2014 / 2015 Silly Season. Drivers Market.

What about Minardi? They were never a good team, not even a midfield team apart from a few lucky finishes. Similar to Marussia in a way.
 
But Minardi had a true racing spirit running through them and they were used as a sounding board for new drivers to make their mark on F1, they were a proper team, other teams would watch Minardi for the new talent which is something they don't do with todays minnow teams.

In short a driver used to start his career at Minardi whereas with Caterham and Marussia a driver would more than likely end his career
 
That just shows how dire some teams have been over the years. I wouldn't call participating in over 300 races and only having 9 podiums exactly covering yourself in glory. Even March did better.
I don't disagree, but read my post in your quote and perhaps it mirrors your post in reply. I wouldn't say March was anywhere near the bottom of the barrel.
 
Wouldn't it be refreshing if one of the pay drivers came right out and said "if talent were the criteria, I wouldn't have a drive"?
 
Its a pity but the bigger teams and Bernie don't do anything to encourage talented drivers to be in F1 rather than pay per driver

The question should be when will we reach a point when a driver wins the F1 world championship and we can say it was not because of his talent and his ability therefore a worthy world champion

Drivers like Sam Bird do deserve their chance in F1 and it seems like if you don't align yourself with a young drivers programme then there is very little chance you can get into F1
 
Sam Bird has had help from Mercedes, unfortunately with two top drivers settled in at Mercedes there is no prospect of him getting into F1 in the near future; if he has to wait three years he will be adjudged to be too old.
 
Surely the solution is simple:

Customer cars....

Set a rule that teams are not allowed to take drivers for money (how easy to police this would be, I don't know)... However, you then say that teams can run a third car (which will not qualify for constructors points), only for pay drivers... These pay drivers would help provide support for the talented drivers... The teams would want to put the best possible drivers in their 2 constructors championship scoring cars, and the pay drivers would still want to pay to be in F1! - the marginal cost of running an extra car is not that high - as lots of the cost is the design and other fixed costs...

This would mean that Maldonado would become a number 3 at Lotus, etc....
 
So the current rumour is that the Marussia team will be reborn for 2015 as Ferrari's junior team.

If that is the case It would seem logical that the both Raffaele Marciello and Antonio Fuoco will join the grid. Both Italians, both Ferrari junior drivers and both with some talent. Marciello is the one who is probably already knocking on the door of F1 whilst it might be a bit early for Fuoco who, whilst holding his own in F3 last year, couldn't best the likes of Ocon, Blomquist, Verstappen and Gerhard Berger's nephew Lucas Auer. Would still rather see him than Max Chilton though!
 
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Well Marciello was actual born in Zurich and was driving under a Swiss flag until last year so he's 'imported for the sponsors' Italian anyways.

Good point on Vergne by the way. Would Vergne want another 'junior' drive though? Andretti seem pretty keen on him for Indy Car.
 
Fair point RasputinLives - I just thought he might be better served being the touchstone for the Ferrari Jr team and still on the F1 grid, if he still harboured ambitions of inheriting Kimi's seat in a year or two. If he goes to Indycars, it's as good as giving up on F1 completely...
 
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