Too young for F1?

[Rob]

Just like see what people think about Max Verstappen. Is 17 to young to jump into F1? Or is showing F1 isnt as hard to drive as in years gone by?

[Katu]

i think 17 is too young, in many countries 17year old's can't even have full licence. i can't imagine 17year old being responsible enough to drive a car that goes that fast

[AfterLife]

I believe it is too young, because even if a 17 years old driver was talented and even conservative, some rookie mistakes are unavoidable and some of that mistakes could be a serious danger for drivers safety.

[ARUN M KARUNAN]

in india odinary bike or car license gets from 18 years.so superlicence in 15.unbelivable to me

one question in our country gets license by riding bike in '8' like path and for car H.hows is urs?

[F2008]

In my opinion it shouldn't be an issue, he obviously has the ability to race open wheelers. I don't see how it is or should be related to having a public driving license. We have seen 16 year olds playing Champions League football and playing extremely well. F1 is never completely safe and even older drivers can make rookie mistakes or cause dangerous situations, for example Raikkonen (34) at Silverstone or Maldonado (29) nearly every race weekend.

[Alessandra]

My initial response to this is “no, no one should be in an F1 race under, say, 20”.
Not because s/he can’t drive well enough but because the brain and life experience isn’t developed sufficiently to deal with the situations – in and out of the car.
Certainly reflexes are great and s/he may have the spatial and kinetic skills necessary to drive in situations that require lightning quick responses.
But we know that young men’s danger responses are not fully developed until about 25. Couple that with the whole experience of the F1 life, on and off the track, and you have a volatile mixture.

On the other hand, look outside F1 and we see a certain Marc Marquez who at 19/20 entered MotoGP and won a World Championship in his first year! He’s sometimes horrifying to watch but so far no great damage has been inflicted on himself or others due to his lack of years. But I suspect he’s an exception, not the rule. And the young person we’re talking about will be 17years old when he enters F1!

[Hornet]

I remember when Kimi first came into F1, many had doubt if he deserved the super license due to his lack of racing experience. He of course went to show that his lack of experience wasn't an issue.

If a driver have it, then they have it and their age shouldnt be held against them. After all, when you look at drivers like Maldonado, age did not made him any safer :-G I think this young chap deserve a chance, as Red Bull clearly believed he is good enough to have that chance.

[ManFromMilan]

If the driver is good enough, they are good enough.

[Muhammad Ansib]

I have a general Question, are F1 drivers educated or they are just taught how to drive fast. I am a brain-washed Alonso Fan for everyone's info.. saw a documentary on F1 which said Big Ron made sure his Lewis completed School and was quick aswell. no compromises on study and stuff.

[abbottcostello]

Age shouldn't be an issue, as long as someone is evaluating the "complete package", maturity level etc.

[Forzi]

If his body has the physical capacity for it then it's not too young. The question should be, is he too inexperienced in this level of racing. I'd probably say yes.

[hogo]

I think FIA will ban races during rain in a near future simply cos under age kids may hurt/kill themselves in these conditions. When adult hurt/kill himself, its no biggy cos adult is fully responsible for himself, but it's not the case when we are talking about kids.

And btw this 17yo is not the last one. If trend continues we will see more kids in F1 soon. Next is a girl under race wheel, teenage girl will follow afterwards.

[TonyRizza]

females in f1 are in my opinion just marketing schemes right now, i dont think Wolff or De Silvestro have the skills to compete at F1 level, and Haas f1 talking of bringing danica patrick as a possibility is another marketing scheme to get more americans involved with F1, however if a female can compete at the same level then im all for them racing in F1 and good luck to them!

[TonyRizza]

Wolff did show good pace only a half second off of massa but not sure thats really enough

[Greig]

I think FIA will ban races during rain in a near future simply cos under age kids may hurt/kill themselves in these conditions. When adult hurt/kill himself, its no biggy cos adult is fully responsible for himself, but it's not the case when we are talking about kids.

And btw this 17yo is not the last one. If trend continues we will see more kids in F1 soon. Next is a girl under race wheel, teenage girl will follow afterwards.

You realise these *kids* have probably raced in the rain already? As for teenage girls not quite sure where those thoughts come from.

[fratelliferrari]

I voted for too young! It's not only about the racing but all the media attention and so on! I hope he will succeed but maybe it was better if he made his debut 2 years later.

[Rishu]

In my opinion, age shouldn't be a barrier & for both ends. If a 45 year old is good enough, fit enough then why not. Same goes for a 17 year old. Yes we can expect rookie mistakes but that can happen even with 25 year olds.

[hogo]

You realise these *kids* have probably raced in the rain already? As for teenage girls not quite sure where those thoughts come from.

Don't be sexist, so teenage boy can come to F1 but teenage girl can't?

[fratelliferrari]

In my opinion, age shouldn't be a barrier & for ends. If a 45 year old is good enough, fit enough then why not. Same goes for a 17 year old. Yes we can expect rookie mistakes but that can happen even with 25 year olds.

Maldonado is only 29 years old and never made a rookie mistake :lol

[Rishu]

Maldonado is only 29 years old and never made a rookie mistake :lol

I'm not sure about his mental age

[TonyRizza]

i think maldonado is trying to beat grosjean's lotus crash and mistake total, i think he could do it

[Greig]

Don't be sexist, so teenage boy can come to F1 but teenage girl can't?

Again you seem to be having some strange thoughts.

[ManFromMilan]

Maldonado is only 29 years old and never made a rookie mistake :lol



Being a Douchebag doesn't have an expiry date imo.

[vcs316]

After watching the idiot MAG today, I would rather Max raced a few more years in the junior series, paid his dues before racing in F1.

