MDS
4th March 2010, 20:03
Last year I did the top 10 under 20, and while the field is better than it probably has a right to be Paul Tracy was right, there were only 4 drivers from North America at Barber, why, because while the League has a “Road to Indy” there isn't any driver development programs from the ICS teams.
Son of F-1 and CART driver Derek Daly, Conor has been working his way up the ladder system in strong style, and he's building up a sponsor base, but no calls from the league. His father recently told the Indy Business Journal “We’ve never heard anything from anybody in the IRL. Not one team, and no one from the league office. No one ever expressed any interest in his ambitions or to inquire about his development. Nothing.
It's a chicken and the egg thing, but in order to have a driver development program you must first have teams with enough sponsorship that they can not only pick their own driver, but can think long term. You need teams with multi-year deals with sponsors, and sponsors who are willing to chip in to help young drivers. Team Penske couldn't do that because their sponsor cannot have any contact with kids under the age of 18. Chip own driver development program hasn't led anywhere, and Andretti Autosport could potentially turn into a great development team, but needs more money.
We need more young talent, and the following is my best ten 20 and under North American open wheel prospects.
Robert Wickens
Age: 20
Nationality: Canadian
If the ICS is going to have Canadian races then it needs to find the next Paul Tracy, and while few have his personality, Robert Wickens arguably has his skills. He's won in every category he's ever been in, Formula BMW, Champ Atlantics (At its most recent peak), A1GP and F3 Euroseries. He's a F-1 hopeful and recently got dropped by Red Bull. The odds of him making into that series are remote, but he could have a stunning career in the ICS. He's trying to go GP3 racing this year, but is also looking at making an ICS start at his home town race in Toronto because of a gap in the GP3 schedule.
Jonathan Edwards
Age: 19 (On March 11)
Nationality: American
Like Wickens he's a Red Bull cast off, but he's probably got the most intensive training of any young American open wheel prospect. It looked like he was going to continue down the Road to Indy this year with Newman Wachs Racing, but they've gone to GTR. Someone please get this kid an FIL ride this year.
Conner De Phillipi
Age: 17
Nationality: American
The kid's won championships at every level he's competed in. He has a good mix of American and European training and is starting his first year in Mazda Star this year. He's still a few years away from the ICS, but he's got game.
Sergio Perez
Age:20
Nationality: Mexican
Hopes to be the first Mexican F-1 driver in over two decades, he has pretty impressive resume, having won a GP2 race, and a Brit F3 championship, he's also not afriad of contact, which can be a good thing. He's not looking at the ICS, but getting into F-1 is tough.
Kevin LaCroix
Age: 20
Nationality: Canadian
Former Star Mazda runner up, former Formula BMW runner up. He's rumored to be one of the drivers that Tags and FAZZT are looking at for limited program this year. His lack of oval experience might keep him off the track at Indy, but he could show up at both the Canadian races this year.
Alexander Rossi
Age: 18
Nationality: American
The “Great White Hope” if you will of F-1. He's won on every level he's ever entered, he's well spoken, fast, attractive, he's what the ICS needs, but probably won't get.
Conor Daly
Age 18
Nationality: American
If the ICS doesn't get Conor Daly then something horribly wrong the system, and there apparently is. So he's probably going to head to Europe and have a difficult time making into F-1.
Josef Newgarden
Age: 19
Nationality: American
Born in NASCAR crazy Nashville Josef wants to be the next American F-1 driver. He started young, has a lot of experience and is working his way up the European Ladder system, finishing second in Formula Ford last year. He's a great American talent and has had some contact with some ICS teams. Newgarden is the real deal.
Patrick Barrett
Age:20
Nationality: American
While he doesn't have a stunning resume, he has a good mix of open wheel and road course training, has won some lower-level championships but has stalled out because of money.
Gabriel “Gabby” Chaves
Age: 16
Nationality: American
Gabby is a Columbian-American racer with a really stunning background for someone so young, she's got a ton of Karting hardware and she's the reigning Formula BMW champion, she's going to be racing in the Italian F3 series, but I think she'll find a glass ceiling in Europe, and with a year or two in the FIL she could be an ICS standout. She's worked with Emo in the past.
