Hanna Ifri
When it comes to Formula One, the path to glory is well known. Star drivers are scouted and nurtured from a young age, some even dubbed as “generational talents” and named as the next big thing before they’re even old enough to be behind the steering wheel of an actual car.
You have current names such as Andrea “Kimi” Antonelli and Ollie Bearman, who spend their every moment being watched by fans, team principals and sponsors waiting to snatch them up and put them in a deserving seat, waiting to turn them into the next big thing. But there is a question that remains unanswered regarding these rookies. Is this obsession with finding the next world champion meaning that we are simply overlooking other talents hidden within the ranks of Formula 2 and Formula 3 who equally deserve a seat?
Sometimes it’s the drivers who don’t grab the headlines that can be the ones to watch
Enter Franco Colapinto, an Argentine driver who is quietly challenging F1’s rookie culture and proving that talent speaks louder than hype. Beside him, there are other drivers such as Gabriel Bortoleto, who is currently leading the F2 championship after winning the F3 championship as a rookie. Drivers like these two, seem to show us that sometimes it’s the drivers who don’t grab the headlines that can be the ones to watch.
The new Williams rookie wasn’t your typical F1-bound prodigy. Born and raised in Argentina, far from the European racing hubs, he worked his way up through Formula 4 and was in Formula 2 before he was pulled up into the Williams Formula One seat. Yet, in his last six races, Colapinto has shown he’s clearly capable of outpacing drivers who carry the “future F1 star” label.
Franco isn’t alone within this. Another example of this underappreciated talent is Brazil’s Gabriel Bortoleto, a driver whose journey in the junior formulas has also flown somewhat under the radar until recently. Like Colapinto, Bortoleto has shown race-winning potential, taking his car from last to the top step of the podium, outperforming his competitors despite receiving less media attention. These drivers represent a deep pool of talent in motorsports that exists beyond the well-funded academies and media-darling rookies. They remind us that success in Formula One should be about capability, not just visibility.
Media and fans often tend to gravitate toward the biggest names and brands
Now what is the reason behind why these drivers get less attention? Well, there are several factors contributing towards it. First, media and fans often tend to gravitate toward the biggest names and brands, particularly those drivers affiliated with F1’s powerhouse academies like Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes. These drivers in those named academies receive significant funding and PR backing, which amplifies their presence across the sport.
Another big thing that plays a significant role is their nationality. The world of motorsport is often found to be Euro-centric, which most of the time can leave young talent from regions like Latin America out of the spotlight. Drivers like Colapinto, who represents Argentina – a country with a deep motorsport history but few modern F1 contenders – face an uphill battle in gaining recognition compared to their European peers.
Adding to that, financial backing remains one of the biggest barriers. A lot of drivers with immense talent struggle to find their way into the top teams because they lack sponsorship and financial means. It has even reached a point where the parents of these drivers will sell personal possessions to see their children make it as far as possible in the sport, for example Colapinto’s father sold their house to fund his son’s F4 Championship run.
Colapinto, Bortoleto, and others like them show us that the F1 pipeline might be missing out on exceptional drivers
By consistently outperforming expectations, Franco Colapinto is chipping away at the myth that only high-profile rookies can succeed in F1. His performance sends a message: if the sport was more willing to look beyond the most obvious candidates, it might find that future stars come in all shapes, sizes and stories. Colapinto, Bortoleto, and others like them show us that the F1 pipeline might be missing out on exceptional drivers simply by following the same predictable playbook.
After all of this, it is clearly time for Formula One and the motorsport community to rethink how they value young talent. Focusing only on the hyped few does a disservice not only to the drivers who deserve recognition but to the fans, who might miss out on seeing a more diverse field of talent. If F1 truly wants to be the pinnacle of motorsport, it should be a stage where the best drivers rise, regardless of how loudly their names are echoed in the media.
Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto are proof that there’s more to being F1 material than carrying a “golden rookie” title. They remind us that passion, skill, and resilience are just as valuable – and maybe even more lasting – than hype alone. They show us that if we look beyond the spotlight, we might just find the future of Formula One waiting in the wings.
Hanna Ifri
Featured image courtesy of Paul Harris via Unsplash. Image use license found here (Unsplash). No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of @francolapinto via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of @f1 via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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