So what do you think of the crop of GP2 contenders?

[keysersoze]

The top runners are Romain Grosjean, Christian Vietoris, David Valsecchi, Sam Bird, Adam Carroll, Giedo van der Garde, Jules Bianchi, and Charles Pic. It looks like Brendan Hartley has helped Ocean Racing since recently joining the team.

How do you rate them?

[keysersoze]

add Dani Clos

[jens]

Grosjean is someone I rate quite highly. Always done. Some may say that he is sort of a Pantano or Maldonado, having stayed around long enough before finally winning... But the difference is that Grosjean has always been a frontrunner, from his very first GP2 season. And something he has only just missed out so far, has finally been done in style. Looking at his Renault F1 stint, his qualifying performances were actually decent - on tracks, which he knew, he was just 2-3 tenths off Alonso. This is something that is comparable to current Massa. And what has recently turned out is that Grosjean's fitness wasn't good enough for F1 back in 2009 to really make a successful transition - that's why his performance dropped during races. But it will be different now.

Bianchi is an interesting one, because I think fundamentally he has good raw pace. But maybe like Grosjean, he needs time to iron out his racecraft, which at times has been sort of a letdown so far. Before both 2010 and 2011 Bianchi has been expected to be the biggest title contender in pre-season, but it hasn't worked out in either occasion. So will 2012 be a different story finally?

Pic has been improving gradually, but has been under the radar for some time. But looks like he could become a serious contender for the title in 2012 and winning it would put him to F1 circles also. Vietoris has had some promising moments, but overall looks too inconsistent to be in the running for the title. I don't think he has some serious money behind him, so he may most likely find himself in DTM in the long run.

Van der Garde has been driving in top teams all his GP2 career, but hasn't shown himself anything more than roughly an average talent. If he ever makes it into F1, it would be as a paydriver in midfield or at the back. Valsecchi managed to win the Monaco attrition race, but other than that he hasn't shown much in his GP2 career. Carroll and Filippi are just vastly experienced drivers, who can perhaps even be title contenders in the right team, but for F1 it's too late - touring cars or IndyCar (whichever they like) will wait for them. Clos is perhaps sort of an inferior version of di Grassi - extremely consistent, but never truly shines or wins.

Sam Bird has had some promising moments in both 2010 and 2011, but he hasn't been electric enough over a full season to get some serious notice from F1... so the doors will likely remain closed for him. Ericsson finally showed some impressive performances in the second half of 2011, but he needs to pull out something special in 2012 over a full season. He is still younger than most rivals around him, so we will see.

As a GP3 champion Gutiérrez has been very disappointing and inconsistent this year. He has Telmex/Carlos Slim money behind him, but he needs to improve a lot in 2012 to get onto F1 radar. Which, considering his age, he may well be capable of doing. I personally think he has lots of talent. We shall not forget that he was outracing the likes of Wickens and Rossi in GP3 last year, both of who are now WSR frontrunners and linked to F1 seats in long-term.

[Robinho]

Grosjean is very good and deserves a proper shot at F1. As yet I've not seen enough from any of the others to suggest they could really cut it, but i expect a couple will get a chance and at least 1 will prove me wrong

[Nikki Katz]

In order to end up in F1 there needs to either be a new team (won't happen in 2012) or for someone else to leave. The GP2 drivers will currently be gesticulating angrily at Schumacher, Barrichello and Trulli for failing to retire when they were expected to. Add the possibility that Kubica could make a comeback - if not at the start of the season then possibly mid-season or in 2013 - and it's slim pickings.

Renault are very impressed with Grosjean, and with reason. As has been mentioned, he's always been a front-runner in GP2 and his inability to take a title before this year is due to this only being his second full season in the series - championship challenges in 2009 and 2010 were implausible as he only ran partial seasons. The failiure of his 2009 F1 entry was due to a lack of testing and everything being thrown behind Alonso. He's still with the team now, after all, so they are aware of this.

His problem is that Renault have some funding issues and seem likely to field Petrov and Senna until Kubica's better (or retires, in which case they may rethink). So really, unless Renault are prepared to farm him out to Virgin or Hispania, his best shot at an F1 seat will revolve around one of the two outperforming the other consistently, and Renault dropping one as a result.

