Occupying a seat on the coveted Formula 1 grid is something within the reach of very few, but those who do so today, for the most part, have had a luxury ‘godfather’ who has helped in the financial field. The cost of motorsport, even in the lower categories, is something that almost no ordinary family can afford, although if a driver shows his abilities early, with luck, he can get on the radar of some big team.
If the case occurs, you still have to fight against other teammates who have reached the academy of a Formula 1 team before reaching the Great Circus. This is how 19 of the current 20 members have been able to enter the top category, since only Fernando Alonso did not have the help of a structure already present as such, although he did enjoy various sponsors who supported his career in its beginnings. .
Belonging to a Formula 1 academy is not synonymous with what is now known as a ‘paid driver’, since many of them enter the project because the teams expect some revenue once they reach the highest level.
Thus, we can distinguish six great structures in the Great Circus, which are Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, Alpine and Williams. Other teams also have their development or test drivers, such as Alfa Romeo or Aston Martin, but none have managed to bring any representative to Formula 1 so far.
As for the academy that has helped the most drivers to reach the top, Red Bull boasts of having two world champions, Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, as well as other prominent names, such as Carlos Sainz, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda.
No driver has yet come out of Maranello who will consecrate himself at the end of the year, but he has had in his ranks Charles Leclerc, who continues with the official team, Sergio Pérez, Lance Stroll and Mick Schumacher, who is still under the Ferrari umbrella. .
In Woking they only have three names, but only with one they surpass the rest of the teams, since Lewis Hamilton has won seven world titles, but they have also helped Kevin Magnussen and his protégé, Lando Norris, land in the Great Circus.
A very successful structure is also that of Mercedes, since they had Esteban Ocon a few seasons ago, although George Russell is their bet, and that is that the British currently occupies a place in Brackley.
The academies that have brought the fewest representatives to Formula 1 are Williams, with Valtteri Bottas and Nicholas Latifi, and Alpine, which until now only have Guanyu Zhou.
| Academy of a team in Formula 1 | pilots |
| Red Bull | Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Yuki Tsunoda |
| ferrari | Charles Leclerc, Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll and Mick Schumacher |
| McLaren | Lewis Hamilton, Kevin Magnussen and Lando Norris |
| Mercedes | Stephen Ocon and George Russell |
| Williams | Valtteri Bottas and Nicholas Latifi |
| Alpine | Guanyu Zhou |
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