When even the champions of ‘feeder series’ are considered charmed to be granted an F1 graduation, it’s no surprise memories are stirred of a radically different era
MARCUS SIMMONS
One of the byproducts from last week’s news of the impending shock transfer of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari was that it raised speculation, through a handy hint from Mercedes F1 chief Toto Wolff that it may be “an opportunity to do something bold”, that the Three-Pointed Star’s 17-year-old sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli may be called upon to fill the seven-time world champion’s sizeable shoes in 2025.
Young Antonelli would be the lucky one. The Italian is clearly a sensational talent, about to embark upon his first season in Formula 2 as the reigning (but hardly dominant) title holder from the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. He may well win the F2 crown, although he does have the not inconsiderable obstacle of Ferrari protege – and Haas F1-destined? – Ollie Bearman working out of the same Prema Racing awning for 2024. Any F2 champion surely, by definition, deserves an immediate graduation to F1, but it rarely works out that way. Look at Theo Pourchaire, Felipe Drugovich before him, Oscar Piastri before him. Back in the 1980s, reigning champ Pourchaire would surely be gearing up for a rookie F1 season, probably with Ligier – although that might not always have been a good thing…
Making it even harder for these budding starlets is the effectively closed shop of F1. Also last week, F1 rejected the bid of Michael Andretti’s team to join the grid. Bang went any chance of the field rising from 20 cars to 22, and with it any increased opportunity for newcomers to break through. Back in 2022, football fans were outraged by the attempted creation of a European Super League, with member clubs locked into the competition in perpetuity. Motorsport fans rightly feel similarly that Andretti’s rebuff is scandalous – F1 is now a European Super League in all but name.
Also in the past fortnight, many in the sport were deeply saddened at the news that Gerrit van Kouwen had died after an illness at the age of 60. He was supreme in the 1984 Formula Ford Festival, and a race winner in British F3 in 1985 and 1986. His career ran out of steam, but he retained a close connection with the sport. It was in his blood, after all.
An engineer pal of mine, who worked with van Kouwen when the Dutchman was coaching and mentoring young drivers in the 1990s, messaged me on Monday. He was logged in to the video