As far as Bianchi goes, he's clearly not going to land in a Ferrari any time soon. Ferrari do have history of loaning drivers to other teams for experience though, although I think that a second year in GP2 would do him good - he may have had patchy form and didn't contend the championship as expected, but 3rd place isn't too bad for a first year.
*edit* it's his second year isn't it? oops. maybe that's a little less good, though i still don't think he's bad

Filippi has no chance unless a load of money lands in his lap. His strange sudden upturn of form after six years in the midfield appears to be due to him gelling better with an Italian based team. Ferrari have plenty of better drivers to choose from, and Toro Rosso generally only use Red Bull development drivers, so that's probably not going to happen. From memory, he did nearly land a Super Aguri seat ages ago after testing faster than their regular drivers, but instead returned to GP2 as a championship favourite to have the season from hell.

Pic has gone up in my estimation recently. He's hardly the best driver the series has ever produced, but he's probably better than D'Ambrosio. That was his second year in GP2 though, so I'm unsure if he'll return, though he'd contend the championship if he did. Same with Bird, although I don't rate him quite as highly.

van der Garde has always been a bit overrated as far as I was concerned - there was a buzz about him a few years ago when he signed a test deal with two teams at once, which had to go to the contract recognition board, but he's really just been a bit under the radar ever since.

Gutierrez really needs a second season - I think I was pretty much the only person who agreed with Sauber's decision to run de la Rosa instead of him at that race earlier this year, at that time at least he simply wasn't ready.

Knowing our luck, we'll probably just get Leal entering F1 next year...

[Rollo]

In order to end up in F1 there needs to either be a new team (won't happen in 2012) or for someone else to leave.

Is that true though?

If say Banana Motor Co. wanted to enter Formula One and threw a sufficiently good enough case on the table and sufficient money behind it, I'm pretty sure that the FIA would acquiesce.
If Banana Motor Co. had had an established motorsports program going for a long time, would the FIA then see that as non-genuine?

[Nikki Katz]

Maybe if there was a serious amount of money that would definately be there then possibly. But the FIA refused Stefan when they turned up with two cars that would probably have beaten the other three teams. They refused former WRC champions Prodrive three times, even keeping their deposit on one occasion. ART withdrew their 2011 entry due to lack of definite funds, and a further three teams were refused the 12th spot for the same reason. I think it'd be much more likely that teams would start dropping off than us getting a new one without buying out one of the existing ones.

[Stuartf12007]

Adam Carroll is my pick of that bunch, he is fast and drives on the edge.

[DexDexter]

Grosjean is very good and deserves a proper shot at F1. As yet I've not seen enough from any of the others to suggest they could really cut it, but i expect a couple will get a chance and at least 1 will prove me wrong

He already had one good chance in a top team. Why should he get a second one? Really good drivers impress immediately given a half decent car.

[jens]

He already had one good chance in a top team. Why should he get a second one? Really good drivers impress immediately given a half decent car.

Vettel didn't impress much either until Fuji 2007. You should know that even your own countryman Kovalainen was pretty much out of his depth during first half of 2007 before coming good. And Rosberg wasn't showing much in 2006.

If you claim Grosjean shouldn't be in F1, may I ask that who else should be then? Grosjean is the #1 driver ready to join F1 in case of any vacancy. Other drivers in feeder series have been performing below his level.

And finally Renault at the end of 2009 wasn't a "top team". In fact, it had one of the worst cars on the grid at that time (depending on the circuit too, of course).

[DexDexter]

Vettel didn't impress much either until Fuji 2007. You should know that even your own countryman Kovalainen was pretty much out of his depth during first half of 2007 before coming good. And Rosberg wasn't showing much in 2006.

If you claim Grosjean shouldn't be in F1, may I ask that who else should be then? Grosjean is the #1 driver ready to join F1 in case of any vacancy. Other drivers in feeder series have been performing below his level.

And finally Renault at the end of 2009 wasn't a "top team". In fact, it had one of the worst cars on the grid at that time (depending on the circuit too, of course).

