Method One is brimming with thrilling younger expertise on the verge of constructing themselves prime tier abilities. F1’s youth revolution was underlined by Max Verstappen profitable the title final yr however it’s been exhausting to disregard the rise of a number of different younger stars.

Whether or not it was Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in 2019 or Lando Norris over the previous two years, there are many drivers who’re establishing themselves as the celebs of F1’s rapid future.

Here is a take a look at 4 drivers who’re properly positioned to thrive this yr.

George Russell

George Russell lastly has his likelihood to indicate what all of the fuss is about this yr. Many in F1 assume Russell is the actual deal and in his three years with Williams it was not tough to see why. On the British staff he confirmed why Mercedes has invested so closely into his junior profession.

He rapidly established himself as an distinctive qualifier and made a behavior of dragging the uncompetitive automobile into Q2 and infrequently into Q3. One among these beautiful Saturday qualifying laps was the spine of his maiden profession podium on the Belgian Grand Prix.

We already had a glimpse of what he might do at Mercedes on the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix as a stand-in for Lewis Hamilton following a constructive Covid take a look at. Russell would have gained that race had it not been for a late Mercedes pit-stop blunder. Impressively, from the phrase go that weekend he gave the impression to be very near the extent of teammate Valtteri Bottas.

That is the place the important thing distinction is that this time round. He is changing Bottas this yr and can race alongside Hamilton 23 occasions throughout the season. Bottas began strongly in opposition to Hamilton in 2017 however rapidly light and struggled to match the seven-time world champion’s unimaginable consistency.

Assuming Hamilton decides to proceed racing, the occasions of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix might have lit a fireplace within him. As he confirmed in Brazil final yr, when his again is in opposition to the wall he typically delivers his greatest performances. Fortunately for Russell, he most likely would not have to beat Hamilton throughout the course of the season to have a breakout yr.

A win or two can be sufficient, as would proving that he’s not simply one other Bottas — that’s, a fast driver who can often declare a pole or win a race — however is somebody who can persistently match Hamilton’s degree. If he can do this, he’ll end the yr wanting just like the long-term way forward for Mercedes.

Carlos Sainz

There should not be any doubt remaining that Carlos Sainz is one in every of F1’s most gifted younger drivers. Aside from a barely sluggish begin final yr, the Spanish driver not often seemed misplaced at Ferrari. He scored 4 podiums and out-scored teammate Charles Leclerc over the course of the yr. That was an enormous assertion in his first yr at Maranello.

Final yr was a little bit of a breakout for Sainz however was most likely overshadowed by the hype round his former McLaren teammate Norris, particularly within the first half of the season. This marketing campaign seems like an enormous alternative for Sainz.

Like each staff, Ferrari will look to maneuver up the order this yr. No matter whether or not it does or not, Ferrari has one of the vital thrilling driver pairings on the grid and we noticed sufficient from Sainz in 2021 to know that it could be fallacious to imagine he’ll play second fiddle to Leclerc if the Italian staff turns into the one to beat this season.

Alex Albon

It is so good to see Alex Albon get a second likelihood at Method One. He is acquired it with Williams, who picked him as the person to switch Russell — in reality, Russell performed a giant position in getting his pal the gig. That wasn’t only a case of 1 individual serving to out a mate.

Like many within the paddock Russell believes Albon didn’t get a good likelihood throughout his time at Pink Bull in 2020. It is clear now that being Max Verstappen’s teammate is a tough job.

Pierre Gasly wasn’t as much as the duty in 2019 and nor was Albon in 2020. Even former race winner Sergio Perez struggled to correctly match the Dutch driver throughout a full season final yr. Perez is clearly one in every of F1’s most gifted drivers and Gasly has excelled within the years since at Alpha Tauri. Within the context of figuring out simply how good Verstappen is, it’s a lot simpler to provide Albon a unique appraisal.

Getting out of the Pink Bull programme can be large for Albon. There’s two examples of why on the grid already. Sainz acquired out of it in 2018 and is now driving at Ferrari, having had the chance to indicate his expertise at Renault and McLaren within the years since.

By comparability, Gasly seems to be barely trapped the place he’s proper now regardless of his unimaginable present efficiency degree. His probabilities of getting one other aggressive automobile look unlikely whereas he’s nonetheless tied to Pink Bull, with Helmut Marko apparently unconvinced the French driver is worthy of one other likelihood.

Albon is freed from all that stress and intrigue and has arguably landed at the most effective spots for a younger driver on the grid. He is at an enhancing Williams staff that will not anticipate the world from him from the primary second he climbs into the automobile.

The context of Albon’s season is totally different to the opposite drivers above him on this checklist – a win would not matter, Albon can reestablish himself as one of many stars of F1’s future if he can replicate a number of the brilliance Russell delivered for the staff over the past three years.

Mick Schumacher

How good is Mick Schumacher? The reply to that query remains to be unclear. He had a powerful junior profession however his rookie season in F1 was with a Haas staff a great distance off the tempo of the closest automobile within the aggressive order.

Schumacher comprehensively out-performed teammate Nikita Mazepin throughout the season however it’s clear after their first yr collectively that Mazepin won’t be the most effective measuring submit for a way good one other driver is. Haas hopes final yr was an anomaly and it may possibly transfer again up the order this yr.

Even when Schumacher simply has a automobile that may problem for a spot in Q2, will probably be a giant step up from what he had final season. It is unlikely Schumacher goes to create many headlines this yr within the Haas, however there’s an opportunity of seeing him in a Ferrari too. Schumacher was named as one in every of Ferrari’s reserve drivers for 2022, which means at sure races he can be first in line to switch Sainz or Leclerc if they’re unable to race.

In the appropriate automobile he might do sufficient to show he is acquired a long-term future on the grid, moderately than simply being a younger man with a well-recognized face and well-known title.