Son of F-1 and CART driver Derek Daly, Conor has been working his way up the ladder system in strong style, and he's building up a sponsor base, but no calls from the league. His father recently told the Indy Business Journal “We’ve never heard anything from anybody in the IRL. Not one team, and no one from the league office. No one ever expressed any interest in his ambitions or to inquire about his development. Nothing.
It's a chicken and the egg thing, but in order to have a driver development program you must first have teams with enough sponsorship that they can not only pick their own driver, but can think long term. You need teams with multi-year deals with sponsors, and sponsors who are willing to chip in to help young drivers. Team Penske couldn't do that because their sponsor cannot have any contact with kids under the age of 18. Chip own driver development program hasn't led anywhere, and Andretti Autosport could potentially turn into a great development team, but needs more money.
We need more young talent, and the following is my best ten 20 and under North American open wheel prospects.
Robert Wickens
Age: 20
Nationality: Canadian
If the ICS is going to have Canadian races then it needs to find the next Paul Tracy, and while few have his personality, Robert Wickens arguably has his skills. He's won in every category he's ever been in, Formula BMW, Champ Atlantics (At its most recent peak), A1GP and F3 Euroseries. He's a F-1 hopeful and recently got dropped by Red Bull. The odds of him making into that series are remote, but he could have a stunning career in the ICS. He's trying to go GP3 racing this year, but is also looking at making an ICS start at his home town race in Toronto because of a gap in the GP3 schedule.
Jonathan Edwards
Age: 19 (On March 11)
Nationality: American
Like Wickens he's a Red Bull cast off, but he's probably got the most intensive training of any young American open wheel prospect. It looked like he was going to continue down the Road to Indy this year with Newman Wachs Racing, but they've gone to GTR. Someone please get this kid an FIL ride this year.
Conner De Phillipi
Age: 17
Nationality: American
The kid's won championships at every level he's competed in. He has a good mix of American and European training and is starting his first year in Mazda Star this year. He's still a few years away from the ICS, but he's got game.
Sergio Perez
Age:20
Nationality: Mexican
Hopes to be the first Mexican F-1 driver in over two decades, he has pretty impressive resume, having won a GP2 race, and a Brit F3 championship, he's also not afriad of contact, which can be a good thing. He's not looking at the ICS, but getting into F-1 is tough.
Kevin LaCroix
Age: 20
Nationality: Canadian
Former Star Mazda runner up, former Formula BMW runner up. He's rumored to be one of the drivers that Tags and FAZZT are looking at for limited program this year. His lack of oval experience might keep him off the track at Indy, but he could show up at both the Canadian races this year.
Alexander Rossi
Age: 18
Nationality: American
The “Great White Hope” if you will of F-1. He's won on every level he's ever entered, he's well spoken, fast, attractive, he's what the ICS needs, but probably won't get.
Conor Daly
Age 18
Nationality: American
If the ICS doesn't get Conor Daly then something horribly wrong the system, and there apparently is. So he's probably going to head to Europe and have a difficult time making into F-1.
Josef Newgarden
Age: 19
Nationality: American
Born in NASCAR crazy Nashville Josef wants to be the next American F-1 driver. He started young, has a lot of experience and is working his way up the European Ladder system, finishing second in Formula Ford last year. He's a great American talent and has had some contact with some ICS teams. Newgarden is the real deal.
Patrick Barrett
Age:20
Nationality: American
While he doesn't have a stunning resume, he has a good mix of open wheel and road course training, has won some lower-level championships but has stalled out because of money.
Gabriel “Gabby” Chaves
Age: 16
Nationality: American
Gabby is a Columbian-American racer with a really stunning background for someone so young, she's got a ton of Karting hardware and she's the reigning Formula BMW champion, she's going to be racing in the Italian F3 series, but I think she'll find a glass ceiling in Europe, and with a year or two in the FIL she could be an ICS standout. She's worked with Emo in the past.