The Other 99 Lewis Hamiltons

[bill shoe]

…Chandhok also slammed Mallya's driver search program, insisting that "you are not going to find the next Indian star by running events in single-engined four-stroke rental karts on 400-meter tracks made out of concrete."

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/ ... rce-india/

This raises an interesting question— How do you look for a great driver, someone who is equal or better to Hamilton/Alonso/Vettel?

Traditional formula car series are expensive. The initial talent pool, even in lower levels (Formula Ford, Formula Renault), is selected on the basis of money rather than talent. Then, within that context, the best talent rises to the top. But perhaps only 1% of the population can afford to put themselves in the initial talent pool.

Accessing and evaluating talent in the other 99% of the population would require a MUCH more financially effective approach. This rules out starting with formula car driving or even Kart driving.

How would you try to find any of the 99 Lewis Hamiltons who can’t afford to start racing on their own? Assume your budget was $10 million, a typical amount to fund a single driver from Karts through GP2.

[wesley123]

well it is pretty simple, you do not. You have to start with the karts, where you have to pay for(unless you just get shoved into one by your rich dad, but that ruins the whole astory), no one is going to sponsor someone that has yet to drive. From there on you might or might not get offers from bigger teams. If you do not you can choose to pay for a seat if you have this money, if not you have to be lucky for qa seat next time. then you just works your way up, by the money of sponsors. I doubt anybody is going to risk his team by not asking any money and just drop you in. The lower tier teams rely a lot on the sponsorship money a driver brings in. Even in the gp2 this is the case in a lot of teams.

Point is, if you dont have the money to finance the racing your chances of getting anywhere is minimal.

I also have read a story a while ago about lewis hamilton, when he started he raced with barely working material, using old tires and even using dry tires in the wet on his go karts, simply becuase they had no money to buy anything better, he just kept working hrd and came up higher and higher. mostly by the help he got by McLaren who supported him since he was a little boy stepping up to Ron Dennis saying that one day he will drive for McLaren.

You simply do not get any gifts, what you achieve has to be worked for, for example with the Hamilton story just told it might even be doubted if he raced or just got a small time job doing paperwork for a company, just becuase he didnt step up to Dennis back then. You dont have to just drive, you have to show yourself too.

[Pup]

…Chandhok also slammed Mallya's driver search program, insisting that "you are not going to find the next Indian star by running events in single-engined four-stroke rental karts on 400-meter tracks made out of concrete."

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/ ... rce-india/

This raises an interesting question— How do you look for a great driver, someone who is equal or better to Hamilton/Alonso/Vettel?

In the dual-engined two-stroke category. Duh.

[Caito]

It's far from the best, but sorting a couple out out of computer simulators.

You get the 20, 50 best and you put them in a kart for a day each, then you get the best ones and pay them to race in formula 1. Still you skip lots of good ones, but it's still better than nothing.

[HampusA]

Why don´t you mention Di Resta? He´s arguably as quick as Vettel of not quicker.
He spanked Vettel when they were in the same team in F3.

Guys like Alonso, Hamilton, Senna etc you don´t look for. You can´t exactly hide talent so when the next Senna pops up many will know for years before he sets his foot in F1.

[Caito]

I think he's talking about the Senna's that never even drove a Karting.


Out of all the racing drivers it's "easy" to get the fastest. But still, there are lots of people who might be very good but haven't yet found the sport.

[HampusA]

True, but i have to take Karun´s side on this. A bit like finding a needle in a haystack in my opinion.

[Richard]

I'd like to know what Chandhok suggests instead.

[Pierce89]

…Chandhok also slammed Mallya's driver search program, insisting that "you are not going to find the next Indian star by running events in single-engined four-stroke rental karts on 400-meter tracks made out of concrete."

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/ ... rce-india/

This raises an interesting question— How do you look for a great driver, someone who is equal or better to Hamilton/Alonso/Vettel?

Traditional formula car series are expensive. The initial talent pool, even in lower levels (Formula Ford, Formula Renault), is selected on the basis of money rather than talent. Then, within that context, the best talent rises to the top. But perhaps only 1% of the population can afford to put themselves in the initial talent pool.

