Racing cars for a living isn’t exactly a commonplace vocation. It requires tremendous effort, willpower, natural talent and, of course, strong financial backing in order to have a chance at success. Only a select few progress each year from local go-karting championships to the forefront of world motorsport, and even fewer go on to become racers in the full sense of the word. There is, still, a fine line that separates future world champions from simply great drivers. It’s that extra bit of speed, ruthlessness , determination or that daredevil spirit that can make the difference in the highly competitive and unforgiving sport that is motor racing. The more we follow rising stars carve their way through the junior categories into motorsport’s most prestigious series, the easier it becomes to spot the cream of the crop among the thousands of ambitious young racing drivers out there.
Despite the numerous problems that Formula 1 faces today, there’s no shortage of truly outstanding young prospects desprerate to leave their mark on the world of racing. The emergence of such talents and their promotion F1 is vital to spice up the sport and carry it forward by giving the elites at the top of the table exciting new challenges.
The following list, therefore, includes both drivers still making their mark in various junior categories and feeder series, as well as those who are halfway to greatness, having already established themselves on the F1 grid.