The Formula 1 ban on in-season testing has presented outstanding opportunities for many rookie drivers from all over the world to show what they can do this week behind the wheel of the more powerful machinery. Here we take a look at some of the young prospects, who will be out to impress F1 bosses over the next few days in Jerez, Spain.
Mirko Bortolotti
Country: Italy
Career titles: 2008 Italian Formula Three champion
Team: Toro Rosso
Red Bull Junior Mirko Bortolotti (above, far left) is one of a trio of drivers from Italy that tested for Ferrari last season. He was thought of as the most promising driver of the three and competed in Formula Two this year. Bortolotti managed one win against a dominant Andy Soucek in F2 and the 19-year-old ended the year in fourth place overall. However, not many drivers test F1 cars for Ferrari at 18 years old, and the fact that he was tipped as a possible replacement for Felipe Massa following the Brazilian’s crash last season tells its own story.
Andy Soucek
Country: Spain
Career titles: 2009 Formula Two champion
Team: Williams
Andy Soucek (above, second from left) receives a test with the Williams team as his reward for winning the 2009 Formula Two championship, for which the F1 team supplies the cars. Both of the Williams F1 seats are taken for next season, so the best Soucek can hope for with Williams is taking over Nico Hülkenberg’s former role as test driver. Prior to F2, Soucek spent two years in GP2 driving against stronger opposition in more powerful cars and his best result was two second-placed finishes. He may find that he has to prove himself against opposition of that calibre before he’s considered to be worthy of an F1 seat.
Brendon Hartley
Country: New Zealand
Career titles: 2007 Formula Renault 2.0 Europe champion
Team: Toro Rosso
Another of the Red Bull Juniors, Brendon (above, centre) is a former team-mate of Jaime Alguersuari's in the Carlin British F3 team, where he finished third, as Alguersuari claimed the title and then went on to move up into Formula 1 this year. Hartley’s development was boosted when he earned his FIA Superlicence in April this year, but a split season in F3 Euroseries and World Series by Renault didn’t have the desired effect, as he failed to dominate in either category. The Toro Rosso test in Jerez, therefore, is another chance to shine, and all eyes will be on him as he bids to fulfil his obvious potential.
Jules Bianchi
Country: France
Career titles: 2009 F3 Euroseries champion
Team: Ferrari
Jules Bianchi’s dominant showing in winning the F3 Euroseries title this year set him up for a debut in GP2 with ART next year, which shows the considerable promise of this young prospect. The 20-year-old (above, second from right) is contracted on a multi-year deal to Ferrari, who no doubt hope that Bianchi can follow in the footsteps of Massa. They clearly believe him to be a fine prospect, as they have allowed him behind the wheel for two out of their three allocated test days. It’s been a long while since a rookie made his Formula 1 track debut with Ferrari. Perhaps they’ve seen the success McLaren have had with Lewis Hamilton – another former ART driver – and fancy emulating it.
Daniel Ricciardo
Country: Australia
Career titles: 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 WEC champion, 2009 British F3 champion
Team: Red Bull Racing
Daniel Ricciardo (above, far right) opened this year’s British F3 championship with a quickfire double of wins at Oulton Park after moving up from Formula Renault 2.0 WEC, where he was crowned champion in 2008. The early season successes set him up nicely, as he went on to take the British F3 title with plenty to spare, having chalked up six wins in total. Always striving to improve, Ricciardo took the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the more powerful machinery this year, competing in two races in Formula Renault 3.5, which suggests that might be his next step on achieving his dream of racing in F1.
Find out more about the F1 hopefuls a the Red Bull Juniors website.
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