should ex-f1 drivers be allowed to race in gp2?

[bella]

i was thinking about this. now that gp2 is evidently having a strong amount of demand for its seats, and it's looking like some drivers might miss out on gp2 who probably should be there. (i think we'll ignore the existance of drivers who have more money than talent for the moment)

should drivers who have had any f1 race experience be allowed to take part in gp2 in future seasons? what with gp2 limiting the number of seats available, is it fair that people who have already been in f1 can take a seat in a series angled a little more at the up-and-coming drivers, as it were?

[hotwheels]

In my point of view, it is good for the series and good for the sport. F1 drivers used to race in F2 in the past. The best thing should be GP2 becoming, year-by-year, if not a 100% professional drivers series, at least a series where the best driver could get a contract without having to pay for a drive. Sponsors and TV rights could help teams to sign the best guys available, no matter if they have already some experience in F1 or other major series.

[Fiorentina 1]

At first I was against this, like I am against pros participating in the olympics. But, it is good for the series, and good for the young lions that beat these ex-F1 drivers for their futures. A guy like Verstappen brings a lot of fans and press, and since he is well knows, it is good for guys like Jani & Premat to race against him and beat him.

[bella]

it is good for the series to have some established "stars", but is it good while there's a very limited number of seats? in the days of 30+ cars it wouldn't be up for discussion, or if there wasn't enough demand, but people like gimmi bruni who in reality won't get a drive in f1 again are taking up a seat.

[kipper]

I am in favour of allowing ex-F1 drivers into GP2 as it introduces a known quantity which may help to evaluate newer drivers ability/speed/etc. Also I can only imagine that drivers with limited F1 success will consider such a step (perhaps illustrated by Pantano, Bruni and Glock), as a driver who has some achievements in F1 will probably not wish to damage their reputation by a poor season in a 'lesser' formula. Therefore, in my view, the championship will continue to be fought for by promising drivers.

[Suze]

no, i think gp2 should be a feeder series for people to go *to* f1. maybe it's a little arsey of me to say people with f1 experience can't imo...but hey, life's tough.

although it does open a can of worms of "well it depends how much experience they have" which is another factor.

[Rob29]

See no problem here.In fact I would like to see a return to the original 1967 F2 rules,under which up to 6 current F1 graded drivers took part.

[Russfeld]

Its hardly like top line F1 drivers are coming in and stealing seats from the Carrolls and the Piquets is it?

[hotwheels]

Nice thread!

[BootsOntheSide]

The chances of 2006 F1 regulars being allowed by their teams to compete in GP2 races is pretty minimal - they have far too much to occupy themlseves during the race weekends, and there is always the risk of picking up an injury during a race. But as for drivers who've had a limited F1 chance but been largely ignored not beign allowed to race in GP2 and kep themselves in attention, I don't see why not. If they're not good enough, they won't get the drives. All the F3000 champions who had been in F1 previously subsequently returned to F1 and enjoyed more success there than before.

[SALEEN S7R]

Personally Im all for ex F1 drivers racing in GP2, if they are still fast and have that competitve edge then I dont see any reason as to why they shoudnt be allowed to race in the series. At the moment the series is for young up and coming talent, the guys knocking on the door of the F1 teams as well as for drivers who have lost their seats in F1 due to whatever reason whether it be a lack of budget or just not quite good enough for F1 at the time. That I think is good.

[bella]

Originally Posted by kipper

I am in favour of allowing ex-F1 drivers into GP2 as it introduces a known quantity which may help to evaluate newer drivers ability/speed/etc.

the only known quantity with people like pantano and bruni is that they weren't good enough for f1 the first time around for a reason, surely? just because they were in f1 doesn't mean they're any more able to aid the setting up of a car than someone from f3 for example.

[Craner Curves]

To be fair, they weren't good enough because they were driving very poor cars. But then that has killed the careers of many a young driver in F1 hasn't it.

[jondownunder]

Personally I see no problem with ex-F1 drivers being in GP2. As has been said, they can help raise the profile of the series and give extra cred to the youngsters who do well in GP2. With F1 having so few seats available each year to newcomers, a driver shouldn't be written off or forced to take their career stateside, just because circumstances mean they've had to drop off the top rung of the ladder. Especially when those circumstances are so often related more to sponsorship than talent.

