{"id":158300,"date":"2024-03-20T12:23:13","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T12:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mancunion.com\/?p=158300"},"modified":"2024-03-20T15:00:36","modified_gmt":"2024-03-20T15:00:36","slug":"new-generation-f1-driver-wasted-potential","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mancunion.com\/2024\/03\/20\/new-generation-f1-driver-wasted-potential\/","title":{"rendered":"The new generation of F1 drivers: Wasted potential?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Even non-F1 fans have likely heard the news<\/a> that seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton will be leaving the Silver Arrows of Mercedes to join Ferrari in 2025. Hamilton will be taking Carlos Sainz’s seat when his contract expires at the end of this year; even though Sainz was the only non Red Bull driver to win a race in 2023<\/a>. Most drivers only have seats until the end of 2024 <\/a>so some reshuffling is to be expected; but in the past nine months we’ve seen two junior drivers step up into F1 seats and deliver spectacular performances which, bringing into question exactly how many changes we’re going to see this silly season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Last season Daniel Ricciardo broke his hand at the Dutch GP following a crash with fellow Aussie driver Oscar Piastri. Surgery was needed to repair the damage and consequently Ricciardo couldn’t finish the weekend or compete in the following four races. Reserve driver<\/a> Liam Lawson stepped in to replace him and made quite the impression. Lawson scored points, out-qualified and placed ahead of his teammate Yuki Tsunoda; and, in one of the most surprising moments of the season, knocked current World Champion Max Verstappen out of qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix.<\/p>\n

Similarly, this year Sainz could not qualify or race at the Saudi Arabian GP as he was hospitalised for appendicitis. Current F2 and Ferrari Academy driver Ollie Bearman took his place jumping straight in at Free Practice 3. Bearman qualified 11th only 0.036s off Hamilton in 8th place. In the first lap of the Grand Prix, Bearman already tried to make a move on Yuki Tsunoda ahead of him. He kept moving up the grid to 7th place and defended against Lando Norris and Hamilton to maintain his position and score points, an incredible F1 debut from the 18 year old.<\/p>\n

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@espn<\/a> <\/p>\n

#LewisHamilton<\/a> waited for #OllieBearman<\/a> to congratuate him \ud83d\udc4f #f1<\/a> #formula1<\/a> #sportsmanship<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u266c original sound – ESPN<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n