Palmer disappointed not to be able to be in F1 after his GP2 title

Jolyon Palmer won the GP2 championship title this year, the stepping stone to Formula 1, but like his two predecessors – Davide Valsecchi and Fabio Leimer – he is not expected to be on the Formula 1 World Championship grid next season.

The Briton did indeed conduct tests with Force India in Abu Dhabi, but it wasn’t enough to secure a seat. He believes, as he told Crash.net, that the GP2 champion should be offered a seat, especially since some of his rivals in GP2 this year will be in F1 next year: « It’s really disappointing because people I’ve beaten are on the grid and there’s nothing I can do. I won the championship with one race to go, I’ve done everything I could this year, and I won the GP2 championship in style as well and the guy I beat fairly easily all year [Felipe Nasr] is on the grid [in 2015]. »

« But that’s the current situation in F1, he has support and Sauber needed that support. If I think about it too much, I become annoying, so the best is to focus on what I can do, and not worry about what others are doing and maximize my future, » added Palmer.

The son of Jonathan Palmer, former Williams and Tyrrell F1 driver, believes that it is not good for the future of the GP2 championship if the winner does not manage to make it to F1: « I think it’s clearly a bad message, because what’s the point of winning if it doesn’t allow you to do better than the one who finished 3rd in the championship? Nasr has shown that he is also a good driver and probably deserves a seat in Formula 1, but beating him should allow me to secure a place in Formula 1. But at the same time, what are they doing? That’s the state of F1 at the moment, finances are crucial and it’s something he has in abundance. »

Note that in the absence of F1, Palmer will try a new challenge this weekend at the Race of Champions, which takes place this year and in which he will participate. He expressed excitement at the idea of racing there: “I am delighted to have been invited to the Race of Champions. It seems like a great event: at this time of the year, it’s nice to see all these top drivers compete without pressure. The competition will of course come when I put on my helmet but I can’t wait to be part of the show and have fun there.”