In what has become a UpdateF1 tradition it is time once again for our exclusive ‘Stars of Tomorrow’. The 2010 version is coming at the beginning on March as usual, but January is a time for reflection.
Rather than simply review the ten drivers from last year, this time I have gone back to where it all began, to find out what each driver that has ever appeared on the list has gone on to achieve since appearing on the list, with of course the usual review of the 2009 representatives.
The main aim of this article was to find the drivers who are going to make up the Formula One grid in years to come, and when Nico Hulkenberg take to the grid in his Williams at the start of the 2010 season, he will be come the fourth ‘Stars of Tomorrow’ driver to start a World Championship Grand Prix, and a further three who have been employed as full time test and reserve drivers in Formula One but have yet to start a Grand Prix.
Also look out for the success table at the end of this article, it details all the race wins (currently 150) and championships (currently 15) won by ‘Stars of Tomorrow’ drivers, but solely after that have appeared.
2007
10. FELIPE ALBUQUERQUE
2007 – World Series by Renault, 4th (one win) and four races in GP2
2008 – 8 races in A1GP, 8th (With Alvaro Parente) and four races in World Series by Renault
2009 – A1GP, 3rd
2010 – To be Announced
9. ALX DANIELSSON
2007 – Euro series 3000, 6th (one win), Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia, 6th (six wins)
2008 – Two races in Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia and one guest drive in Porsche Super cup.
2009 – Ferrari Challenge Scandinavia Champion (nine wins)
2010 – To be Announced
8. ROMAIN GROSJEAN
2007 – Formula Three Euro Series champion (six wins), Formula Three Macau Grand Prix, 8th and Zandvoort Masters of Formula Three at Zolder, 14th
2008 – GP2 Asia Series Champion (four wins), GP2 Series, 4th (two wins) and Renault Formula one Test driver
2009 – 12 races in GP2 Series, 4th (two wins) before seven races in FIA Formula 1 World Championship with Renault
2010 – To be Announced
7. SEBASTIAN HOHENTHAL
2007 – British Formula Three International Series, 9th (one win)
2008 – 16 races in British Formula Three International Series, 7th (one win)
2009 – FIA Formula Two Championship, 16th
2010 – To be Announced
6. MARO ENGEL
2007 – British Formula Three International Series, 2nd (three wins) and Zandvoort Masters of Formula Three at Zolder, 13th
2008 – DTM, no points
2009 – DTM, 12th
2010 – To be Announced
5. MARCUS ERICSSON
2007 – Formula BMW UK Champion (seven wins)
2008 – British Formula Three International Series, 5th
2009 – Japanese Formula Three Championship Champion (five wins), four races in British Formula Three International Series, 11th (two wins) and Macau Grand Prix, 4th
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with ART Grand Prix
4. SEBASTIEN BUEMI
2007 – 12 races in A1GP, 8th (with Marcel Fassler and Neel Jani) and Formula 3 Euro Series, 2nd (3 wins)
2008 – GP2 Asia Series, 2nd (one win), GP2 Series, 6th (two wins) and Formula One Test Driver with Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso.
2009 – FIA Formula 1 World Championship with Scuderia Toro Rosso
2010 – FIA Formula One World Championship with Scuderia Toro Rosso
3. MARKO ASMER
2007 – British Formula Three International Series Champion (eleven wins), eight races in Formula 3 Japan, 10th, Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, 4th and Zandvoort Masters of Formula Three at Zolder, 10th
2008 – 13 races in GP2 Series, no points and Formula One Test driver with BMW Sauber
2009 – Taking a sabbatical year after he was unable to find a seat in GP2 but was the test driver for the Superleague Formula Series.
2010 – To be Announced
2. OLIVER JARVIS
2007 – Four races in A1GP, 3rd (one win) (with Robbie Kerr and Darren Manning) and Formula 3 Japan, 3rd (three wins)
2008 – Ten races in A1GP. 3rd (one win) (with Robbie Kerr) and DTM, 13th
2009 – DTM, 9th
2010 – DTM with Audi A4 DTM 2010
1. NICO HULKENBERG
2007 – 20 races in A1GP, Champion (nine wins) (with Christian Vietoris), Formula Three Euro Series, 3rd (four wins), Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, 23rd and Zandvoort Masters of Formula Three at Zolder winner
2008 – Formula 3 Euro Series Champion (seven wins), Masters of Formula 3, 2nd and Formula One Test driver with Williams
2009 – Four races in GP2 Asia Series, 6th (one win), GP2 Series Champion (5 wins) and Formula One Test driver with Williams.
