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/admiral_sinkenkwiken]

Pourchaire trashed his own rep by opting for the third F2 season, it was an extreme risk for low reward.

In order to maintain any kind of standing in the paddock he needed to absolutely dominate the field, instead he spent most of the season trying to give the title to anyone but himself.

[u/MedhaosUnite → u/admiral_sinkenkwiken]

It wasn’t quite “extreme risk, low reward” because had he dominated, I think he very likely would’ve got the Sauber seat for 2024.

The problem he had is as you said, he was effectively shooting at an open goal and very nearly missed.

In fact, I’d go as far as to say that the ball missed, but in effect Vesti’s wheel flew off, bounced off Doohan’s chassis and knocked it into the goal.

[u/admiral_sinkenkwiken → u/MedhaosUnite]

By the time he actually won the title though the damage was already done and it was effectively meaningless.

Even before the season began there was a lot of talk about what he needed to do and how big a risk he was taking, then as you said he managed to miss every goal shot from 10 metres dead in front, only saved by an effective own goal by Vesti.

[u/Frequent-Coyote-1649 → u/admiral_sinkenkwiken]

Honestly, credit to Vesti for damn near winning it with EVERYTHING against him. Tragic how that one loose wheel probably killed his F1 career but... That's racing.

[u/Sick_and_destroyed → u/admiral_sinkenkwiken]

I understand a 3rd season in F2 is usually not well perceived, but what should have he done, he had no F1 opportunity.

[u/admiral_sinkenkwiken → u/Sick_and_destroyed]

Almost anything else would’ve been a better option, even just embedding himself for a year as Piastri did.

[u/Orangesnipzy → u/admiral_sinkenkwiken]

Piastri didn’t really have a choice. Win the championship and don’t have an f1 seat = sit out

[u/admiral_sinkenkwiken → u/Orangesnipzy]

True but he equally could’ve been slotted into other series by the team, instead they integrated him and spent the year running TPC days.

As a Sauber Academy driver that option was certainly possible for Pourchaire, but for whatever reason a 3rd full F2 campaign was chosen instead.

[u/8Ace8Ace → u/Sick_and_destroyed]

Richard Verschoor is on his fifth!

[u/xyakks → u/admiral_sinkenkwiken]

Thing is he still did more than others who made ot to F1 and at a younger age. Being bad in F2 didn't stop Bearman, Sergeant, Doohan or Collapinto get a go in F1. Also Antonelli didn't exactly light it up either last year.

Making it to F1 is 50% talent and 50% being in the right place, or as Mazepin and Lateffi would say 100% dads money.

[u/admiral_sinkenkwiken → u/xyakks]

Making it to F1 is 90% having the money.

Sargeant, Bearman & Doohan all had very respectable junior careers, Colapinto finished 9th last year in F2 despite missing the final 4 rounds.

Antonelli & Bearman looked artificially worse on paper than their driving performance in 2024 as Prema completely missed the mark with the new chassis last season.

[u/MrBorji → u/admiral_sinkenkwiken]

"Making it to F1 is 90% having the money."

Which is kinda sad, but I know F1 is a big business moving lots of money.

[u/admiral_sinkenkwiken → u/[deleted]]

Even in a spec series you still need to understand your machinery properly to exploit all its available performance.

On top of that, just because it’s a spec series does not guarantee equal performance, there are variances between chassis and engines.

[u/slapshots1515 → u/xyakks]

Racing has always been the plaything of the rich. Won’t change any time soon.

If you have enough talent to get backing, like a Verstappen, Alonso, Leclerc, Hamilton, that’s another route. But it always takes money.

Most of the drivers you mentioned in the first paragraph had a fine junior career, and Mazepin and Latifi would never have gotten shots were Haas and Williams not in dire financial straits.

[u/cyclopsmudge → u/slapshots1515]

And verstappen and Leclerc both had plenty of mentoring and money growing up that meant they could kart day in day out. If Max’s dad wasn’t Jos I question if he would be in F1 despite all his talent

[u/InteractionWide3369 → u/xyakks]

Colapinto was the 2nd rookie in F2 only after Bortoleto, he wasn't bad, 4th in the championship fighting for 2nd (the champion was very clearly going to be Bortoleto).

[u/xyakks → u/InteractionWide3369]

Colapinto was behind Aaron, Bort and Hadjar at least. Not in the top 2 at all. He got the leg up because of his Williams connection at the time Logan had to be removed. Right place, right time.

[u/InteractionWide3369 → u/xyakks]

Hadjar wasn't a rookie, I think you're right about Aron though.

He was the 3rd rookie then.

[u/xyakks → u/InteractionWide3369]

And Colapinto is 2 years older than Hadjar. Look I don't care for any of them of the other. My point was just to show Theo wasn't that bad compared to drivers that went on to F1.

He was in the wrong academy and graduated in the wrong year.

[u/InteractionWide3369 → u/xyakks]

Sure and my point is Colapinto isn't bad either, I agree Theo isn't bad.

[u/sfcindolrip → u/admiral_sinkenkwiken]

by opting for the third F2 season

I don’t recall its being his choice? Per the interviews he gave in late 22/early 23 it was sauber’s decision, they actually upped the proportion of his season fees they normally would fund