Meet the rookies archive
Marko Asmer (Meet the rookies)
4 December 2007 by Keith Collantine
Estonian Marko Asmer, who will test for BMW in Jerez this week, won the British Formula Three championship this year by a commanding margin.
He had his first test in F1 machinery back in 2003, and is eyeing a full time Formula 1 test seat for 2008.
Does he have what it takes?
Karun Chandhok (Meet the rookies)
19 September 2007 by Keith Collantine
With exquisite timing, India’s Karun Chandhok won his first GP2 race on Sunday just as an Indian has bought out the Spyker team and an Indian Grand Prix is arranged for 2010.
The odds of seeing an Indian in an Indian-backed F1 car in time for the first Indian Grand Prix are pretty good. Here’s a [...]
Kazuki Nakajima (Meet the rookies)
5 September 2007 by Keith Collantine
His father Saturo was an F1 driver in the ’80s and ’90s and always close to Honda.
But Kazuki has forged close connections with Honda’s arch rival Toyota - partly to avoid any suggestion that his ascent through the lower categories has come because of his surname.
He’s got a reputation for being a bit wild - [...]
Javier Villa (Meet the rookies)
17 August 2007 by Keith Collantine
The news that Spanish businessman Alejandro Agag is considering investing in Super Aguri could be very timely for young Spanish racing drivers.
Teenager Javier Villa is already in his second season of GP2 and has three wins to his name. With F1 reaching unprecedented popularity in Spain thanks to Fernando Alonso, could Villa soon be the [...]
Nico Hülkenberg (Meet the rookies)
16 August 2007 by Keith Collantine
“I can say that the boy has an unbelievable talent. So much about him already reminds me of Michael Schumacher.”
Who’s this talking? Michael Schumacher’s manager, Willi Weber.
And what potential star of the future is he pushing? Nico Hülkenberg.
Marco Andretti (Meet the rookies)
15 August 2007 by Keith Collantine
With a surname like Andretti, how can he fail? This kid’s got to end up in F1 sooner or later.
Whether he’ll sink like father Michael, or swim to the title like grandfather Mario, is the big, big question.
It’s big, because it could also be the key to unlocking F1 popularity in the States.
Romain Grosjean (Meet the rookies)
14 August 2007 by Keith Collantine
Could Romain Grosjean be the next top French F1 driver? No, because he’s Swiss. But he does race under a French licence, so maybe he’ll get away with it.
He’s certainly got talent. Grosjean is currently leading the F3 Euroseries and is one of five racers on the Renault Driver Development programme.
Lucas di Grassi (Meet the rookies)
13 August 2007 by Keith Collantine
Ayrton Senna, Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa… could Lucas di Grassi be the next Sao Paulo native to make it into Formula 1?
Di Grassi is currently battling four times F1 starter and BMW test driver Timo Glock for the GP2 championship. He races for Lewis Hamilton’s old team, and has the backing of Renault’s Driver Development [...]
