After the only twilight race of the season, the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the F1 teams are taking a look at the stars of the future. But who's who? Take a look at our handy guide...
Red Bull Racing
Jean-Eric Vergne
d.o.b. April 25, 1990
From: Pontoise, France
Series: Formula Renault 3.5 Series, Red Bull Junior Team driver, Toro Rosso test driver
Honours: runner-up Formula Renault 3.5 Series 2011, champion British F3 champion 2010, runner up Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup 2009, runner up Formula Renault 2.0 WEC 2009, champion Formula Campus Renault 2007
Website: www.jeanericvergne.com/
Part of the Red Bull Junior Team, the highly rated Vergne has the pick of the bunch as he takes the wheel of the championship-winning Red Bull RB7. Runner-up in the Formula Renault 3.5 championship, the Red Bull protege has already driven in F1 this year, taking the Toro Rosso STR6 out during practice for the Korean Grand Prix and the likeable Frenchman will be doing the same in Abu Dhabi and Brazil. But before that, he’ll get the keys to the RB7 for three days of testing. "I'm extremely happy that Red Bull Racing has given me this opportunity, it will be a massive experience for me and to be driving the best Formula One car is something quite amazing.”
McLaren
Gary Paffett
d.o.b: March 24, 1981
From: Bromley, England, UK
Series: DTM
Honours: DTM champion 2005, runner-up DTM 2010, 09, 04, champion German Formula 3 2002
Website: www.garypaffett.com
Testing duties at McLaren also means a call to Gary Paffett, who’s been testing for the team since 2000. With Sam Michael coming from Williams, it’ all about continuity behind the wheel for the Woking team with Paffett representing a safe pair of hands. Having made his name in F3 single seaters in Britain and Germany, Paffett had been set to step up to F3000 (now GP2), only for the team Brand Motorsport to go bust. Mercedes stepped forward with the offer of a seat with Keke Rosberg’s DTM team. He’s still there now: a perennial front runner and series champion in 2005.
Oliver Turvey
d.o.b. April 1, 1987
From: Penrith, England, UK
Series: GP2 Asia, McLaren simulator and reserve driver
Honours: Runner-up British F3 2008, best rookie Formula Renault 3.5, GP2 Race Winner and McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Winner 2006, Cambridge Full Blue 2008.
Website: www.oliverturvey.com/
A member of McLaren’s young driver line-up – the same one that produced Lewis Hamilton and Gary Paffett, Turvey has picked up a shelf full of accolades from when he started karting since he was seven. He is the only person to win a Cambridge Blue for motorsport while gaining a degree in engineering. He’s currently racing in GP2 Asia and is a past winner of the McLaren Autosport Award, whose previous winners include Button, Gary Paffett and David Coulthard. He also narrowly missed out on the British F3 crown in 2008, losing out to Jaime Alguersuari in the final race.
Lewis Williamson
d.o.b: November 11, 1989
From: Dundee, Scotland, UK
Series: WSR Renault 3.5 Series, GP3
Honours: Runner up Formula Renault 2.0 UK 2010.
Website: www.lewiswilliamson.com/
Taking the wheel of the MP4-23A chassis that Lewis Hamilton used to win the 2008 British Grand Prix, is another Lewis, 2010 McLaren Autosport Award winner and BRDC Rising Star Lewis Williamson. The Scot currently races for Christian Horner and Mark Webber’s MWArden GP3 team and claimed a popular debut win in the series at Silverstone this year, as well as ISR Racing in the WSR Renault 3.5 series. “It was ridiculous – lots of power and pretty mind boggling," he said of his first taste of F1. "But every time I went out in the car I felt happier - I'd edge a little more on the brakes and realise there was more to come. You have to be super-smooth because the car's just so responsive."
Renault Sport
Ferrari
Jules Bianchi
d.o.b. August 3, 1989
From: Nice, France
Series: GP2 Series, GP2 Asia, Ferrari test and reserve driver
Honours: Third overall GP2 Series 2011 and 2010, runner-up GP2 Asia 2010, champion F3 Euroseries 2009.
