Junior Formula Racing

[Penfold]

I couldn't find a topic dedicated to the series below F1, but we need one because I'm going on a rant.

Felix Rosenqvist should be in Formula 1!!

He has kicked everyone's ass in Formula 3 this year, he beat the second placed guy (Antonio Giovinazzi, a highly rated Italian driver) by over 100 points:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_European_Formula_3_season#Drivers.27_championship

He won the 2014 Macau GP, he finished second in Macau 2013. He has won the Pau Grand Prix, Master of Formula 3, and most lower series he raced in. He lacks the cash to go higher than F3 though. Looking possible he is moving to the Japanese Super Formula in 2016. GRRRR. He should be in F1.

EDIT: Oh, he pre-qualified 1st for the 2015 Macau GP too with a new lap record just minutes ago.

... and it could've easily been well over 100 points if his competitors hadn't taken him out of so many races.  If only he had a fabulously wealthy father like Master Lance Stroll, who has somehow bagged a testing role with Williams.

On the plus side, I can watch the Macau GP on the freeview channel Motors TV... so that's something.

I believe he was part of the Mercedes club (and still is) but they're backing Pascal Wehrlein. Felix might end up in DTM but that's not really likely either. I might be watching the Macau GP too, it's not usually all that entertaining to watch though. Too narrow. Like Monaco with less glamour and more grit.

What a way to end the GP2 tests. Number 1, Swedish GP2 rookie Gustav Malja. Number 2, Swedish GP2 rookie Jimmy Eriksson. Very good.

Ferrari angling for Mick Schumacher, who otherwise appears to be more well connected with Mercedes:

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-would-welcome-schumacher-to-fda-with-red-carpet-865196/?s=1

Which leaves only the small matter of impressing either party with his F3 efforts.

[Penfold]

Wave goodbye to GP2 and say hello to our old friend Formula Two: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2017/03/09/gp2-officially-becomes-formula-two-for-2017/

Series now comes with additional points for the old FIA Super Licences.

[Chrill]

Makes sense, though. It was owned by the same guys who sold F1 to Liberty, and it was too sold to Liberty. Now we have Formula 4 right up to Formula 1.

[Chrill]

This topic is to discuss GP2 (Sorry, Formula 2!), Formula 3, and all the other race series below F1.

And I'm starting with Formula 3, because Sweden is Swedish. After the first race weekend, sophomore Joel Eriksson is leading the championship. He won rookie of the year awards last season after finishing 5th overall, and is obviously aiming to win the whole thing this year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_FIA_Formula_3_European_Championship#Drivers.27_championship

Joel Eriksson, younger brother of former GP2 driver Jimmy Eriksson, is definitely the bigger talent of the two. He is not related to Marcus Ericsson (NOTICE THE VERY DIFFERENT SPELLING OF THAT LAST NAME!). I think he is the biggest young talent from Sweden after Felix Rosenqvist, perhaps even better than him. Here's hoping we can replace one Swede with another!

[Penfold]

Merged your '2017 Junior Formula Racing' thread with this older version.

So I should expect to see Sauber giving Erik's son a run in Eric's son's car at some point in the next year or two.


Horrible crash in F4 last Sunday, seventeen-year-old lad needed a double lower-leg amputation after smashing into the back of a car that had stopped on track: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2017/04/20/crowdfund-injured-f4-driver-billy-monger-raises-double-target/

[Chrill]

I'm not expecting Joel Eriksson to reach F1. He doesn't have major backing, and I haven't heard much about him being picked up by any Young Driver projects either.

[Penfold]

Perhaps he'll impress the right people whilst racing F3 and then F2 - assuming he moves up the series ladder.


Talking of GP3... It gains DRS for 2017 but, and it's rather a positive 'but', the system will have a limit on number of uses per race: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2017/04/21/gp3-get-push-pass-style-drs-testing-car-graphics/

[Chrill]

Days before Marcus Ericsson's Caterham announcement, I claimed he could never make it to F1. I don't mind being wrong sometimes

[Penfold]

F2 (GP2) gets an all-new chassis and engine for 2018 (but sadly keeps DRS): http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2017/08/31/new-formula-two-chassis-halo-revealed-2018/

[Chrill]

https://www.grandprix247.com/2017/10/15/mclaren-protege-norris-is-youngest-ever-f3-champion/

Lando Norris, in his rookie season, wins the F3 championship as the youngest F3 champion ever. Behind him in second place, sophomore F3 driver Joel Eriksson of Sweden. Yay!

Rosenqvist and Eriksson have both been competitive in F3 recently. Swedish motorsport haven't looked this healthy in 25 years. Also, Mattias Ekström ALMOST won the DTM championship this weekend too, before being beaten to it by DTM rookie René Rast. Rast is not a motorsport youngster by any means, but this was his first full season in DTM.

[Penfold]

F3 boys did well.  Hope they both get a shot at the F1 beast.

[Chrill]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Armstrong

After driving for Prema in Italian F4 and German F4 (champion and runnerup respectively) this season, Marcus Armstrong is moving up to F3 for the same team. He is backed by Ferrari and apparently a super duper mega talented kid. He was supposedly very impressive in a F3 test earlier this year.

[Penfold]

So F1 might get itself a world class New Zealander in a few years' time.

[Chrill]

I reckon he may well replace Kimi sometime around 2021/2022.

[Matt]

Any thoughts on Jordan King? His junior formula results seem mediocre, but it doesn?t look like he has been with top teams. He just signed up for all of the road and street course races in IndyCar.