While the grid did not undergo any changes between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the dynamic for the 2025 season is completely different: six young drivers will take part in their first full season in the premier class. "The fact is that the grid of the Formula 1 hadn't changed for a long time, recalled Bruno Michel. These last years, Logan sargeant was the only one to make it to F1. The competition between the young drivers and those who were already on the Formula 1 grid was quite tough."
Despite a high level in the promotion formula, many drivers remain on the sidelines and do not manage to access the elite of the car due to lack of opportunity. "Today, an exceptional generation has seen the light of day, considers himself the boss of the two main F1 support series. The level of the championship last year was huge. We saw a fantastic fight on the track between Isack Hadjar and Gabriel Bortoleto, until the last race. These two were very strong. Red Bull trusted Hadjar and now Bortoleto is at Sauber, and it is fully deserved."
Getting ready to jump in the deep end
Go from Formula 2 to Formula 1 is no easy feat. “In F2 you have 12 operators, so it’s easy to understand what each one is doing, says Bruno Michel. EThen you get into an F1 garage, and there are so many people working on a specific task, it can be quite intimidating and difficult. So they have to get used to it." For some of them, such as Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan and (perhaps) Franco Colapinto, their first steps in Grand Prix give them a head start.
But for Bruno Michel, the others do not start from scratch. “The most important thing is that they have been supported by these Formula 1 teams and are part of their academies, He says. They have been part of these teams for several years, which has helped them prepare. […] They work with the F1 teams. They are reserve drivers at certain races, so they are in the garage, or they participate in FP1 sessions, or they have the headset on all weekend to understand how the team works.
Change of direction
To make it to Formula 1, you need, in addition to a certain talent, a favorable alignment of the planets. Luck can also come into play: who is crazy enough to entrust a car at the cutting edge of engineering that is particularly expensive to a young driver with little experience? Trusting the new generations in elite circles is sometimes complicated. "For a long time, F1 teams have been a bit reluctant to sign rookies because of the value of each position in the [teams'] championship in terms of prize money," confirms Bruno Michel.
However, this reserve tends to evolve towards more openness, as the vision of sport evolves. "This image has changed a lot in the last year, judges the boss of F2. I think the moment that had the most impact was Ollie Bearman and what he did in Jeddah. All of a sudden people saw an F2 driver being called up out of the blue for qualifying and having a really good weekend. Thanks to the contributions of Bearman, Colapinto and Lawson, "The F1 teams understood that these men were ready and that they could trust them" estimates Bruno Michel.
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