Website: www.jules-bianchi.com/
Already Ferrari’s development driver and a graduate of the Ferrari Driver Academy based in Maranello, Bianchi looks the most likely to get a run in the F1 car. Racing cars are in Jules’ genes: he’s the grandson of Mauro (three times GT World Champion) and the nephew of Belgian F1 star Lucien (Le Mans 24 Hour winner). Plus, he’s got friends in high places: he’s been backed by the Fédération Française du Sport Automobile, his manager is Nicolas (son of Jean) Todt, Ferrari chose him to be their test driver replacing the experienced Luca Badoer, Giancarlo Fisichella and Marc Gene, and Williams have their eye on him, too.
Ferrari
Mercedes
Sam Bird
d.o.b. January 9, 1987
From: Roehampton, England, UK
Series: GP2 Series, GP2 Asia,
Honours: Third Macau GP 2009.
Website: www.sambird.com
Mercedes has yet to reveal who will be testing for them, but the smart money is on iSport driver Sam Bird. The Brit took out the Merc at Abu Dhabi last year, setting the third fastest time, 1.118 seconds slower than front-runner Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull. Developing a reputation for being fast, committed and unlucky: he made a scorching start to this year’s GP2 Series only to hit a run of bad luck and finish sixth in the final standings.
Lotus-Renault
Romain Grosjean
d.o.b. April 17, 1986
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Series: GP2 Series, GP2 Asia,
Honours: Champion GP2 2011, champion GP2 Asia 2011 and 2008, champion Auto GP 2010, champion F3 Euroseries 2007
Website: www.romaingrosjean.com
Renault continue to combine domestic with a bit of Eastern promise. A huge star in GP2, in 2009 Lotus-Renault’s Swiss/French third driver Romain Grosjean made the leap to F1 to occupy the (very) hot seat vacated by an angry Nelson Piquet Jr. With an unfamiliar car and a team very much in transition, he struggled to make an impact and lost his seat to hard-charging Vitaly Petrov in 2010. But his GP2 record attests to his talent: he’s the reigning GP2 Asia Series and GP2 Series champion and is the only two-time GP2 Asia champion. He also works in a bank.
Renault Sport
Kevin Korjus
d.o.b. January 9, 1993
From: Estonia
Series: WSR 3.5
Honours: Champion Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 2010, Runner up in Formula Renault 2.0 Finland 2008, third in Formula Renault 2.0 NEZ 2008.
Estonia’s Kevin Korjus is in the vanguard of talented racers coming from Eastern Europe. Having made his name in single seaters in Finland, Kevin was signed to the Renault Driver Development programme. At 18 he became the youngest driver to take a victory in WSR 3.5 after winning in Aragon this year – a feat he repeated at Monza and the Nürburgring. “It will be my first ever time in a F1 car and my first time in the emirate. Everything is new for me and it's extremely exciting."
Jan Charouz
d.o.b. July 17, 1987
From: Prague, Czech Republic
Series: WSR 3.5,
Honours: Second in Le Mans 24h - LMP2 class 2010, Le Mans Series champion in the LMP1 class 2009, F3000 International Masters champion 2006.
Website: www.jan-charouz.com/en
Renault third driver and a member of the team's academy, the Czech finished fifth in class at the Le Mans 24 Hours this year and gets his second taste of F1 since he took a 2009-spec car for a spin around Silverstone last year. "I have been doing some driving but nothing in this year's car yet, so I'm very excited to do that and also to work with the race team."
Renault Sport
Williams
Valtteri Bottas
d.o.b. August 28, 1989
From: Nastola, Finland
Series: GP3 Series
Honours: GP3 Series champion 2011, Third in Formula 3 Euro Series 2010, winner Masters of Formula 3 winner 2010 and 2009, third in Formula 3 Macau GP 2010, third in Formula 3 Euro Series 2009, champion European Formula Renault 2.0 champion 2008.
Website: www.valtteribottas.com
While it’s all change behind the scenes at Williams there’s no big news concerning test drives at Abu Dhabi. There will be a Finn in the driving seat, but it’ll be test driver Valtteri Bottas, who is the only driver to win the Masters of Formula 3 twice. It’s been a good year for Bottas that has seen him win the GP3 Series as a rookie while continuing his testing role for Williams.
Mirko Bortolotti
d.o.b. January 10, 1990
From: Trento, Italy
Series: Formula 2
Honours: Champion Formula Two 2011, champion Italian Formula 3 2008, runner-up Formula Azzurra 2006.