2010 – FIA Formula One World Championship with Williams
2008
10. CHARLES PIC
2008 – World Series by Renault, 6th (two wins)
2009 – World Series by Renault, 3rd (two wins)
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with Arden
9. JULES BIANCHI
2008 – Formula Three Euro Series, 3rd (two wins), Masters of Formula 3 winner and Formula Three Macau Grand Prix, 9th
2009 – Formula Three Euro Series Champion (nine wins), four races as a guest driver in British Formula Three International Series (two wins), Masters of Formula 3, 4th and Macau Grand Prix, 10th
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with ART Grand Prix, GP2 Series with ART Grand Prix and Junior driver in Formula One with Ferrari.
8. EDUARDO MORTARA
2008 – Formula Three Euro Series, 2nd (one win), Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix, 2nd and Masters of Formula Three, 15th
2009 – GP2 Series, 14th (one win), GP2 Asia Series, 11th and Macau Grand Prix Champion
2010 – To be Announced
7. SAM BIRD
2008 – Formula Three Euro Series, 11th and Masters of Formula 3, 7th
2009 – Formula Three Euro Series, 8th and Masters of Formula 3, 8th and Macau Grand Prix, 3rd
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with ART Grand Prix and GP2 Series with ART Grand Prix
6. ATTE MUSTONEN
2008 – British Formula Three International Series, 6th (one win), Formula Three Macau Grand Prix, 18th and Masters of Formula 3, 6th
2009 – Formula Three Euro Series, 19th
2010 – To be Announced
5. BRENDON HARTLEY
2008 – British Formula Three International Series, 3rd (five wins), Formula Three Macau Grand Prix, 3rd and Masters of Formula Three, 5th
2009 – 16 races in Formula Three Euro Series, 11th (one win) and 13 races in World Series by Renault, 15th and Formula One Test Driver with Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso.
2010 – To be Announced
4. CHRISTIAN VIETORIS
2008 – Eight races in A1GP, 8th (one win) (with Michael Ammermuller) and Formula Three Euro Series, 8th (one win)
2009 – Formula Three Euro Series, 2nd (four wins) and Masters of Formula Three, 7th
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with DAMS
3. JOSEF KRAL
2008 – Two races in A1GP, 19th (with Tomas Enge, Erik Janis and Filip Salaquarda) and International Formula Master, 6th (one win)
2009 – International Formula Master, 3rd (two wins)
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with Super Nova Racing
2. ROBERT WICKENS
2008 – 14 races in A1GP, 9th (one win) (with James Hinchcliffe) and World Series by Renault, 12th (one win)
2009 – FIA Formula Two Championship, 2nd (two wins) and two races in British Formula 3 International Series, 16th
2010 – To be Announced
1. MARCUS ERICSSON
2008 – British Formula Three International Series, 5th
2009 – Japanese Formula Three Championship Champion (five wins) and four races in British Formula Three International Series, 11th (two wins) and Macau Grand Prix, 4th
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with ART Grand Prix
2009
10. GABRIEL CHAVES
2009 – Formula BMW Americas, Champion (five wins)
2010 – To be Announced
I took a gamble of Gabriel due to his young age, however fourteen podiums in fourteen races, speaks for itself. No matter where he decides to race, weather it be following the European ladder to Formula One or following the American ladder to the Indy Racing League it is clear that he is going to be very, very successful.
After an impressive year, he was one of ten drivers selected to take part in the 2009 Grand Prix Shootout which aims to assess drivers from all over the world, and choose the most talented to help them all the way to Formula One, with the winner getting a fully paid up drive for Riakkonen Robertson Racing in Formula BMW Europe for 2010.
9. ALEXANDER SIMS
2009 – Formula Three Euro Series, 4th (one win), Masters of Formula Three, 5th and four races in International Formula Master
2010 – Formula Three Euroseries with ART Grand Prix
He followed up his victory in the McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year award in 2008 with a promising year in Euroseries Formula Three, where he finished fourth, and was second in the ‘Rookie of the Year’ honours to Valtteri Bottas, and fifth in the Master of Formula Three, again become second best rookie to Bottas.
It was disappointing for me, that he did not get his prize test drive with McLaren in the ‘Rookie Test’ days at Jerez but he performances in Formula Three should have done enough to rank him amongst the championship favourites in 2010, especially after his move to a multiple championship winning team.
