We’ve long leg-pulled F1 fans on Radio Le Mans by describing their chosen favourite arm of the sport as the ‘WEC Feeder Series”.
It’s all good fun but the thought occurred to me – is it actually true?
Just where are the current crop of factory LMP1 drivers coming from?
Well, through the power of Google and with a long train journey to fill, I took a look back at the recent career paths of the 31 drivers currently named aboard factory LMP1 cars for the 2015 season.
Using a notional cut-off of three changes of career path I took a look at where the drivers had plied their professional trade.
There are indeed no fewer than nine ex F1 drivers on that list, plus a further seven who have tested, or in some cases continue to test, F1 machinery or simulators. More than half then do indeed have at least some F1 experience.
There are also nine drivers that contested A1GP, and seven that raced in either or both of GP2 and F3000.
Japanese Superformula/ Formula Nippon has seen five of our current crop compete with a couple coming via US open wheel racing, and 10 featuring other mid-ranking or junior single seater formulae on their (relatively) recent cvs.
DTM has had three current LMP1 men on their recent grids with the Porche Supercup contributing a couple more.
Super GT though has seen no fewer than eight!
Eight too have competed recently in LMP2 machinery and 11 in LMP1 for teams other than their current employers.
The biggest chunk of all though is those who have, or in the odd case still are, competed in factory GT programmes – That accounts for 14 of the 31.
There seem to be four basic messages from this brief canter through Wikipedia – The single seater ladder is indeed very shaky. A factory LMP1 drive is now one of THE most highly prized seats in the sport.
LMP1 experience is very highly prized by the factory teams – The combination of proven speed and an ability to adapt to the peculiarities of endurance racing, with its compromise and teamworking is not something which every pro driver can achieve easily
The ‘Hartley Factor’ has turned heads too – Form in the junior LMP formula is now seen as directly relevant, all four current factory teams now feature at least one driver who has plied his trade in an LMP2 in the past few years.
But for those still looking to get a foot on the ladder in the World’s fastest growing racing discipline a start in GTs should not be discounted – Almost half of the current crop have been drawn from the ranks of the factory team’s GT drivers in GTE and GT3 – That team working ability is well tested there, as are the abilities to look after the machinery (and the rubber) over long stints.
Raw speed is, of course, massively important, but a fast individual driver won’t win a 6 hour, or indeed a 24 hour, race alone. Getting aboard a GT car and showing your mettle can indeed be a head-turner – Ask Marcel Fassler!
So then – is F1 the WEC’s Feeder Series?
Well, strip away the collated LMP1 and GT numbers and – well yes it is!
BUT – if you are looking to get on board the sportscar racing freight train, a convincing campaign in an LMP2 or a GT can and will do the trick too!