Website: www.mirkobortolotti.it/
Bottas is joined by Formula 2 star Mirko Bortolotti, who gets the run as part of his prize for winning this year’s crown. The highly rated Italian has made good connections in F1, apart from a year in F2 as part of the Red Bull Junior Team, he also had a test run at Maranello with Ferrari in 2008 after becoming the Italian Formula 3 champion.
Toro Rosso
Stefano Coletti
d.o.b: April 6, 1989
From: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Series: GP2, GP2 Asia
Honours: Third in Masters of Formula 3 2009, Third in Formula BMW World Final 2006.
Website: www.stefanocoletti.com/
With Daniel Ricciardo at HRT, Jean-Eric Vergne at RBR and Carlito Sainz and Daniil Kvyat too inexperienced for F1, Toro Rosso turn to Monegasque GP2 star Stefano Coletti and Italy’s Kevin Ceccon. “We’re used to training young drivers and we are pleased to add Coletti and Ceccon to the list of students who have been through the Scuderia Toro Rosso school,” said Toro Rosso principal Franz Tost. Coletti, 22, has competed in both GP2 series this year, although his race season was cut short by an accident at Spa. But he was back in the cockpit for October’s GP2 test at Barcelona, topping the time sheet on the final day.
Kevin Ceccon
d.o.b: September 24, 1993
From: Clusone, Italy
Series: Auto GP, GP2
Honours: Auto GP champion 2011.
Website: www.kevinceccon.eu
The Italian teenager comes to Abu Dhabi on the back of an impressive year that saw him become the Under-21 Auto GP champion before going on to take the overall title in the same series. He also drove in the main GP2 Series, the youngest driver ever to do so. Both he and Coletti will be taking part in the Abu Dhabi GP2 Final prior to the test.
Force India-Mercedes
Max Chilton
d.o.b: April 21, 1991
From: Reigate, England, UK
Series: GP2
Honours: Runner-up in T Cars 2006, Third in T Cars Autumn Trophy 2005.
Website: www.maxchilton.com
Fresh from his second season in GP2 and having already completed a straight-line aerodynamic test in September, Max returns to Force India today. “I can’t wait to get back in the car in Abu Dhabi,” said Max, whose older brother Tom races tin tops in the British Touring Car championship. “I’ve spent time with the team already so I’ve got a feel for the way they work and I hope I can get up to speed quickly.”
Force India
Johnny Cecotto Junior
d.o.b. September 9, 1989
From: Augsburg, Germany,
Series: GP2, GP2 Asia
Honours: Third German F3 championship 2008
Website: www.cecotto.com
Born in Germany and racing under a Venezuelan flag, Johnny replaced Max Chilton at Tiago Monteiro’s Ocean Racing Technology GP2 team at the start of this season and was later joined by former Red Bull Junior Team driver Brendon Hartley. There’s no prizes for guessing that Johnny comes from racing stock – in 1976 his dad become 350cc motorcycle GP world champion and later enjoyed a stint in F1 with Theodore and Toleman. “All drivers want to race in Formula 1 so the chance to get time in the Sahara Force India F1 car is a big moment for me. In fact, I can’t stop smiling at the thought of driving such an amazing car.”
Sauber
Esteban Gutierrez
d.o.b. August 5, 1991
From: Monterrey, Mexico
Series: GP2, GP2 Asia
Honours: GP3 Series champion 2010, third in Formula BMW World Final 2008, European Formula BMW champion 2008
Website: www.estebanracing.com/
Ferrari protégé Sergio Perez has impressed in his rookie year, getting in the points in a reasonable car and Sauber look to another Mexican import in the form of test driver Esteban Gutierrez, who did the same role at Abu Dhabi last year and has been signed on to continue development work in 2012.
Fabio Leimer
d.o.b: April 17, 1989
From: Rothrist, Switzerland
Series: GP2
Honours: International Formula Master champion 2009, runner-up in International Formula Master 2008
Website: www.fabioleimer.ch/
Sauber are also giving a run to Fabio Leimer, who comes from significantly closer to Hinwil. As a former team-mate of both Alex Rossi and Max Chilton (with Tiago Monteiro’s Ocean Racing Technology GP2 team), Fabio will have plenty of friends on track. At the start of this season, Leimer took over Pastor Maldonado’s seat at Rapax in GP2.
