Top 5 best rising stars for F1

[runshaw]

Regarding Dean Smith Goforpole- Judge him on both i'd say. We all know he's beaten F3 winners Turvey, Bird, Breen and Legris to a major title very comfortably in just his second season of racing. He also thrashed Christodolou/Buzaid in FR last year and scored 4 more poles than Tappy who was champion. He was on top in Italian FR winter tests last year, but he has often been running in the top 6 in the Eurocup this year when things have gone wrong. He qualified 2nd twice at Silverstone this year, only man close to Bottas and Ricciardo, but was stripped due to a technicality. He apparently stunned the paddock with a drive from 42nd on the grid to 18th in race 1, then drove from 42nd again to 16th in race 2 setting the 2nd fastest lap. He finished 2nd on his NEC debut in 2007, ahead of Bottas.

[Albeckinho]

Well, Bottas has suffered a lot from technical problems in Eurocup and as well from Motopark's errors like giving him illegal car etc. so without that, Bottas COULD be the champion already but the thing is, we're gonna find out who's the champion in matter of days and I hope he's Bottas.

[Go_For_Pole]

Yeah ok, i am not saying his season was a waste, but still there was no wow factor as beating Ericsson in a F3 one off would suggest. The good news is that Smith will benefit massively from his experience, as Turvey very evidently did.

[runshaw]

I think beating Ericsson convincingly was a great result as everone knows how good Marcus is. But I agree, I assume if Smith does British F3 he will be in the hunt for the title, as he has been in the hunt for 2 major titles in the 4 years he has raced up to now already, he knows how to string a season together.

[runshaw]

Does anyone think Christian Vietoris can become hot property? His career path is similar to Hulkenberg's.

[Albeckinho]

Well, Vietoris beat Mäki in FBMW so he has potential but he should really be in top-3, preferably champion in F3ES next year. Otherwise I don't see him become any sort of candidate for F1. If he doesn't flop completely, Weber will still push him to GP2 in 2010 so... Hard to say.

[JOWT Blog]

There are quite a few junior formula fans that believe Alexander Rossi has a bright future ahead of him. Due to the numbers in Formula BMW Americas this year, he didn't get a whole lot of attention.

If things go as planned he will have a much better chance to prove himself in 2009.

[N.A-D.R]

Originally Posted by Albeckinho

Well, Bottas has suffered a lot from technical problems in Eurocup and as well from Motopark's errors like giving him illegal car etc. so without that, Bottas COULD be the champion already but the thing is, we're gonna find out who's the champion in matter of days and I hope he's Bottas.

Yeah he has had some, but hes not the only driver to have car problems too. Ricciardo missed 2 races this year from engine failures before the race even started and wasn't allowed to enter practise sessions on thursday and friday at the nurburgring because they wouldn't let him because he raced F3 a few weeks before it at the same track and they said it would of given him an advantage on everyone.
Merhi has been very consitant through the whole season pretty much and that is why he is in there still in it for the championship. Hes also very fast and is in great form. Hes sorta like the Kubica in this battle, and Bottas and Ricciardo are the Massa and Hamilton.

[Albeckinho]

Well, Ricciardo driving in F3 race at Nurburgring was against the rules so he deserved to be punished and they were considering even disqualifying him from the series.

[N.A-D.R]

That is true, lucky they didn't disqualify him. But i highly doubted they would though, a ban from all practice sessions was fair enough.


Oh and i forgot 2 drivers. Jules Bianchi. Super dooper quick, wouldn't be suprised if he is testing an F1 car by a year or 2. I also rate Ranger Van Der Zande highly, quick and is most of the time beating his team-mates everywhere, but i dunno if he is F1 quality, will be interesting to see him in GP2.

[Albeckinho]

What about Dani Clos? I don't rate him very high but still, his progress is very good, he's had test with Williams and is likely going to have another (if Williams doesn't fold before it) later this year and next year he is likely going to be iSport's second driver alongside Van Der Garde so you have to give him credit for that.

[N.A-D.R]

Yeah Dani Clos is a good rising young talent. I hope he can get a seat for GP2 Asia with BCN, so he can get experiance for if he does GP2 Main series with Isport. His last race in f3 euro he got 2nd, it just shows what an F1 test does for a driver.

[N.A-D.R]

To update mine because my other was not proper, This time i put more thought into it.

