Formula 2 Has GP2 lost it's importance as an F1 feeder series?

[Incubus]

I haven't seen it mentioned on here but of course the single most basic reason why a smaller percentage of Gp2 or indeed any any other young drivers get a chance to make it into F1 these days... is the fact there are comparatively few teams in the first place.
No-one in power seems bothered about it and some even think it's a good thing but I think it's pretty bad that grids haven't been filled to rheir maximum 26 car-capacity for so many years now.

To me a golden age of F1 was in the late seventies or late eighties-early nineties periods... 40 entrants every Grand Prix, all having to qualify for 26 car-grid.
Only half that number these days, so half the number of opportunities for drivers to get in there.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Yes, bring back qualifying which covers the whole of the free practice sessions. I wonder what would happen if the third driver set a qualifying time in the first session followed by neither of the regular drivers getting one.

 

[LifeW12]

GP2 is a place for good drivers that don't have the money at that time. Think Pantano, Glock (in a way), Valssechi, Leimer, etc.

GP2 is no longer a direct feeder series because most of the pay drivers don't even get a chance in that series because they go from go karts to F1.

 

[RasputinLives]

Last year, apart from the Russian Time team, every GP2 team had at least one (most 2) drivers paying for their drives.

 

[RasputinLives]

GP2 may get a shot in the arm for 2014, firstly with two extra rounds and secondly because some of the old guard of the field appear to be moving along.

Rumours are strong that after their very succesful tests Mclaren and Ferrari will chose to place Vandorne and Rafeale Marcllio in GP2 rather than 3.5 series (or both it would seem). Throw in the fact Teo Elinas should be stepping up and Danny Apt and Mitch Evans will get second years and you suddenly do have a field that you could say has the best young drivers in it.

Having said that GP2 could go even flatter when Formula E shows up in September 2014 as drivers may decide thats the best place to show their talents.

 

[Slyboogy]

What also doesn't help is that some teams have 'young driver programmes' and put them into smaller teams in F1.

Can't say there's many who have impressed outside of GP2 into F1 either, can only think of Vettel and Bianchi in recent times.

Add to that, F1 is looking at drivers with sponsorship and experience, and those that get dropped are coming back, there are too many drivers and not enough seats.

Also, Frijns looks to be a lost talent, surprised someone like Force India hasn't snapped him up as a reserve once Sauber let him go.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Would a structured league system work? Improve the GP2 cars, base them on the f1 cars from 2 or 3 seasons previously. Any new driver has to prove themselves in the lower league before they have the right to race in F1. Any drivers failing to perform in the higher league has the option to drop down and improve.

 

[Il_leone]

GP2 problem is Renault World Series is now considered the better option especially if you want to drive for Red Bull because their programme is directly linked for young drivers to graduate from the series into F1 although Kyvat got the jump this year because Da Costa was poor in World Series


I also want to know what is the point of Formula 2 which was meant to be backed by Williams - well a test drive is the reward for winning the series

Aint Mclaren backing the Formula E series then ?

It appears if you want to drive for the bigger teams in F1 you might as well not do GP2

 

[RasputinLives]

Formula E is not a feeder series but I agree it might skim some of the talent from GP2. Its more likely to be the talent that is bored of waiting for a seat in F1 though. The likes of Bird, Frinjs, Valsecchi , Felix Da Costa and Leimer will probably jump at the chance to get involved in a brand new international prestigious singke seater series and once there and succesful (as long as the series is succesful which I think it will be) are unlikely to want to give it up to trundle round in a Caterham at the back in F1.

I reckon Formula E will become an alternative to F1 a bit like Indy Car. Like Indy car it will also have the advantage of teams needing a far smaller budget than F1 (and GP2 for that matter) meaning drivers are less reliant on budget.

 

[Il_leone]

World Series is gaining more attention because Red Bull seems to have a structured programme to get into F1 from British F3 to World Series to Toro Rosso to Red Bull as is the case with Ricciardo and Vergne

It has proven to be too much of big step jumping straight from F3 to F1 as Algarsuari was not physically ready for F1