Michel Praises FIA Pyramid for Grooming F1 Talents

Bearman and Colapinto confirm the effectiveness of the FIA pyramid, while Bruno Michel highlights its critical role in preparing young drivers for the complexities of Formula 1.

F2 drivers are increasingly prepared for F1 thanks to a better environment and a pyramid that works. This is the view of Bruno Michel, director of F2 and F3, who believes the connection with Formula 1 teams is also what makes young talents more professional, and therefore more skilled.

“Academies have become absolutely essential in the pyramid,” said Bruno Michel. “In F2, half of the grid comes from F1 team academies. In Formula 3, I think a third of the grid came from F1 team academies. Of course, it’s important.”

“First, because academies provide financial support that allows drivers to complete their season. But also because the academies prepare drivers for the environment of an F1 team. They learn and are ready when they arrive in Formula 1.”

“Doohan will race for Alpine next year. Doohan has worked all season with Alpine. In the simulators during race weekends. He’s deep in the garage absorbing everything during each race. It’s also a very, very important preparation.”

“It goes beyond just driving technique. When you step into a Formula 1 garage, there are 60 people, and each has a very specific role. You need to understand how all of that works.”

“Life is much more complicated in F1 than in F2, where you only have 12 people, or in F3, where there are just 10. So that’s the kind of thing they also need to learn—managing pressure and working with people.”

The Frenchman believes that young drivers with an academy background have an advantage, though not in terms of raw talent: “Probably not in driving skills. But in managing the environment, yes, it’s an advantage.”

Bruno Michel is pleased to see his representatives shine in Formula 1, and he concludes that the FIA’s single-seater pyramid is well-designed to prepare drivers: “In the end, why does the pyramid exist? It’s to prepare drivers for Formula 1.”

“We want to make sure that when they arrive in Formula 1, they’re ready. In Baku, two F2 drivers jumped into F1, were immediately operational, and scored points. That shows the pyramid works, and that’s what really matters.”

“We try to ensure that the progression from F3 to F2 and then to F1 is right, and that drivers gain the proper experience, but it’s not just about the car. It’s also the fact that they race alongside F1 during the race weekend. There’s also the weekend format. There’s a lot we do to ultimately prepare drivers for F1.”

“It’s about all the systems the car is equipped with, because drivers need to start working with DRS, with all the environments the FIA creates with race control, and the marshal system. These are all things drivers must be prepared for so that when they eventually step into an F1 garage, if they do, they aren’t completely lost.”