Logan Sargeant being the last driver from the class of 2023 to extend his contract, made sure that the 2024 F1 grid would remain unchanged. It marked the first time in F1 history that the grid featured no rookies. This continued reliance on experienced drivers and teams’ reluctance to take a chance with young talents has now irked former Ferrari boss Peter Windsor.
On his YouTube channel, Windsor posted a video where he spoke about his idea of having an F1-B series. He wants something similar to F1 but with older cars and younger drivers who aren’t getting a chance to prove themselves at the pinnacle of motorsports.
With this, he also gives venues that can’t get into the F1 calendar, an opportunity.
“We should have a second-tier Formula One championship running last year’s cars or any year’s car before this one. They should be at the circuits that want to be on the calendar which aren’t. We should have this B division Formula One championship and it should be for all these young guys that aren’t getting a ride and it’d be a great championship.”
Windsor highlighted the likes of Liam Lawson, Felipe Drugovich, and Frederick Vesti to name a few. They would greatly benefit from this second-tier series, and it can become a stepping stone for them to get into the premier class someday.
However, the 72-year-old is annoyed at the reality that this series is not even under consideration. It is confusing for him because there are already practices in place that align with the suggestions.
Peter Windsor highlights F1’s Second Tier is a possibility
Peter Windsor went on to say that teams are already testing with younger drivers behind the wheels of older cars. For example, earlier this year, Mercedes tested their young prodigy Kimi Antonelli with the W12 and W13 for three days in Italy.
This structure would comply with Windsor’s suggestion of what an F1-B Series would look like. He understands the challenges but wants the governing bodies to at least have a discussion.
“The only reason the teams aren’t supporting this concept is because they’re so focused on what they’re doing. It’s difficult enough to do what they’re doing at the moment.”
Convincing an F1 team will be a difficult task. But it could double their money if they eventually agree. If a five-team series is built around the concept, they can use additional funds to invest in their future. Additionally, it could also generate revenue.
The younger talents who come out of their academy could also be F1-ready with regular racing action in similar cars. It would truly change the outlook toward the sort and could attract a new crop of potential drivers.
