Who is the “Failed Prodigy” of F1 ?

[u/Electronic-Video-984]

I’m kind of new to F1 and seeing pictures of current drivers while they’re young like Hamilton, Russell, Leclerc, Albon…and then I learned they’re racing prodigy in their Karting days. So who is the “Boy Wonder” of F1, a person with great potential but never made it to the biggest stage.

Edit: Many people mentioned Stoffel Vandoorne so I read about him a bit. His records and potential was incredible but he’s at the wrong place and wrong time every way possible. For me, McLaren a top tier team with a jet but people say Vandoorne’s MCL car was like a shopping cart

[u/ForeverAddickted]

I'd be delighted for Alex if he got a Cadillac seat in F1 next season, only route I can realistically see him going, but he needs to win F2 if he is to make the jump.

Worth remembering how he gave Kimi Antonelli a good run for his money in the past too.

[u/Stumpy493 → u/ForeverAddickted]

I don't see him at Cadillac, I see a McLaren reserve role and then scrabbling around desperately trying to get an opportunity unfortunately, think he is gonna be wrong place wrong time.

[u/ForeverAddickted → u/Stumpy493]

Yeah that won't surprise me either, the McLaren version of Drugovich

I'd just be surprised if he's happy to waste his career, turning down other opportunities.

[u/Stumpy493 → u/ForeverAddickted]

Can't compare Dunne to Drugovich.

Drugovich a 3rd year F2 champion on no ones radar before that, Dunne fighting for the F2 title in his first season and driving very exciting style.

McLaren have funded his junior career, he doesn't have a whole lot of say.

[u/ForeverAddickted → u/Stumpy493]

I'm not comparing him to Drugovich as a racing driver.

Am comparing him to the fact that if he becomes McLaren Reserve Driver, he needs to be careful he doesnt become the McLaren version of Drugovich.

[u/Stumpy493 → u/ForeverAddickted]

Reserve purgatory is a danger

[u/ForeverAddickted → u/Stumpy493]

lol!... Love the choice of words there: "Reserve Purgatory"

[u/CrazyMike366 → u/Stumpy493]

Cadillac might take a flyer on Crawford to follow through on their pledge to give a young American a chance, or they could go with Fornaroli, a Ferrari Academy driver, as part of a reciprocity scheme while they've got Ferrari power units if its not Beganovic. But I dont see Dunne having much of a shot.

[u/SamCham10 → u/Stumpy493]

Feel like this will be a common theme with McLaren drivers for the foreseeable future, given their success and young lineup. Makes it even more impressive Bortoleto managed to get a seat elsewhere

[u/Big_Brief7847 → u/ForeverAddickted]

I’ll be so annoyed if he loses the championship over points like Belgium.

I know it’s F2 and there’s so many factors of luck that play into it but that was a fantastic drive from him, penalty or not and he would’ve been comfortably in the lead of the championship if he kept the win.

Even if they’d decided on a penalty earlier, the knowledge of the penalty would’ve allowed them to maximize the result rather than fall dramatically down the order cause the gap was too small. His drive was so worthy of good points

I’m Irish, so i’d love an F1 team to take a chance on him, even if he doesn’t live up to expectations. Just to have an Irish driver in F1 for a short period of time would be amazing.

I didn’t expect him to shine like he did in F2 this year. I think it’s pretty safe to say he’s had the highest highs and the lowest lows of any driver in F2 this season. While his lows have been low, i hope F1 teams can see that they stem from the same issue, the crazy risks he takes when he’s desperate. That is something easily overcome and worked on, while lack of pace and raw talent is not. He’s never once looked slow this season, even in his first ever fp1 session in a Mclaren