I see your point but the thing is there is so much talent out there that people really should try new guys instead of turning to people who've already had a decent shot at F1. (Schumacher's chance at Jordan and Benetton in 1991 was quite like Grosjean's: not much testing, straight into a car)

[I am evil Homer]

Sam Bird was decent in his F1 tests so I wouldn't write him off

[N4D13]

I see your point but the thing is there is so much talent out there that people really should try new guys instead of turning to people who've already had a decent shot at F1. (Schumacher's chance at Jordan and Benetton in 1991 was quite like Grosjean's: not much testing, straight into a car)
I think that would be a huge mistake. How many Hamiltons and Schumachers have been there? Every few years, an impressive driver will get his first chance in F1 and manage to make an impression, but this is very unlikely - drivers like Lewis and Michael are (almost) one of a kind.

[DexDexter]

I think that would be a huge mistake. How many Hamiltons and Schumachers have been there? Every few years, an impressive driver will get his first chance in F1 and manage to make an impression, but this is very unlikely - drivers like Lewis and Michael are (almost) one of a kind.

Yeah, maybe. For some reason I just don't like Grosjean, maybe it's the hair. :)

[N4D13]

Yeah, maybe. For some reason I just don't like Grosjean, maybe it's the hair. :)
I'd still rather pick Grosjean's hair over Maldonado's. :D

[Mia 01]

Nothing!

[Nikki Katz]

I like Barrichello but I probably wouldn't be adverse to him losing his seat if it meant Raikkonen got it. However, I've seen a number of other names being thrown around, top of which seems to be van der Garde. I really hope that Williams aren't forced down that route, as a Maldonado / van der Garde lineup seems rather weak, and they may struggle to beat their five points this season. Although a Petrov / Senna lineup for Renault/Lotus doesn't sound great either, but they're generally doing not too bad. Well, except today...

Anyway, I think that Grosjean really needs to be in F1 next year, but other than Renault, who have three other drivers, I don't really see where he'd fit in.

[Dave B]

Looks like Charles Pic is close to being confirmed at Marussia (née Virgin) for 2012, most likely at the expense of D'Ambrosio.

Charles Pic set to race with Virgin in 2012 - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/96229)

[keysersoze]

Pic certainly showed he has the pace but it will be tough making a go of it at Virgin / Marussia, as it seems HRT finally has the pace to beat them. As it is, Charles' job is straightforward--beat Glock--which will be difficult to do.

[Nikki Katz]

Mehh, I can't say I'm overly fussed by this. I guess I'd put Pic around the same level as di Grassi and d'Ambrosio. Maybe if he'd gone back to GP2 and won the title it would be different, but I imagine this will be another sole year in F1.

More worryingly, why is Lotus/Caterham testing Gonzalez? Surely that's just for one of those test seats with no serious future of a race drive???

[zako85]

Anyone notice the high number of accidents at the last race in Abu Dhabi? I was expecting better..

[Nikki Katz]

I haven't noticed it being broadcast in the UK yet. Most of the regulars were absent from that race anyway, it was for testing new drivers. A lot of the top F3 & Formula Renault drivers were absent too, though I'm a little doubtful that Vergne, Wickens etc will go to GP2, may just bypass it.

[jens]

Mehh, I can't say I'm overly fussed by this. I guess I'd put Pic around the same level as di Grassi and d'Ambrosio. Maybe if he'd gone back to GP2 and won the title it would be different, but I imagine this will be another sole year in F1.

More worryingly, why is Lotus/Caterham testing Gonzalez? Surely that's just for one of those test seats with no serious future of a race drive???

Gonzalez isn't worrying for me. Lotus/Caterham has a strategy of giving some time in the car for drivers, who pay for it (Teixeira, Razia, Chandhok, etc cases in point), but their choice of race drivers has been much more careful. Personally I have been surprised that outside Top4 teams Lotus is the only one, who hasn't resorted to any kind of paydrivers in race seats. Fernandes has done well to manage this team financially.

About Charles Pic I agree. I also think he is about on a similar level with di Grassi and d'Ambrosio and his career is not going to last longer. One could ask that what's the point of changing a driver every year, but then again maybe we can be thankful to Virgin Racing that they are giving an opportunity to drivers, who otherwise would never have got an F1 drive. It may be only for a sole season, but those drivers were never going to accomplish much more than that anyway. And one season in Grand Prix racing is better than zero, so they have something great to add to their CV-s. :)