[Mekola]

I see no problem to see ex-F1 drivers in GP2 Series. Is interesting not to see they only as a feeder series but an alternative formula for these who can't return on F1.
Other European lower formulae shown many cases of ex-F1 drivers driving in them after F2 had folded:
- In F.3000: Mike Thackwell (1985), Michael Bartels (1992), Jan Lammers (1995), Norberto Fontana (1999).
- In World Series: Enrique Bernoldi (2003-04)

[kipper]

Originally Posted by bella

the only known quantity with people like pantano and bruni is that they weren't good enough for f1 the first time around for a reason, surely? just because they were in f1 doesn't mean they're any more able to aid the setting up of a car than someone from f3 for example.

Perhaps not for setting up the car. What I meant to say was that a drivers that have been in F1 are much more of a known quantity and therefore, if their performance is level with their team mate, then it may be possible to extrapolate that that driver is unlikely to progress to a significantly a higher level.

[bella]

to be fair, all you need is an engineer who knows what he's looking at to be able to tell whether a driver is any good or not.

[strider]

Originally Posted by Rob29

See no problem here.In fact I would like to see a return to the original 1967 F2 rules,under which up to 6 current F1 graded drivers took part.

That sounds about right to me. With twelve teams now, it would limit the ex-F1 contingent to 25% of the grid.

Unfortunately you will always have the two-fold problem of drivers with more more money than ability and, sadly, those with more ability than money. It may not be fair, but it exists at every level of the sport.

[Jackman]

I can't see what the big deal is - there are always good guys making it to F1 in a bad team these days that then can't show what they can do, and dropping down a step to remind people is no bad thing.

Karthikeyan was pretty close to doing GP2 this year, and that would have been great - we could have seen what he can actually do there against a good crop of drivers.

[flexible-flyer]

of course they should be allowed. and encouraged too. how else are they going to be able to get back into f1 without somehting like gp2? guys like glock, pantano, bruni. they had poor cars with which to make an impression in f1. ok they are not alonso who made the most of his minardi in 2001, but not many drivers are. i think for someone like glock in particular, doing dp2 despite having some (less than some!) f1 experience is totally justified. its good for both parties. the ex f1 guys can prove they are by no means slouches and the up and comers can show they are worthy by beating drivers who a year before, were doing the thing they strive to do in the future.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by bella

to be fair, all you need is an engineer who knows what he's looking at to be able to tell whether a driver is any good or not.

Well, the engineer isn't enough if the GP2 team has average mechanics that don't care about driver opinion about car setup, or that don't do pitstops properly.

Veteran drivers could be allies in order to help a team to perform a young leading driver. That's the case of Marc Goosens, who wasn't an F1 driver but a F3000 veteran, whose experience helped Fernando Alonso to finish well his F3000 campaign in 2000. Astromega returned to the top on the last round when Alonso and Goosens did 1-2 in Spa-Francorchamps.

[DanFlag]

GP2 is for anyone who can get it, no matter how, just like any other series

[Jackman]

I'm sort of wondering if Glock should really qualify as an ex-F1 driver - he only got a couple of races because of Jordan trying to scam money out of Pantano, without which he'd have the same F1 career as Bjorn Wirdheim or Bas Leinders.

[Seoigh]

Why the heck not? F2 hosts drivers rising through the ranks...and the same should hold true for those with waning careers. Who knows?, F2 may become the PREMIER series if things progress as they are.

[Pete Fenelon]

No; GP2 should essentially be for up-and-coming drivers, not tuggers who couldn't hack it at the top level. Anyone who's done more than one full season of F1, or scored more than some small number of championship points, should not be permitted to compete in GP2 -- if you're any good you'd either get another race drive or a test drive with a more competitive team. And drivers should certainly not be able to go straight out of F1 and back into GP2.

(Or, being less draconian, we should bring back in 'grading' so that such drivers can compete, but are not eligible for driver or team points).