Formula 1 Considers Postseason Young Driver Race to Help Promote Next Wave

Formula 1 has a talent development problem.

There are no rookies on the 2024 grid, and the lone rookie officially signed for the 2025 season is a driver currently ranked outside of the top ten in Formula 2. Opportunities to prove that a driver is fast and capable in an F1 car are few and far between, but one new rule proposal could change that in an exciting way.

The reported plan, which was revealed by The Race, would involve turning the traditional season-ending young driver test into an actual race. That test, a post-season event with the previous year's cars, currently only provides limited track time for designated young drivers. The event has no structure and the only real value for participating drivers is the time in an F1 car. By turning the event into a miniature race weekend for those drivers, the pool of young drivers gets a big opportunity and F1 gets an entirely new product to sell to its broadcast partners.

The best way to understand the value of this race is to look at new Haas signee Ollie Bearman. The Ferrari reserve driver has struggled in a brutal second Formula 2 season, a category where he ranks 15th of 22 drivers. He starred, however, in his short-notice appearance in relief of Ferrari F1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr. earlier this year. His F2 results only show that he is struggling in F2, not that he is unqualified for F1. The single race in F1 proved that he is capable of performing well in F1 itself, and that was enough to ensure his place on the F1 grid despite struggles in the category's highest-ranked and most important development series.

Opportunities for a young driver to fill in at a strong team are few and far between. By allowing an entire field of young drivers to race in actual F1 cars, each driver in the field would have a similar opportunity to the one Bearman had earlier this year. There is an additional benefit, too.

Not only would it provide a major opportunity for F2 drivers in development systems like Bearman and Mercedes prospect Kimi Antonelli, but it would also give opportunities to young drivers currently racing in categories like IndyCar and Super Formula. Drivers like McLaren IndyCar driver and 2023 young driver test standout Pato O'Ward could get a career-changing chance in a young driver race. All of those drivers would get a chance to prove they can race in F1 by actually racing F1 cars.

There are issues to figure out, most notably in the form of eligibility rules that would allow F1 teams to bring in young talent while still guaranteeing some level of qualification. If those issues can be solved and the proposal can be approved, The Race's report suggests that the new event could debut as soon as 2025.