Aside from the drivers competing in various junior series, some respectable older drivers outside Formula One could potentially perform well if given the chance.
Here is a ranking of experienced drivers (outside ladder series such as F2 and F3) who could be worth bringing into F1. Some of them are already affiliated with F1 teams as test drivers, but not permanent race drivers.
To keep things simple, I’m only mentioning drivers who already have enough superlicense points and the interest to participate in F1.
1. Yuki Tsunoda
The Japanese pilot had a tough year managing the oversteery Red Bull and receiving little support from the team. But he had a few decent seasons before that, and we know he can score points in a stable midfield car.
After all, he gained some ground on Pierre Gasly after a year’s worth of experience, and he was slightly faster than both Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson.
Not a top driver, but he deserves another chance in a different environment.
2. Frederik Vesti
Vesti looked great in F2, and it’s a shame he hasn’t gotten the opportunity in F1. There were talks of him driving for Williams back in late 2023. He maintains a good relationship with Mercedes and is officially their reserve driver for 2026. Being in this position makes him a more realistic option than most other drivers currently outside F1.
If anything happens to Russell or Antonelli, the Dane is first in line to fill in. Given the opportunity of driving the 2026 Mercedes, he could realistically finish high and become a candidate for other teams. Mercedes may also loan him out if one of their customer teams have a temporary vacancy.
3. Jack Doohan
Doohan made too many mistakes in his few races for Alpine. But his pace wasn’t that terrible: He had qualifying sessions where he was close to Gasly in terms of lap times. If Doohan had the full support of a team, cut down on his blunders, and had the possibility to gain a full year of F1 experience, he could perhaps become a midfield-level driver over time.
4. Leonardo Fornaroli
He is perhaps not the most flashy talent, but he had plenty of strong performances in F2 and F3, so it’s strange to see that he didn’t obtain a seat.
Cadillac probably should have hired him instead of Bottas. Alpine could have chosen him over Colapinto for this year. Fornaroli is definitely a candidate to enter the grid in 2027. His management should do everything possible to get into the Red Bull Junior Team since it’s currently void of talent.
5. Stoffel Vandoorne
The Belgian competitor wasn’t bad in F1 and should have been given another chance. He was handed the worst possible hand by driving for McLaren in the team’s worst era, with the traditionally dominant Alonso as his teammate.
I believe Vandoorne’s potential would be around that of Ocon/Gasly/Albon; in other words, he would certainly be good enough for a midfield drive in F1. Had he been allowed to continue for McLaren in 2019, he might have had a Sainz-style revival. At this point, it’s probably too late to return, so his career will always be a what-if.
6. Felipe Drugovich
The Brazilian had an incredible campaign in his final F2 season. Drugovich should have been given a shot in F1. It’s unlikely to happen now, considering how many years have passed. Previously, there was a chance that he could have filled in for Alonso or Stroll in a one-off, but that possibility seems gone now that Aston Martin have appointed Jak Crawford to the reserve role. Still, Drugovich should talk to some teams and try to get a new reserve role.
7. Theo Pourchaire
Yet another driver who won F2 but did not obtain an F1 seat. He definitely had the potential to get an F1 shot, but wrongly signed up for the dead-end Sauber academy.
Pourchaire has been a bit of a disappointment in his other performances since then. However, based on some analytics, his potential could be close to that of Oscar Piastri’s 2023 level, so it would be interesting to see the Frenchman try his luck in F1.
8. Antonio Giovinazzi
He beat Kimi Raikkonen in his final year driving for Alfa Romeo. And he’s still involved in F1 as the reserve and simulator driver for Ferrari. Giovinazzi is great in the simulator and could be a huge asset for any team entering the sport. He’s not a top-class driver, but he could be a solid stop-gap if the junior market looks unexciting. I believe he is a bit faster than Zhou, who is trying to get back into F1 with Cadillac. Giovinazzi would be a better option in my opinion, although both are underwhelming.
Sadly, despite being the Ferrari reserve driver, he will likely not be called up in case of a driver absence – Oliver Bearman would be the preferred choice.
9. Kevin Magnussen
K-Mag is not too old to return, but he took a significant step back in performance during his final season with Haas. It’s possible that a team like Cadillac could use his experience, but they decided to go with Bottas and Pérez.
Magnussen has these rare, occasional highs where he achieves top performances out of nowhere – but on most occasions, he’s a below-average driver. That skill set can be acceptable for a backmarker team because it’s all about the upside for them. Plus the fact that he’s a team player who will help out a teammate when asked to, and sometimes even on his own initiative.
10. Paul Aron
Third in the 2024 F2 season after F1 graduates Bortoleto and Hadjar. He has a decent pace and is a reserve driver for Alpine. If Alpine find him better than Doohan and Colapinto in the simulator, he could get a chance eventually. It’s unlikely to happen, but the Enstone team could do worse.
11. Mick Schumacher
He was roughly equal to Kevin Magnussen in terms of pace, but that’s not good enough to re-ignite an F1 career at this point. He was perhaps treated a bit unfairly at Haas, as he’s actually an okay driver – his management team unsuccessfully tried to get him back by testing for Alpine, but the team ultimately believed Doohan and Colapinto were better options.
12. Zhou Guanyu
He showed absolutely zero upside in his years in F1.
And the situation was just about perfect: Years of stability, a friendly experienced teammate to learn from, and a low-pressure environment. Yet, Zhou had almost nothing to show for it. He was average in F2, so calling his F1 performance “disappointing” is probably inaccurate, considering that there weren’t many expectations to begin with.
Zhou is desperately trying to get back into F1. His best hope is a one-off for Cadillac if something happens to Bottas or Perez, but since he will probably have an anonymous race near the back of the field, it is unlikely that he can ever return to a permanent race seat.
Other notes
Colton Herta was previously featured on the list, but now removed since he is participating in the 2026 F2 season.
