There are some very prominent names - as well as others who have faded from memory writes thomasmaheronf1 F1
The Formula 2 series has become an established proving ground for F1. Previously known as GP2, the series has given many of today’s drivers their big headstart…
He made an instant impression, scoring the fastest lap and two points for seventh place in his very first race. However, 2006 proved to be a tough year for him and Williams – another seventh place at the Nurburgring being his only other points finish. Mercedes became the dominant team in F1 in 2014, with Rosberg and Hamilton battling each other relentlessly – leading to several on-track clashes. Hamilton would win the titles in 2014 and 2015, with Rosberg winning it in 2016 after a particularly bitter title fight. Two days after clinching the title in Abu Dhabi, Rosberg promptly retired from F1 and has never shown a desire to return to the sport.
McLaren, under Ron Dennis, would opt on taking a risk on Hamilton, with the British driver immediately proving competitive as he raced to a podium finish first time out in Australia. He would finish on the podium at every race until the 10th round of the season, including taking his maiden win at the Canadian GP.
It took until 2021 for Hamilton to be toppled again, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen ending the streak. Hamilton continues to race for Mercedes, and will do so again in 2023.The German driver became the 2007 GP2 Champion, the first to do so having already raced in Formula 1. Glock was signed up by Toyota to join their F1 squad for 2008, replacing Ralf Schumacher, although had to go through the process of the FIA’s Contract Recognition Board to do so having already signed a testing contract with BMW.
Glock would never score an F1 point again, with his best result being a 20th of 26 place finish in the Drivers’ Championship in 2012. While he had a contract with the team for 2013, then called Marussia, he and the team split ways before the season started – Glock moving to the DTM instead. A tough first half of the season yielded no results, but he came alive in the second half with multiple podiums as he scored 49 points across 12 races.
He joined the short-lived Superleague series that year, winning again at Magny-Cours. Since then, Pantano’s career behind the wheel has been piecemeal – with occasional IndyCar outings in 2011 and ’12. Racing fully in the 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series, en route to 14th overall, Pantano’s racing career since then has dried up.The German driver entered GP2 from Formula 3 Euro Series, remaining with ART for the change of championship.
Aside from F1, Hulkenberg won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2015 alongside Porsche teammates Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy. Winning the Spa sprint race in 2008 was the highlight of his second season in GP2, having switched to Piquet Sports, while a move to the competitive ART squad for 2009 saw him move up to sixth overall with two victories.
A move to Lotus for 2014 didn’t meet with much success either, although he doubled his points total . His final season, in 2015, netted him 27 points through six points finishes. However, Grosjean was cast aside by Renault at the conclusion of 2009, with former Addax teammate Vitaly Petrov being signed up instead.
The ban seemed to help calm Grosjean, who put in a sterling 2013 season to much more closely match the performances of an increasingly disinterested Raikkonen. A constant podium finisher in the final races, Grosjean finished seventh overall – the highest point of his F1 career. Taking part in the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi with HRT at the end of the 2010 season, and having taken part in practice for the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix with Caterham, Valsecchi signed up as a test driver for the Lotus team for 2013.
Joining Rebellion Racing in the WEC for 2014, the first half of the championship went without a single point for him and his teammates, although the second half of the year netted him a total of 19 points and 17th overall. When Renault took over the team during that year, Palmer was given the boost of being promoted to a race driver for 2016 as he’d line up alongside Kevin Magnussen.
Turning to Super Formula for 2016, Vandoorne got his first taste of F1 when he stood in for Fernando Alonso at the season opener in Bahrain – taking home a point on his debut. He also finished fourth overall in the Japanese championship.