Team Lotus
Alexander Rossi
d.o.b: September 25, 1991
From: Auburn, California, USA
Series: WSR Formula Renault 3.5 Series
Honours: Third in World Series by Renault 2011, champion Formula BMW World Final 2008, champion Formula BMW Americas 2008.
Website: www.alexanderrossi.com
With possibly two races coming to the US, and no US racers on the grid, Alexander Rossi could soon be in demand. Having cut his teeth in GP2 Asia, GP3 and Formula One (testing with Sauber in 2009), Rossi finished third in the WSR Formula Renault 3.5 championship. “I am very excited to have the chance to put more F1 miles on my CV with Team Lotus,” said Rossi. “For the F1 test I will be looking to learn as much as possible, do the best job I can and soak up every minute, in and out of the car.”
Rodolfo Gonzalez
d.o.b. May 14, 1986
From: Caracas, Venezuela
Series: GP2, GP2 Asia,
Honours: British Formula 3 National class champion 2006.
With Pastor Maldonado’s money bankrolling poor Williams, the other teams are queuing up for more Venezuelan dollars. Gonzalez, though, is a familiar face at Lotus, having run the same test last year before returning to GP2. Gonzalez is also on more than nodding terms with Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner having raced for Arden in 2009 and 2010 with Charles Pic, before moving to Trident where he’s team-mates with Stefan Coletti.
Luis Razia
d.o.b. April 4, 1989
From: Barreiras, Brazil
Series: GP2
Honours: Third in GP2 Final - Abu Dhabi 2011, third in Euroseries 3000 2007, South American Formula 3 champion 2006.
Website: www.luizrazia.com
Having had stints as a test driver with Virgin and now Lotus, Razia is a familiar face around F1 and is also a GP2 regular, having scored his first points in his debut season in GP2 Asia for Arden back in 2009. He left it late, but grabbed a podium with third place in the feature race in Malaysia, before winning the last race on the calendar by taking victory at the Sprint race in Bahrain. He’s now installed at Lotus’s sister team, Caterham Air Asia in GP2.
Marussia Virgin Racing
Robert Wickens
d.o.b: March 13, 1989
From: Toronto, Canada
Series: WSR Formula Renault 3.5 Series
Honours: Champion World Series by Renault 2011, runner-up GP3 Series 2010, Second in Formula Two 2009, Third in Formula Atlantic Championship 2007, champion Formula BMW USA 2006.
Website: www.robertwickens.com
One of the brightest prospects on the fringes of F1, Robert Wickens beat his Carlin team-mate Jean-Eric Vergne to the 2011 Formula Renault 3.5 Series crown by nine points in a season that included five victories. The Canadian racer celebrated his title with typical good grace: “It was great to have a competitive team-mate like Jean-Eric Vergne this season. I think we raised our levels to compete against each other and it’s why the championship went all the way to the wire.” The 22-year-old is also Marussia Virgin Racing’s reserve driver in Formula One.
Renault Sport
Charles Pic
d.o.b: February 15, 1990
From: Montelimar, France
Series: GP2, GP2 Asia
Honours: Third in World Series by Renault 2009, third in Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup 2007, third in Formula Renault Campus France 2006.
Website: www.charlespic.com
Yet another rising French star, and yet another to pass through the gates of Christian Horner’s Arden team. Pic scored wins for Arden in both GP2 Asia and the main series before moving to Barwa Addax for this season. Rumours are, he’s going places too, because not only is Charles Pic testing for Virgin, he’s rumoured to have deal with them for next season.
Adrian Quaife-Hobbs
d.o.b: February 3, 1991
From: Pembury, Kent
Series: GP3
Honours: champion T Cars 2005, champion T Cars Autumn Trophy 2005
Website: www.quaifehobbs.com
In a field packed with young Brits vying for attention, Quaife-Hobbs still stands out, having made his name in T-Cars, becoming the youngest ever winner of an MSA sanctioned championship. He drives for Virgin’s Marussia Manor Racing GP3 sister team and Abu Dhabi represents his third outing as an F1 test driver with Marussia Virgin Racing. “I’m very excited about the prospect of driving the MVR-02 again following my two aero tests and welcome the chance to drive around a proper circuit,” said Adrian.
Want more?
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race report
- More from the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix on redbull.com
- My favourite things: Jean-Eric Vernge
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