying for the restricted seats on the grid, having an enormous shuffle to accommodate the highest F2 drivers annually is solely by no means going to occur.
Even with Cadillac’s arrival, alternatives should not immediately going to grow to be as plentiful as some want to assume. Even including a twelfth crew would probably ease issues for one yr, earlier than the inevitable backlog turns into rapidly evident as soon as once more.
However flip the dialog round and you’re confronted with a special query. Is it actually such a foul factor that there’s an excessive amount of top-level expertise for F1 to subject?
The reply is a categorical no. In soccer, the efficiency degree within the Premier League has risen exponentially since its inception in 1992, with the overflow of expertise benefitting the decrease English leagues and competitions round Europe.
Return to motorsport, and if drivers are unable to realize an F1 seat, they’ll look to IndyCar, the World Endurance Championship, Method E or any variety of different top-level competitions to realize alternatives and enhance the extent throughout the board – one thing that ought to be celebrated.
So lastly, is the pyramid system damaged? No. Is it excellent? No. However is it as near excellent as we’re going to get? Just about.
Is there a extra viable resolution to getting younger expertise into F1?
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
On this article
Sam Corridor
Method 1
FIA F2
FIA F3
Jack Doohan
Oscar Piastri
Gabriel Bortoleto
Be the primary to know and subscribe for real-time information e-mail updates on these subjects
Subscribe to information alerts
