What is the best route into F1?

The question of how drivers advance to Formula 1 has never been more contentious. In recent weeks, Red Bull's decision to promote 19-year-old Daniil Kvyat to a Toro Rosso seat has led to criticism that he is under-prepared, while newly-crowned GP2 champion Fabio Leimer is likely to find only a third-driver role at best.

While GP2 has a good record of producing grand prix drivers, with half of the current grid graduates, Leimer would be the second successive champion not to make a direct step up after Lotus reserve driver Davide Valsecchi.

Conversely, Formula Renault 3.5 champion Kevin Magnussen has got the nod from McLaren to replace Sergio Perez in a 2014 race seat.

With limited F1 testing opportunities thanks to an in-season test ban that is being only slightly eased next year (to the tune of eight days scheduled), question marks are being raised over how well drivers are being developed.

F1 EXPERIENCE VITAL

Jenson Button, who has experience of racing in F1 very young after jumping from British Formula 3 to a Williams seat in 2000, believes a reserve-driver role is now a key stepping stone.

Through the Sports Partnership management company he runs with Richard Goddard, Button is involved in the career of McLaren junior Stoffel Vandoorne, runner-up in the well-regarded Formula Renault 3.5 series. The Belgian is set to race in GP2 next season but Button believes that direct involvement with an F1 team is essential.

A young Button made his F1 debut in 2000 © LAT

"It would be easy to say that both of them [Vandoorne and Magnussen] are ready to race in F1 by what they have achieved in lower formulas," said Button.

"But I still think that the best way to come into the sport is to spend time with an F1 team for a season either testing or what have you to understand what a racing driver goes through.

"It's different to racing in any other formula. It's so easy to come in, be confident, then have a rubbish year and that's the end of your career.

"It's a very fickle business, so you have got to make sure that you are 100 per cent ready and that's not just being quick in a car, it's understanding what a driver goes through in terms of the engineering side, the press, the media, fitness, nutrition. There is so much that a driver doesn't understand before they drive in F1."

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh sees the logic in drivers going to GP2. However, he suggested that a driver like Leimer, who has won the title in his fourth year, has taken too long to catch the eye.

"There is nothing wrong with GP2, but the quality of the field recently in World Series has been far beyond that of GP2, with due respect to the guy who has won [Leimer] because I am sure he has done a good job," said Whitmarsh.

"He has been doing it for four years to get here, and a few Asian series races, so it is quite an expensive bit of progress.

"But GP2 has got considerable merit in that you are on the right circuits and you are on similar tyres. It can become difficult for a rookie to go in there and win it, but a good-quality rookie will and can win it and that is what I'm hoping is going to happen next year."

FERRARI NOT CERTAIN

While McLaren is open to GP2, perhaps because it will allow Vandoorne to remain in close proximity to the F1 team for exactly the reasons Button raises, Ferrari has a different outlook. Raffaele Marciello, a product of its driver academy, won the F3 European Championship this year and has tested both FR3.5 and GP2 machinery.

Ferrari protege Marciello © LAT

It is not clear where he will race next year, although Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has reservations about GP2.

"GP2 is the closest in terms of the possibility to be seen because it is on F1 race weekends, but it is too expensive," said Domenicali.

"We need to cut down the cost because there are a lot of drivers that pay a lot of money to race in GP2.

"Renault 3.5 is a very good championship, much less expensive, but if you look at the line after Euro F3, there is GP3 and GP2 and we need to understand how they fit in the path to F1. We need to make sure these championships are less expensive because the drivers cannot test."

To its credit, GP2 is making changes in pursuit of a 10 per cent budget cut, and both it and FR3.5 are extending the life of their current cars into a fourth season to help reduce costs.

This is welcomed by Lotus boss Eric Boullier, who also runs the Gravity Sport young-driver programme and has an interest in the DAMS squad that runs in both championships.

"There were many drivers this year who were in their third or fourth years and I don't think that was the original plan of GP2," said Boullier. "Conversely, in World Series, you had a lot of second-year drivers and a strong battle so it's difficult to give a value to one compared with the other.

"GP2 is more expensive than World Series, but they are trying to cut costs which is the right way to go because, if not, you are going to lose the potential to get the right drivers."

Either way, the key now is for Leimer to advance his career. His target is F1, but even a reserve role might prove difficult to achieve.

"I hope I can go to F1," the 24-year-old said after securing the GP2 title in Abu Dhabi. "It will be hard because there are not many seats free. It would be fantastic to be a race driver, or even a third driver, but we will have to work hard."

GP2 CHAMPIONS: hits or misses?

2005 NICO ROSBERG - HIT
Now a three-time grand prix winner and well-established at Mercedes after graduating to F1 with Williams in 2006.

2006 LEWIS HAMILTON - HIT
Two years after winning GP2, he claimed the world championship for McLaren. Now has 22 F1 wins to his name.

Pantano won the GP2 title, but it didn't help him © LAT

2007 TIMO GLOCK - HIT
Raced in F1 for five seasons with Toyota and Virgin after winning the title for iSport. Now a race winner in the DTM.

2008 GIORGIO PANTANO - MISS
Started 14 grands prix for Jordan in 2004 but none since his GP2 triumph. Has dabbled in Superleague Formula and IndyCar, but now races in GT Open.

2009 NICO HULKENBERG - HIT
After winning GP2 for ART in his rookie season, graduated to F1 with Williams. Currently starring with Sauber.

2010 PASTOR MALDONADO - HIT
Stepped up to F1 with Williams in 2011 thanks to his links with PDVSA and won the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix.

2011 ROMAIN GROSJEAN - HIT
After his troubled F1 outings for Renault in 2009, was rehabilitated and returned to F1 last year with Lotus.

2012 DAVIDE VALSECCHI - MISS
Now reserve driver with Lotus, but has not started a race in any category since winning the GP2 crown.

WHERE DID THE CURRENT GRID COME FROM?

This lists the full-time programme each of the 22 drivers currently on the Formula 1 grid were running prior to their graduation to grand prix racing.

Sebastian Vettel      FR3.5
Mark Webber           F3000
Fernando Alonso       F3000
Felipe Massa          Euro F3000
Jenson Button         British F3
Sergio Perez          GP2
Kimi Raikkonen        FR2.0
Romain Grosjean       GP2
Nico Rosberg          GP2
Lewis Hamilton        GP2
Nico Hulkenberg       GP2
Esteban Gutierrez     GP2
Paul di Resta         DTM
Adrian Sutil          Japanese F3
Pastor Maldonado      GP2
Valtteri Bottas       F1 Friday driver
Daniel Ricciardo      FR3.5
Jean-Eric Vergne      FR3.5
Charles Pic           GP2
Giedo van der Garde   GP2
Jules Bianchi         FR3.5
Max Chilton           GP2