1. Ricciardo: Young, Fast, Talented, Australian. :P He has just kicked off his career and was dominating the Formula Renault series untill resent drama has lost his championship lead with the final round this weekend, he will win the championship.
2. Ericsson: F1 driver in the making, as long as he has the budget and doesn't screw up his career, he will be an F1 driver in a few years.
3. Pic: Watch this guy, he might just be a guy who will be one of the best young guns out there.
4. Bianchi: Super fast, His F3 results this year just shows it. He will be one to watch for sure.
5. Van der Zande: This guy is one of the best when he has his hands on a fast car. He is very compeditive with a top 5 car in f3 euro, if you give him a top car, he will deliver and show what he has.

There is like 100 other drivers you could add.

[bella]

following some serious thought:

1. alguersuari - this season he couldn't have done much better. he's shown very few weaknesses.
2. clos - i've been really impressed with his fighting spirit this year. perhaps the euroseries race format has enhanced the need for it, but i think him no longer being supported by rdd could be the making of him as a driver.
3. bianchi - lead brilliantly at zolder and has picked up a few wins. looking forward to a world dominating title challenge next year in the euroseries. a good bet for macau victory?
4. ericsson - if his talent is nurtured correctly, and he doesn't get pushed along too quickly he could be really really good.
5. gutierrez - bit like ericsson. if someone puts him in the correct series and assists the learning process at a decent speed it could get very interesting.

[kerrmanningjarv]

My (very difficult to choose) top 5 is:

1. Lucas di Grassi - drove very well in GP2 this year, seems nailed on for a Renault seat unless Nelsinho puts in some great drives in China and Brazil.

2. Romain Grosjean - impetulent but very quick, I think he is weiting in the wings to see how the di Grassi situation plays out.

3. Bruno Senna - should have won the GP2 title and, if he did, maybe #1 on the list now... but looks like an F1 race seat for next year is unlikely so perhaps he will be just a tester.

4. Nico Huelkenberg - was very strong in A1GP and in the year and a half since that, has developed even more. Strong in F3 Euroseries the last 2 years, winning the title in 2008 (even though maybe he should have done a bit better) - I would like to see him and Grosjean together at ART in GP2 in 2009.

5. Kamui Kobayashi - has Toyota backing, which will help his career prospects, but has been super-quick in GP2 testing and, if he can translate that to race performances in GP2 Asia and Europe over the next year, he would probably be in line to drive for Toyota in 2010 on merit rather than just because he's in their scheme.

[Croc]

Originally Posted by N.A-D.R

Yeah Dani Clos is a good rising young talent. I hope he can get a seat for GP2 Asia with BCN, so he can get experiance for if he does GP2 Main series with Isport. His last race in f3 euro he got 2nd, it just shows what an F1 test does for a driver.

Personally, i think his test is more related to the fact that Williams may be planning to raise funds in Spain than to Clos' hability.

I mean, in his first year in F3 Euro Clos finished behind all his 3 team mates, in 13th. This year, he's in 14th and Renger van der Zande, who's his team mate, was 4th overall until the last round with more than double of Clos' points. He might be experiencing some bad luck, but it's certainly not that much to justify his poor results.

I think iSport should sign Alguersuari instead of Clos, he sure deserves it...he has proven himself to be a very mature and competitive driver this year.

[Ssom]

1. Bottas - This man is simply a machine. This man has "The new Kimi" written all over him
2. Kobayahsi - From what I've seen the Japanese driver who will pick up the torch from Sato
3. Bamber - To move up to a car with twice the power in storm conditions and put it one the podium twice (That being the step up from FR V6 Asia/Formula Master to A1GP) takes a lot of talent
4. Hulkenberg - Though I think his progress has rapidly slowed since his breakout in A1GP
5. Either one of Alguersauri or Hartley - Whichever one proves to be the better driver next year will be next in line for Red Bulls F1 programme.

[Felixr]

1. Valtteri Bottas
2. Marcus Ericsson
3. Earl Bamber
4. Daniel Ricciardo
5. Antonio Felix da Costa

[Shadow]

1. Hulkenberg
2. Hartley
3. Bamber
4. Van der Drift
5. Bottas
6. Maki

[strider]

.

[Teretonga]

Hulkenberg
Bamber
Hartley
Jaime Alg.
Van der Drift
Ricciardo
Maki

[Blitzer]

1. Jules Bianchi
2. Valtteri Bottas
3. Nicolas Hülkenberg
4. Charles Pic
5. Esteban Gutierrez

[Peralta]

Funny no one mentioned that quick Italian F3 Champion who tested the F1 car in Mugello and went quicker than Massa and Raikonen lol.

[gomick]

And where is Mirko in 2009? As for Hulkenberg, will he deliver this year....

[runshaw]

Mirko is in F2. Hulkenberg managed to finish 6th in GP2 Asia this year which is pretty good considering he missed 8 races. I assume his results will pick up in the main series this year after a not so great start in Barcelona. Time will tell!