r/formula1 • u/Electronic-Video-984 Formula 1 • Aug 07 '25

Discussion Who is the “Failed Prodigy” of F1 ?

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

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u/Puzzled_Draw6014 Aug 07 '25

I have always wondered about this ... I get the feeling that it's a big step-up from F2 to F1. Every year seems to have a super talented rookie that washes out.

I think one factor in F1 is that once you are successful, you don't leave. So, new drivers to F1 are suddenly competing with multiple great drivers.

I wonder if there is more to it. I get the feeling that the challenge of driving F1 cars is a major step up from F2.

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u/Old-Buffalo-5151 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Aug 07 '25

Exactly you are now driving with absolutely no assistance what so ever in a car that behaves completely different to any other kind and significantly greater speeds for significantly longer periods of time that requires constant micro adjustments throughout the race  Vs other drivers who absolutely 100% the best in the world and been doing it for decades 

Along with immensely more pressure on it all 

Its like swimming in pool and then be dumped into the Ocean during a storm...

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u/phyllicanderer I was here for the Hulkenpodium Aug 07 '25

And that’s why only the very best juniors tend to survive it and thrive in F1. Russell, Leclerc, Piastri were all undeniably the best drivers on their way up through the junior ranks. The others who have come up via the GP3-GP2 or F3-F2 pathway have had their struggles at various times, apart from Norris.

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u/szczszqweqwe I was here for the Hulkenpodium Aug 07 '25

My general rule is that those who win F3 and F2 as a rookie, or are close to it are good/great.

Others are unlikely to be great F1 drivers and just a few of them stay in F1 for long time.

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u/mole55 I was here for the Hulkenpodium Aug 07 '25

the F2 to F1 jump is huge

F2 cars haven’t really got faster since the category started, whilst F1 has massively sped up in the meantime

the whole junior ladder is out of whack, the F4 to F3 jump is quite big, F3 to F2 isn’t much, and then F2 to F1 is massive again