Coulthard: « There seems to be a fundamental problem accessing Formula 1»
Former driver David Coulthard believes it is difficult for a young driver to enter F1 today. According to him, this could prevent future stars from accessing the premier category.

The increase in budgets in the lower categories of F1 represents an obstacle for talented drivers who aspire to build a career there. These excessively high budgets force young drivers to move to other categories in motorsport such as Endurance or DTM. Today, making it to Formula 1 is much more challenging, as experienced by Stoffel Vandoorne, who will likely have to spend a year in the Super Formula League, hoping for a chance in the 2017 season.
In *Motorsport*, David Coulthard believes that this trend could lead to an exodus of young drivers to other disciplines: « There seems to be a fundamental problem accessing Formula 1. We are losing most of the champions from the lower formulas. Previously, F3000 or even F3 champions would make it to F1, but now they no longer do. Clearly, there are fewer cars on the F1 starting grid. So, there are fewer opportunities and someone has to pay for it in the end ».
Manor is the team that has yet to announce its driver lineup for the 2016 season. While several drivers are vying for a seat, Pascal Wehrlein hopes to make his debut in 2016 after winning the DTM title. David Coulthard raced from 2010 to 2012 in this category for the Mercedes team: « *The DTM seems to be a series where drivers either come after F1 or take the bridge from DTM to Formula 1. You’d expect the single-seater to be the clearest path, but it doesn’t have to be that way* ».