The F1 2024 driver scandal

Why is the 2024 grid exactly the same as 2023? First time in history that’s happened and reflects the truly dysfunctional nature of the sport. So much dead wood taking up seats that could be given to drivers with real talent. Folk like Perez, Ricciardo, Stroll, Bottas and Kovalainen have long reached their sell by date - yet none are replaced. The system is broken!

 

It's up to principals to chose who race for their team, don't you think?
No to armchair critics who have no responsability in respecting contracts, listening to sponsors, etc ...
Beside not all F1 newcomers do better.
F2 has proven that not all laureates are F1 material.
Only Piastri has shown any talent among the new drivers.

Kovalainen left F1 many years ago. Lol

 

Well, some changes were already made mid season, so there is some logic in that.

 

Lol. Forgive my senior moment - I meant Magnussen.

 

One main reason IMO is the fact that almost no testing is allowed during the season. This leads to team principals preferring experienced drivers over rookies, as the old hands (even the less performing ones) are more likely to maximize development output during the limited FP1 to FP3 time. Another negative side effect of that test limitation - about which, to my surprise, almost noone is talking - is that teams have almost no chance to catch up on dominant teams until the next major change of rules. Regardless of the final outcome, I loved the competition between Ferrari and McLaren in 1999/2000, 365 days a year, which was extremely exciting. Impossible today...

 

Also, there are no F1 races outside the championship like before.
In the past, there were up to 10 non-championship F1 races where teams could try new drivers.

 

Well you did spell Kovalainen correctly so points for that

 

Whereas the end of 2023 and the end of 2024 will have the same driver line up (95% probability),
The beginning of 2023 and the beginning of 2024 will not have the same driver line up.

And why is that a "scandal" ??