As all this had been unfolding, Alpine had quietly signed up its junior driver Jack Doohan to partner Pierre Gasly in place of Esteban Ocon next year. Doohan has been a solid asset behind the scenes with his simulator work but was genuinely impressive in his Abu Dhabi FP1 session at the end of last year when after lapping within 0.015sec of Gasly on the same programme, he climbed straight into his F2 car and set pole.
The impression that the new generation were more than ready was given added impetus this year by the sensation created by Franco Colapinto in his latter season fill-in role at Williams. From relatively un-rated F2 driver, he’s become an F1 hot property in the space of a few races.
Although they’ve all won races in F2 this year, none of Bearman, Antonelli or Colapinto were serious contenders for the championship. Those roles have been taken by Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar and McLaren’s Gabriel Bortoleto, with the outcome still to be decided. Meantime, Sauber has snapped up Bortoleto who will partner Hülkenberg there next season and as it transitions into Audi. Hadjar could yet find his way into the junior RB team if Lawson is promoted – though that seat might end up being filled by Colapinto if Red Bull buys out his Williams long term contract. There are even suggestions Colapinto could be a contender for the senior Red Bull team. There is also the possibility, of course, that Colapinto sits out the start of the F1 season and remains as Williams reserve.
Colapinto (right) has been immediately on the pace set by experienced Williams team-mate Alex Albon (left)
Grand Prix Photo
So even if we no longer consider Lawson, Bearman and Colapinto rookies, as they now have a handful of grands prix between them, we have the prospect of rookies Antonelli, Doohan and Bortoleto taking up their places as full-time F1 drivers and the possibility of Hadjar doing the same, with the near-rookies Bearman and Lawson also confirmed. That’s the strongest new driver line-up in many years, potentially even better than the Norris/Russell/Albon roll call of 2019.
Spare a thought too for the 2022 F2 champion and Aston Martin’s reserve, Felipe Drugovich. He’s in danger of falling through the cracks but in every F1 testing and practice appearance he’s made for Aston has been quick and analytical. Given the opportunity he’s quite capable of creating an ‘instant sensation’.
It’s all about perception and fashion and less about science. Human beings are very complex things to model and become exponentially more so when their interaction with complex pieces of machinery is involved. Which of the new crop will be the megastars and which the grid fillers is all still to be decided. But it comes round every few years that the established stars feel the breath on their necks of the next generation in F1’s never-ending relay race. It’s that time.