Is 16 years old too young for F1?

Duke

Duke

Duke

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After reading the article below, I'm thinking that putting a 16 year old in a F1 car is a bit early? Ok this is just an aero test and not with other cars, but there is only so much experience he would have so far of similar formulae?

The Imperial War Museum runway at Duxford played host to the youngest ever test driver in Formula One history today, with 16-year-old Nabil Jeffri seeing his dream come true as he conducted a day of aero testing for Lotus Racing on the museum's Cambridgeshire runway.

Fairuz Fauzy and Heikki Kovalainen were both on hand to lend their advice to the young Malaysian and Nabil, a key member of the AirAsia ASEAN Driver Development programme, completed the day's testing, and gave the team valuable pitstop practice throughout a busy day on track for the Anglo-Malaysian squad.
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http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=41885


Track time for potential new drivers for the following season is okay but someone that is 16..?
 
I think a 16 year old being allowed to race in F1 today would be quite surprising, but in a good way. The F1 rabbit hole goes deep, but driving a car round a track... so long as he's physically fit then I don't see why not. It would be fantastic PR for the Lotus team too, which at th moment this just is.
 
Depends upon the sixteen year old in question. There ate plenty milling about here I wouldn't trust with a paper bag let alone an F1 car
 
Alguersuari was 19years, 4 months and 5 days when he was entered for his first race in F1

The Autosport young driver of the year award gives them a test in a McLaren at the end of the year. Most of those are 18-19ish - but it is a full circuit test.

So a straight line test at 16 - absolutely fine.
 
Age in this, along with many other things in life, is pretty much irrelevant I feel. Three things in my mind preclude people below a certain age getting involved in some activities - maturity, physical attributes (bones hardening off, size, etc), and technical ability.

If none of those are an issue, then I fail to see why someone should be stopped just because they're younger.

That's not to say I'm not jealous!!!!
 
Kimi raikonen had about 20 races didn't he when he was picked up. Showed how easy modern f1 was with all the gadgets. The gadgets came off and Kimi became a bit **** ;)

16 is fine for straightline tests. No doubt a showing for sponsors.
 
I agree with 16 not being too young

Some of these guys start racing the second they are old enough and will be doing it nearly every weekend

So if you start karting at 8 years old that is 8 years experience, plenty I think.

You'd be surprised at the race craft some of the young drivers have
 
dannyjo22 said:
Kimi raikonen had about 20 races didn't he when he was picked up. Showed how easy modern f1 was with all the gadgets. The gadgets came off and Kimi became a bit **** ;)

16 is fine for straightline tests. No doubt a showing for sponsors.
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he only got the straightline test because of air asia ;)
 
TaKeN said:
Testing is banned, so why was this run allowed? :confused:
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Each team can carry out a set number straight line tests. Most are done at old air fields, some near here in the south west :)


In another minor change, teams will be allowed six rather than eight days of straight-line aero testing per season. They will also have the option of substituting any of these days for four hours of wind tunnel testing with a full-scale (rather than the normal 60 percent-scale) model.
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http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/sporting_regulations/8692/
 
Lucky so and so - good luck to him (if he is good enough he is old enough is my motto, and as said it was a solo straight line test so nothing major - in regards to major testing)

Had forgotten they had totally stopped full scale wind tunnel usage also (or severely limited it)

Will a lot of teams have wind-tunnels away from the factory - I was wondering about the wording "model" in regards to 60%/full scale - maybe Im being stupid but I assumed (for full scale wind-tunnel testing) they used the actual cars , with or without engine, rather than models
 
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