8. VALTTERI BOTTAS
2009 – Formula Three Euro Series, 3rd, Masters of Formula Three winner, four races as a guest driver in British Formula Three International Series and Macau Grand Prix, 5th
2010 – Formula Three Euroseries with ART Grand Prix
It is highly disappointing that Valtteri failed to win a race in the European Formula Three Championship this year; however he still finished third in the championship and took the rookie of the year honours. Once race he did win is far more important than a regular series race, the Masters of Formula Three, at his first attempt.
In the past ART Grand Prix drivers who have won rookie of the year in European Formula Three and the Masters in the same year have gone on to dominate the championship the following year. Valtteri is under pressure to follow in the footsteps of Hamilton, Hulkenberg and Bianchi, but he has the best car on the grid and the talent to use it to its full devastating effect.
7. ALEXANDER ROSSI
2009 – International Formula Master, 4th (three wins)
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with Ocean Racing Technology
The 2008 Formula BMW World Champion, had his first year in Europe during 2009, and after the inevitable adjustment period he was on the pace taking three wins on his way to fourth in the championship.
He would have been won of the favourites for the 2010 International Formula Master championship, but he appears to be on the verge on a move to GP2 after competing in the Asian series for Ocean Racing Technology.
On December 1 he had his prize for winning the Formula BMW World Final, a test on the first of the “Rookie Test” days at Jerez. Due to the sale of the team, he set the seventh fastest time for Sauber rather than BMW.
6. OLIVER TURVEY
2009 – World Series by Renault, 4th (one win)
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with iSport and GP2 Series with iSport
Budget has been a major problem for Oliver in his quest to move up the ladder, but fourth place in World Series by Renault in his rookie year shows that the talent is their, and a drive at multiple GP2 Champions iSport in the Asian series will hopefully a success of his driver with the same team during the 2010 Summer where he will be under the noses of Formula One bosses, and able to let his talent shine through.
As part of his prize for winning the 2006 McLaren Autosport Award, he made his Formula One debut on December 1 when he drove for McLaren in the “Rookie Test” days setting the eleventh fastest time. He got another chance win McLaren where he was seventh fastest.
5. MARCUS ERICSSON
2009 – Japanese Formula Three Championship Champion (five wins), four races in Formula Three International Series, 11th (two wins) and Macau Grand Prix, 4th
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with ART Grand Prix
My opinion of Marcus has dropped substantially since I first featured him on the list when he was just 16. At the start of the year I said his poor decision making could cost him dire, turning down dominant Formula Three teams in Britain (Carlin) and Europe (ART) and that after joining Japans dominant team (Toyota Team TOM’S) only the Formula Three championship and the Macau Grand Prix win will do.
He successfully won the Japanese Formula Three championship and finished fourth at Macau. His efforts were rewarded when it was announced that he would get a part season in GP2 Asia with former series champions ART sharing with another Star of Tomorrow, Sam Bird, who beat him to the second seat for the main series.
His performances this year were, however, rewarded when he made his Formula One testing debut during the ‘Rookie Test’ days at Jerez driving for Champions Mercedes Grand Prix, where he set the eighth fastest time on December 1 followed by another seventh fastest time on December 2 and the eighth fastest on the last day.
4. JULES BIANCHI
2009 – Formula Three Euro Series Champion (nine wins), four races as a guest driver in British Formula Three International Series (two wins) and Masters of Formula Three, 4th
2010 – GP2 Asia Series with ART Grand Prix, GP2 Series with ART Grand Prix and Junior driver in Formula One with Ferrari.
What a year Julies had in Euroseries Formula Three. At the start of the year I predicted that he would be the champion, but his dominance was unprecedented, nine wins from twenty races with the hindrance of reverse grids, have lead to some experts to say that his season was better than Lewis Hamilton’s Euroseries Formula Three winning season in 2005, where he won fifteen out of twenty without reverse grids.
Saying that Julies is the best Formula Three driver since Lewis Hamilton (and therefore the best ever) adds a lot of pressure of him, but statistics can not lie. He now has a drive with Champion Team ART in the main GP2 series in 2010, a proving ground that will show weather or not his is as good as Hamilton.
He made his Formula One debut at the wheel of a Ferrari during the ‘Rookie Test’ at Jerez setting the fifth fastest time on December 1, he continued at Ferrari on December 2 where he was ninth fastest.
3. JAMIE ALGUERSUARI
2009 – World Series by Renault, 6th (one win) and seven races in FIA Formula 1 World Championship with Scuderia Toro Rosso
2010 – FIA Formula 1 World Championship with Scuderia Toro Rosso
I am not surprised that Jamie has made it to Formula One, but I am amazed that he has done it so quickly. Preseason I tipped him for a good year in World Series by Renault, which he had, and then for a good year in GP2 in 2010. If that happens I will happily show my backside and post it on the internet.
