As more rookies break into F1, it’s time to ask: are teams nurturing long-term talent, or treating young drivers as expendable assets?
The Purpose of a Young Driver Program
The young driver program in F1 is meant to identify and develop emerging talent. But in the world of Formula 1, that purpose can get complicated.
For most young drivers, the journey begins in karting before progressing into open-wheel series. By the time they hit F4 or F3, some are already signed into programs run by major F1 teams like Red Bull, Mercedes, or Ferrari. These programs offer financial support, physical training, sim work, and crucial career guidance.
The goal is to funnel talent up the F1 ladder. From F4 to F3, then F2—and finally, if they’re lucky, an F1 seat. In 2025, we’re seeing a rookie boom on the grid not seen since 2019, which featured a standout rookie class:
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- George Russell (Williams, now Mercedes)
- Alexander Albon (Toro Rosso/Red Bull, now at Williams)
- Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo)
Since then, we’ve seen other young drivers step up:
- Zhou Guanyu became the first full-time Chinese F1 driver in 2022 with Alfa Romeo.
- Mick Schumacher, son of the legendary Michael Schumacher, debuted with Haas in 2021 through the Ferrari Driver Academy.
- Oscar Piastri, another standout, arrived in 2023 with McLaren after winning the F3 and F2 titles back-to-back.
These drivers are the products of years of development, training, and often—pressure.
The Drive to Survive Effect
Netflix’s Drive to Survive has transformed the sport’s global audience. It’s made heroes, villains, and viral memes out of people who, five years ago, were only known to die-hard fans. And with that spotlight comes pressure—especially for rookies.
What DTS gains in entertainment value, it sometimes loses in context. Drivers often spend a decade working toward F1, navigating junior series, budget constraints, and personal sacrifice. But one bad weekend, and the narrative flips: “not ready,” “overhyped,” or worse, forgotten.
Which raises a deeper question: how much time does a young driver actually get to prove themselves?
What Counts as a Fair Shot?
Not all programs treat their talent equally.
Red Bull is famous (or infamous) for rapid-fire swaps. From Kyvat to Gasly to Albon, drivers have been promoted or demoted after just a few races. Liam Lawson’s current swap with Yuki Tsunoda echoes this pattern. On paper, Lawson is getting a shot. But is two races enough to fairly judge a driver stepping into a new car under immense pressure? Some might say yes, given that Lawson previously drove five races in 2023 while filling in for an injured Daniel Ricciardo.
Meanwhile, other teams like Haas or Williams have historically given drivers longer runways to grow—even when results were slow to come. Mick Schumacher, for example, was given two full seasons at Haas before being let go. Nicholas Latifi, while often criticized, was retained by Williams for three seasons.
The question becomes: what defines a “fair” opportunity? Ten races? A full season? Or is a young driver only as good as their last qualifying session?
Comparing the Big Three: Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes
When it comes to young driver programs, the top three teams in F1—Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes—take distinctly different approaches.
- Red Bull is fast-paced and high-pressure. They actively scout, fast-track, and promote their drivers—but they also cut ties quickly if expectations aren’t met. Notable examples include Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, and Yuki Tsunoda. The program supports drivers at every level, but it’s very much sink or swim.
- Ferrari takes a slower, more methodical approach. Their strategy leans on long-term development and support. Charles Leclerc’s gradual rise through the ranks is a textbook example. Other alumni include Mick Schumacher, Antonio Giovinazzi, and briefly, Sergio Perez. Ferrari tends to give its drivers time to mature and adapt.
- Mercedes is the most long-term oriented. The program starts early and emphasizes holistic development. Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Pascal Wehrlein, and Esteban Ocon have all been involved with the Mercedes system. During Hamilton’s dominant title run from 2014 to 2020, the program didn’t promote new drivers into race seats, largely because the lineup was so stable and successful.
These different philosophies reflect broader strategic priorities: whether that’s championship contention now, or building for the future.
The Influence of Money and Marketing
Driver talent isn’t the only factor. Financial backing and marketability weigh heavily on team decisions. A driver bringing $10M in sponsorship can tip the scales in their favor. Teams, especially those operating under tighter budgets, may prioritize short-term gain over long-term development.
And with social media now playing such a huge role, popularity can become a performance metric. A young driver with an engaged following might hold more value than one quietly grinding for consistency.
Add to that the FIA super license system and limited FP1 session allocations, and you have a structure where opportunities are few and expectations are sky-high. One mistake? It could be your last.
What Happens When It Breaks Down?
Sometimes, a team’s inability to offer an F1 seat backfires.
Take Oscar Piastri as a case study. After winning F3 and F2 in back-to-back seasons, he was part of Alpine’s driver academy. But when the team failed to lock in an F1 seat, Piastri signed with McLaren instead—an aggressive move that left Alpine blindsided. While some questioned the ethics of the switch, Piastri’s breakout success at McLaren has largely vindicated him.
For teams, it was a cautionary tale: nurture talent too long without a plan, and someone else will benefit from your investment.
What Do Teams Owe Their Drivers?
So what is a team’s responsibility?
If they scout a 14-year-old, sponsor their career through the ranks, and call them “the future,” do they owe that driver more than a few rushed FP1 sessions? More than a single mid-season swap?
Or are these programs simply talent pools, built to maximize options and minimize risk?
It’s clear some teams invest heavily in nurturing their drivers over time. Others take a more transactional approach. But as the sport becomes more competitive—and more public-facing—fans and analysts alike are beginning to demand a clearer answer.
Conclusion: Development or Disposability?
Young driver programs have undeniably shaped the modern F1 grid. But with rising stakes and limited seats, the line between development and disposability is becoming blurred.
If a team is going to invest years in a driver, the least they can do is provide a genuine, measured, and well-resourced opportunity once that driver makes it to F1.
Because if the next generation of champions is discarded before they ever get the chance to shine, what’s the point of having a young driver program at all?