Accessing and evaluating talent in the other 99% of the population would require a MUCH more financially effective approach. This rules out starting with formula car driving or even Kart driving.

How would you try to find any of the 99 Lewis Hamiltons who can’t afford to start racing on their own? Assume your budget was $10 million, a typical amount to fund a single driver from Karts through GP2.

Chandok just doesn't want an Indian with real talent around or he won't even get 3rd driver roles. Chandok is a competent race driver but not a world beater. As far as searching for driver, underpowered karts on concrete are fine, the most talented will still go the fastest regardless of the platform.

[Shrieker]

Accessing and evaluating talent in the other 99% of the population would require a MUCH more financially effective approach. This rules out starting with formula car driving or even Kart driving.

How about simulators ? For now, they give a rough idea about what the real thing feels like, and who knows what it's gonna be like in the near future. If simulators can be developed well enough so that there is a high corelation of driver performance between the simulator and the real world, then why not ?

[ringo]

How would you try to find any of the 99 Lewis Hamiltons who can’t afford to start racing on their own? Assume your budget was $10 million, a typical amount to fund a single driver from Karts through GP2.

You don't need to look for them.

You just need to make sure you have the best guy out of that lucky 1%.

Tough luck for the guys who don't have the money. You just have to pick the best out of those who are rich enough to be in the sport in the first place. As that talented but poor kid wont be in the sport as a threat anyway.

[godlameroso]

Gran Turismo driver academy, It's not horribly expensive to maintain an internet connection, a wheel, a ps3, and a copy of GT5, or any other wonderful race simulations that adorn the PC. The only problem is that most race car drivers are actually fit, whereas most wheel jockeys are...well to say they need a little physical conditioning is like saying the Sun is warm.

[donskar]

Of course the problem here is that the next Senna, Clark, or Moss might never be discovered purely because of lack of money. And many who do have enough money to get started lack the continuing financial support to rise high enough to win F1's attention. Ferrari, Red Bull and Mcl (and others?) have driver development programs, but as far as I know they begin with drivers who have already demonstrated their skill at a reasonably high level.

There have been periods when large oil companies sponsored drivers. Some will recall the periods in the 70's (IIRC) when there was an influx of French and then Italian drivers. I guess the only answer would be for teams, manufacturers, or national auto associations (or, better, the FIA) to have an extensive network of talent scouts at the "grassrooots" level. I also think Chandhok is just bitter because he is good, but not good enough.

[jon-mullen]

I don't understand what "talent" has anything to do with driving an F1 car, as if there are people born to do it and people who aren't. Even achievements in something like music depend mostly on hard work and determination, something like perfect pitch is no guarantee. And clearly there's no equivalent to perfect pitch in driving a car.

How would you try to find any of the 99 Lewis Hamiltons who can’t afford to start racing on their own?

Call it silly American optimism on my part, but I think they'll find you. We've seen the training regimens, the diets, the press obligations, the simulator work, the intense focus, the long weekends, the political and business savvy of the F1 drivers. I don't doubt for a second that they (even the ones I don't care for) have the kind of determination that would have them walking from one end to another of the most low-rent paddocks until someone put a steering wheel in their hands.

[Just_a_fan]

Call it silly American optimism on my part, but I think they'll find you. We've seen the training regimens, the diets, the press obligations, the simulator work, the intense focus, the long weekends, the political and business savvy of the F1 drivers. I don't doubt for a second that they (even the ones I don't care for) have the kind of determination that would have them walking from one end to another of the most low-rent paddocks until someone put a steering wheel in their hands.

Lots of people hate him for it but that's exactly what the young Hamilton did when he mugged Ron Dennis at the Autosport awards. He used the opportunity afforded him by his own and his father's hard work up to that point to get noticed by someone who could make a difference.

I bet there were other young drivers at the same event who sat on their hands and were never heard of again. And I bet at least one of them would have been F1 Champion material.

The phrase "fortune favours the brave" comes to mind...