Is GP2 good for drivers to get to F1?

Does it really help their careers
 

I bring this up because of an article on Max Verstappen recently that said he didn't want to do GP2. "I thought about what happened with Raffaele Marciello," going on to say "He (Marciello) was the king of formula 3," said Verstappen, "but suddenly his career stalled in GP2." He said this was a major influence on his move to Torro Rosso and not Mercedes.

To add there have been other drivers who jump through the order and struggle when they get to GP2. Look at Daniel Abt, who after 2 years clawing point at the back of the grid, gave up and moved to Formula E. Since then the driver has experienced a bit more luck, having recently finished 3rd in the Miami ePrix after leading for much of the second half of the race.

Herck for DPR in 2008

However; some drivers have struggled after their moves to GP2 and have seen their racing career come to a halt. One notable example being Michael Herck. He won Formula Junior 1600 Spain and the Austrian Formula 3 championship early on. But spent 3 1/2 years at the back of the grid in GP2 and retired from motorsport after a disappointing 2011 season.

But surely this is just motorsport. Surely it's just competition. These drivers struggled because the class is higher. After all, GP2 is the last step before F1 and it's probably unsurprising to say that these are the best, non-F1, single seater drivers. Drivers aren't going to have immediate success because it's a large step up. I highly rate Marciello and considering he finished 8th in his first season is actually impressive. Only on 3 occasions have we seen drivers win GP2 in their first year; Rosberg (2005), Hamilton (2006) and Hulkenburg (2009). These drivers have become a staple of F1 and stars of the motorsport world.

While F1 becomes increasingly based on, who has the deepest pockets, it's clear to see that some talent is not rewarded. With the recent announcements that Evans and Yelloly going into Endurance racing, it's clear that drivers with shallower pockets are looking for seats elsewhere. So while results aren't always as important, they do give us a true test of who is better in equal machinery.

I've heavily critisised Torro Rosso in the past for choosing Verstappen over Gasly and Lynn, so this season will give everyone a true sense of what his pace actually is compared to Sainz and the field. But, the question remains, would Verstappen have struggled when he got to GP2 and what would have become of his racing career.

As for Marciello, now the Sauber reserve, he's looking for a route into F1 as well. But for him, he'll be aiming for the GP2 title this year with McLaren Young Driver; Vandoorne and Red Bull Young Driver; Gasly as well as 23 other competitors.

-|RacingRecaps|-