Jamie is now the youngest Formula One driver in history and established with Toro Rosso and that will continue into 2010 where I will be extremely disappointed if he does not become one of the youngest point’s scorers in history sometime next year.
2. ESTERBAN GUTIERREZ
2009 – Formula 3 Euro Series, 9th, four races in as a guest driver in British Formula Three International Series and Masters of Formula 3, 17th.
2010 – To be Announced
Formula Three was a big step up for Esterban but he made a good job of it. He did not win a race but appears to have done enough to keep a drive with ART Grand Prix for the 2010 season, where he will be a championship challenger.
He also won the "Gonzalo Gonchi Rodriguez Prize” for drivers of under 21 years, elected by the Latin America’s Motor Racing Journalist’s Association.
His Formula One debut cane on December 2 for Sauber, as part of his prize for winning the 2008 Formula BMW Euroseries Championship, where he set the fifth fastest time.
1. PAUL DI RESTA
2009 – DTM, 3rd (one win)
2010 – To be Announced
I put Paul into the list based on his relationship with McLaren and the speculation of a cooperation agreement between McLaren and Force India’s Formula One teams, leading to talk of a Force India or GP2 drive in the next few years.
That cooperation agreement never happened, and with the ban on in-season testing Paul’s chances of driving an Formula One car again regularly appear slim, and he will spend a successful career racing in the German DTM Touring Car series – such a shame for one of Great Britain’s best ever Formula Three drivers.
However, at the ‘Rookie Test’ days he was given an opportunity to drive for Force India, but with Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi retaining driving duties and Karun Chandhok expected to take the test role, a one off end of season test is all Paul can expect for the 2010 season.
On December 1, he set the second fastest time at the wheel of the Force India which he followed up with fourth place the following day, and another second place on the final day.
CHAMPIONSHIPS
-
GP2 Series - 1 Nico Hulkenberg (2009)
GP2 Asia Series - 1 Romain Grosjean (2008)
A1GP - 1 Nico Hulkenberg (2007)
Macau Grand Prix - 1 Eduardo Mortara (2009)
Masters of Formula Three - 3 Nico Hulkenberg (2007), Juiles Bianchi (2008), Valtteri Bottas (2009)
Formula Three Euro series - 3 Romain Grosjean (2007), Nico Hulkenberg (2008), Juiles Bianchi (2009)
British Formula Three International Series - 1 Marko Asmer (2007)
Formula Three Japan - 1 Marcus Ericsson (2009)
Formula BMW UK - 1 Marcus Ericsson (2007)
Formula BMW Americas - 1 Gabriel Chavez (2009)
Ferrari Challenge Scandinavia - 1 Alx Danielsson (2009)
RACE WINS
GP2 Series - 12 Nico Hulkenberg (5), Romain Grosjean (4), Sebastien Buemi (2), Eduardo Mortara (1)
GP2 Asia Series - 6 Romain Grosjean (4), Sebastien Buemi (1), Nico Hulkenberg (1)
A1GP - 13 Nico Hulkenberg (9), Oliver Jarvis (2), Christian Vietoris (1), Robert Wickens (1)
Formula Two - 2 Robert Wickens (2)
World Series by Renault - 8 Charles Pic (4), Felipe Albuquerque (1), Jamie Algursuari (1), Robert Wickens (1), Oliver Turvey (1)
International Formula Master - 7 Alexander Rossi (4), Josef Kral (3)
Euroseries 3000/Auto GP - 1 Alx Danielsson (1)
Formula Three Euro Series - 39 Jules Bianchi (11), Nico Hulkenberg (11), Romain Grosjean (6), Christian Vietoris (5), Sebastien Buemi (3), Brendon Hartley (1), Eduardo Mortara (1), Alexander Sims (1)
British Formula Three International Series - 26 Marko Asmer (11), Brendon Hartley (5), Maro Engel (3), Juiles Bianchi (2), Marcus Ericcson (2), Sebastian Hohenthal (2), Atte Mustonen (1)
Formula Three Japan - 8 Marcus Ericcson (5), Oliver Jarvis (3)
Formula BMW UK - 7 Marcus Ericcson (7)
Formula BMW Americas - 5 Gabriel Chaves (5)
DTM - 1 Paul Di Resta (1)
Ferrari Challenge Scandinavia - 9 Alx Danielsson (9)
Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia - 6 Alx Danielsson (6)
Written by Paul Crossling on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:55:27
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