[hogo]

Again you seem to be having some strange thoughts.

It seems you have strange thoughts about my thoughts.

[wisepie]

After watching the idiot MAG today, I would rather Max raced a few more years in the junior series, paid his dues before racing in F1.

Totally agree, and there have been plenty of other young guns running before they can walk. Talent will shine but needs the right car to do so, it's in tight situations where these rookies are a liability. They all have to start somewhere but 17 is going too far.

[vcs316]

And this ONE year contracts don't help either. It is basically saying that you either perform or you won't have a drive with us next year. This puts additional pressure on the already young driver to take extra risk and jeopardize the safety of other drivers.

[abbottcostello]

And this ONE year contracts don't help either. It is basically saying that you either perform or you won't have a drive with us next year. This puts additional pressure on the already young driver to take extra risk and jeopardize the safety of other drivers.
In an interview with Will Buxton, Max said it was for longer than 1 year!

[aroutis]

I don't think that 17 is a factor here. If he can drive in F1 then he deserves to be there. And I am happy that Kimi's example is mentioned, it's the perfect example for this thread.

[Suzie]

Next is a girl under race wheel, teenage girl will follow afterwards.

The horror. I mean, they really should be learning to knit and stuff instead.

[Lesky]

The horror. I mean, they really should be learning to knit and stuff instead.

That pretty much sums it up :clap

Would love more hot chicks in the paddock, hehe!

[Suzie]

Oh why, is the pathetic and pointless use of grid girls not enough for you...?

[Lesky]

Oh why, is the pathetic and pointless use of grid girls not enough for you...?

Apparantly not, much hotter with a female driver :-D

Would love to see Hamilton getting it in the back by some girlie youngster rather than Rosberg! :lol

On a serious note, I have nothing against female drivers at all - I say bring them on if they can deliver!

[fratelliferrari]

Oh why, is the pathetic and pointless use of grid girls not enough for you...?

Are grid girls useless Suzie? :-D

[Winter]

I think if you are too young to have a normal drivers license, you are way too young for super license.

Remembering my self when I was 17... yeah LOL too young :lol

[Giallo 550]

I think it's worth noting that he has probably been racing karts since he was a child and moved up to larger and more powerful cars along the way. That being said, I still think he's too young.

Regarding women... I would not want to see women racing men in Formula 1 just like I would not want to see women playing men in tennis. Serena Williams would have to drop to the 300s before she could find a man she can beat.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/10148431/Wimbledon-2013-Serena-Williams-could-only-beat-men-ranked-in-the-300s-not-Andy-Murray-says-Jeff-Tarango.html

Based on that, I don't think you can discredit the physiological differences between the two sexes. However, I do believe women possess the mental capacity, contrary to Stirling Moss.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/formulaone/article-2309333/Sir-Stirling-Moss-Women-compete-Formula-One-drivers.html

I'm unsure of the comparisons in reaction time though...

[AfterLife]

I guess one reason that RedBull hired Max Verstappen that early is because of his impressive performance that cought attention of Mercedes too and Mercedes had some program for him to get him in near future but as usual RedBull offered him better opportunity with ToroRosso to avoid Mercedes from hiring him. In the end i believe RedBull have put Max Verstappen Formula1 career in danger by hiring him in that age to just avoid Mercedes from getting him and we know RedBull don't care really if Max Verstappen is going to struggle because of his age and immaturity, because there will be another chewing gum instead of Max Verstappen.

[F2008]

Toro Rosso prodigy Max Verstappen believes he has a driving style akin to Fernando Alonso.

Verstappen will race alongside Daniil Kvyat at Toro Rosso next year and, at 17-years-old, will be the youngest driver ever to take part in a Formula One race. It will represent a massive step up from Formula 3 where he is currently racing, but he believes he has the skills to be among the very best in the sport, and not like his father Jos.

"I think I have a different style to my dad! I think it's more like Alonso," Verstappen said. "When he needs to be smooth he is smooth. If he needs to save the tyres he saves the tyres. When he needs to be aggressive he is aggressive. But it is all under control. That's what I like and that's what I have proven in F3 over the last few weekends, so I think I am more like him."

Verstappen is still at school and under normal circumstances would be preparing to take exams next year.

"I still need to do one more year [of school]," he said. "I still need to plan how I'm going to do that, but we will see."

http://en.espnf1.com/tororosso/motorsport/story/172945.html#GsjUUcZWYmZlv84C.99

[DIEK]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=293uG4Nr3KQ

[Ste]

I honestly cannot understand what he did here. Haven't heard if it was a car issue or not but it does look like driver error.

I hate to say it's a rookie mistake, but...

[Brembo]

Ayrton Senna was ready at 12 mentally, to start racing. [ Not F1 yet] He was an expert kart driver in torrential rain at that age. 17 is not too young at all if that's what youv'e been training for. And some team recoginizes a 17 yr. old as qualified. BTW, hogo, tell that to Danica Patrick and you might just wind up "under a race wheel " ! :rotfl

[fratelliferrari]

Verstappen :rotfl His father has a big reputation in crashing too :lol

[Ed Harley]

If you can get in F1 at age of 17 or so then the F1 cars have become way too easy to drive - kind of like what has happened in MotoGP as well.

[Brembo]

37 is about right for retirement from F1. 17 to37 is 20 years, a normal amount of years to be at a job. Again no team is going to give a shot to an unqualified driver at any age. First requirement should be to name every button on the steering wheel and what it does. Next rule , no looking for your girlfriend in the stands.

[radosav]

I honestly cannot understand what he did here. Haven't heard if it was a car issue or not but it does look like driver error.

I hate to say it's a rookie mistake, but...

It isn't even rookie mistake cause he aint rookie yet! :D