Top 10 drivers to watch in GP3

The second GP3 Series gets underway in Turkey this weekend with another talented crop of youngsters aiming to emulate the achievements of last year's champion Esteban Guttierez and runner-up Robert Wickens.

Top 10 drivers to watch

Valtteri Bottas © LAT

#2 Valtteri Bottas

Age: 21
Nationality: Finnish
Team: ART Grand Prix
2010: 3rd in F3 Euro Series

Two years in the F3 Euro Series with ART didn't yield the title that was expected, so Bottas has moved across to GP3 rather than making the leap straight into GP2. He'll be looking on enviously towards Esteban Gutierrez, the main he comfortably outperformed when both were rookies in F3 in 2009.

But the Mexican's move to GP3 last year paid off handsomely, as he won the title and is now in ART's second GP2 car alongside Bottas's former sparring partner Jules Bianchi. The Finn is still backed by Williams and managed by Mika Hakkinen, but the title is a must this year.

Alexander Sims © LAT

#4 Alexander Sims

Age: 21
Nationality: British
Team: Status Grand Prix
2010: 4th in F3 Euro Series

Sims had the same high hopes as Bottas for his second season in F3 last year, but it turned out to be a campaign to forget. He's impressed Status so far in the GP3 car, but much like Bottas he has to have a stellar year if his career is to keep progressing.

The Gravity driver management scheme has kept him on board this year, giving him a chance to put right everything that didn't quite fall into place in 2010.

Nico Muller © LAT

#7 Nico Muller

Age: 19
Nationality: Swiss
Team: Jenzer Motorsport
2010: 3rd in GP3

The Swiss driver was rewarded for being one of the few drivers in the first season of GP3 to show a cool head and put together a season of good consistency. That consistency was coupled with an ever-improving pace, as he turned low-end points finishes into podium performances as the year went.

The result of that was a top three finish behind GP2-bound Gutierrez and junior single seater veteran Robert Wickens, who have both moved on for 2011.

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs © LAT

#10 Adrian Quaife-Hobbs

Age: 20
Nationality: British
Team: Manor Racing
2010: 14th in GP3

The Briton was set for a season in the F3 Euro Series last year, but he quickly realised the potential of GP3 and made the switch to the F1 support category. He showed plenty of pace for Manor, but to describe his luck as 'poor' during 2010 wouldn't really do it justice.

There were plenty of opportunities to notch up good results, but reliability woes or out of control driving from rivals always seemed to knock him back.

Antonio Felix da Costa © LAT

#5 Antonio Felix da Costa

Age: 19
Nationality: Portuguese
Team: Status Grand Prix
2010: 7th in F3 Euro Series

Whereas the likes of Sims and Bottas make the switch after two years in F3, da Costa moves across from the Euro Series with them after just one season in the category. His three wins in F3 last year were all courtesy of reversed-grid races, but as the season went on he became a regular points scorer and earned an impressive podium finish in the main race at Oschersleben to show that he was not just a race two specialist.

He looked good on his GP3 debut at the Hungaroring last year, and should be well-placed with Status for this season.

James Calado 2011 © LAT

#3 James Calado

Age: 21
Nationality: British
Team: ART Grand Prix
2010: 2nd in British F3

This is a big season for the Racing Steps Foundation-backed Briton, who has been the bridesmaid but never the bride in each of the last two series he's contested.

Recovered from a tough opening round to win five races in British F3 last year, but was largely overshadowed by champion Jean-Eric Vergne at Carlin. Possesses no lack of bravery, but faces another stern test paired alongside the highly-rated Bottas at ART.

Dean Smith 2011 © LAT

#24 Dean Smith

Age: 23
Nationality: British
Team: Addax
2010: 7th in GP3

The 2009 McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winner had his moments in GP3 last year. The pace was clearly there in the driver, but Carlin - like most teams - had some off weekends as it got used to the new machinery. When the car was there to do the job Smith delivered, and he was generally the strongest of Carlin's trio.

His move to Addax is a risky one, as the frontrunning GP2 squad didn't have the best of debut seasons with the smaller cars last year.

Lewis Williamson MW Arden GP3 2011 © LAT

#28 Lewis Williamson

Age: 21
Nationality: British
Team: MW Arden
2010: 2nd in Formula Renault UK; McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award winner

The talkative Scot produced a stellar performance to win last year's McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award and seems to have an uncanny knack for jumping into unfamiliar cars and being quick straight away.

Narrowly lost out to Tom Blomqvist (son of rally legend Stig) in the fight for last year's Formula Renault UK title, but has landed on his feet with MW Arden drive and stood in competently for Red Bull F1 reserve Daniel Ricciardo in the Formula Renault 3.5 season opener at Aragon last month.

Conor Daly 2011 © LAT

#14 Conor Daly

Age: 19
Nationality: American
Team: Carlin
2010: Star Mazda champion

The son of Derek Daly departs the US to embark on European racing as the Indy Lights championship leader.

His exploits in the IndyCar feeder category were only ever planned to be a part-schedule to go alongside his GP3 efforts, but it means that he starts the season with race sharpness that many of his rivals will be lacking after a long winter break.

Rio Haryanto 2011 © LAT

#11 Rio Haryanto

Age: 18
Nationality: Indonesian
Team: Manor Racing
2010: 5th in F3 Euro Series

Manor's Indonesian youngster was one of the surprise packages of last year. Luck played its part in him finishing as high as he did in the overall standings, mainly because he somehow managed to avoid suffering a mechanical failure all season.

But he did his bit to keep out of trouble as well, and put in a particularly impressive performance in Turkey to prove that he does have some speed as well.