12:56 – Several young drivers, many of them affiliated with Formula 1 teams, starred in 2017. GPUpdate.net takes a look at those who thrived in Formula 2, Formula 3, GP3 and a handful of other categories.
Charles Leclerc
Leclerc’s standout 2017 campaign has already been well-documented as he stormed to the Formula 2 title in his rookie season in the rebranded championship. Ferrari-backed Leclerc graduated with Prema as the reigning GP3 champion and delivered a thrilling reversed-grid victory in Bahrain, via an unexpected pit stop, and largely dominated thereafter, racking up another six wins. That he cantered to the crown in the face of adversity, with his father passing away mere days before the Baku round, only enhanced his reputation. Leclerc captured a Formula 1 seat with Sauber in 2018 and his development will be fascinating to watch.
Lando Norris
Norris began the year as a Formula 3 rookie and finished it fully embedded within McLaren’s Formula 1 set-up – perfectly epitomising his rapid rise through the 12-month period. Norris shone in Formula 3 with the revitalised Carlin operation and ultimately prevailed during a devastating mid-season spell as his rivals faltered. Norris was afforded an opportunity in the MCL32 in Hungary and impressed with his speed and application, and will take on the role of reserve driver in 2018, replacing Jenson Button. Norris conceded that his Formula 2 debut in Abu Dhabi was tougher than expected, and graduating full-time with returning team Carlin next year is a gamble – but if it pays off, the success will be even sweeter.
George Russell
Ensconced within the dominant ART operation, Russell had to prove his credentials against more experienced team-mates, and did so with aplomb. After a sketchy opening round, an in-season test facilitated Russell in getting to grips with the nuances of GP3, and he was the driver to catch thereafter. Russell took four Race 1 wins from the following five rounds, and proved his mettle in scraps with team-mates to wrap up the title one event early. Formula 1 runs with Force India and Mercedes underlined his potential, and he’s fully ready to make the next step in Formula 2 in 2018.
Artem Markelov
Entering his fourth year in GP2/F2, and with the same team, meant that familiarity and experience was on Markelov’s side. He was unable to challenge Leclerc, but still emerged as the runner-up, narrowly edging a close battle with Oliver Rowland, which was largely decided through various disqualifications. Markelov ended the campaign with five victories, albeit two of those inherited, and frequently underlined his racecraft and mastery of tyres, though was unable to halt the Leclerc express. That Formula 1 teams have failed to pay even the slightest interest (even for a test position) is a shame, but undoubtedly his experience has counted against him.
Joel Eriksson
Only in his second Formula 3 season, and with the unfancied Motopark outfit, Eriksson challenged for the crown in a typically down-to-earth manner. Eriksson claimed wins from each of the opening three rounds but qualifying struggles derailed his title ambitions, and he slipped away from Norris as the McLaren junior hit form. However, Eriksson fought back with three straight wins – including prevailing against Norris in a superb battle at the Red Bull Ring – to clinch second overall. Lacking the finances of several of his contemporaries, Eriksson has made use of his BMW role to capture a 2018 DTM ride, and their gain is single-seater racing’s loss.
Elsewhere…
Renault-affiliated Rowland could, and should, have wrapped up the runner-up spot in Formula 2 but for two crucial technical exclusions, but one-lap pace often proved a hindrance to his race prospects. Luca Ghiotto was a fine fourth overall, typically starring at Monza, and was a front-runner throughout the year, having also made his F1 test bow with Williams. Nicholas Latifi demonstrated a vast improvement, while Nobuharu Matsushita, Nyck de Vries, Antonio Fuoco and Norman Nato all took wins, as did Sérgio Sette Câmara, who improved late on after initial struggles.
In Formula 3, Maximilian Günther also challenged for top honours but his campaign stuttered amid one-lap issues at pivotal moments, while Prema team-mate Callum Ilott took more wins (six to five) but cut a more inconsistent figure. Ilott, though, ended the year with Ferrari backing and a plum ART ride in GP3 – meaning 2018 looks promising. Jake Hughes was ‘best of the rest’ as he, Jehan Daruvala and Ferdinand Habsburg each bagged one win as the leading quartet largely ruled the roost.
Habsburg’s moment famous moment, though, came in the Macau Grand Prix, when his daring last-lap attempt at passing Sette Câmara left both in the wall, allowing Daniel Ticktum through to snatch the unlikeliest of wins. Ticktum, having previously completed a fine 3-on-1 move to take what-was-third, picked up Red Bull backing earlier in the year, and had a handful of starring cameos in GP3, as he boosted his reputation, previously soured by his lengthy ban.
DAMS’ Ticktum was one of the few non-ART drivers to star in GP3 as the French operation dominated once more. ART drivers topped each qualifying session of 2017 and only Arden’s Niko Kari, now dropped by Red Bull, denied the team a clean sweep of Race 1s. Renault-backed Jack Aitken and Nirei Fukuzumi (Honda) both won races but were unable to react once Russell stepped up a gear; a win-less Anthoine Hubert ensured ART finished 1-2-3-4 in the standings, as Trident’s Ferrari-backed Giuliano Alesi made use of the reversed-grid system to bag three wins. Team-mates Dorian Boccolacci and Alessio Lorandi, along with Haas development driver Arjun Maini and Campos’ Raoul Hyman, all pocketed a win.
Sacha Fenestraz picked up Renault backing through claiming the Formula Renault 2.0 title, beating Will Palmer (Jolyon’s younger brother) and Robert Shwartman, the latter another youngster to join Ferrari’s scheme. Pietro Fittipaldi won the Formula V8 3.5 standings as the series struggled for numbers before ultimately, and inevitably, folding.
Other champions, and names to watch out for, include Enaam Ahmed (BRDC British F3), Harrison Scott (Euroformula Open), Jüri Vips (ADAC Formel 4), Marcus Armstrong (Italian F4) and Jamie Caroline (British F4).
Source :http://feeds.gpupdate.net
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