Many of the current F1 teams have young driver programs or academies, in which they choose the up and coming stars in karting and other formula feeder series and then have them sign to their program. Many young drivers see this as the opportunity they need to get a Formula One seat later on in their careers. Unfortunately it doesn't always work out in the driver's favour. That being said, are the Junior Driver Programs effective the choosing the next Grand Prix winner? Let's take a look.
Of course the obvious success stories are the likes of Sebastian Vettel,, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc. Unfortunately there are also a lot of drivers who went through the junior programs only to either lose out in F1, or never even get the opportunity to race in F1. Stoffel Vandoorne, Nyck de Vries, and Antonio Giovinazzi are all great examples of how the programs don't work for everyone. Vandoorne and Giovinazzi both got the opportunity to race in F1, but unfortunately neither of them were able to keep their seats once more younger up and coming drivers entered the scene. De Vries is one of the most recent drivers to be let down by the young drivers programs. He was a member of the McLaren Young Driver Program, even being featured in several episodes of McLaren's Tooned. McLaren hyped him up to be their next big star of Formula One. Unfortunately when the time came, McLaren chose British F2 driver, Lando Norris instead of the young Dutch driver. De Vries ended up moving over to the Mercedes Junior Team where he still failed to get a chance in an F1 car. He still remains Mercedes' test and reserve driver, but it is starting to appear as if his chance to race in F1 is over. He has gone on to win the FIA Formula E World Championship title and is currently racing in the series for another season to fight for the title again.
Will there always be drivers in the young driver programs that will never get the chance to race in F1? Of course there will be and there will always be drivers chosen over others for many different reasons. Whether it be talent, sponsors, or wealthy parents. Does that mean that the junior driver programs aren't as effective as we think they are? Maybe, but to those kids that get the chance to live our their dreams of driving an F1 car, they may not agree. These programs have given some of the greatest drivers of this generation an opportunity to race for the top series in motorsport history.
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