For some seasons now, the 'academy' speech has not gone subdued when certain events concern the most immature talents. The top teams spend tens of millions of euros when it comes to paving the way for their protégés. However, certain recent events raise the question: Is the approach used the best in terms of expense-revenue?
Lots of money, sometimes little use
Motorsport is expensive, possibly the most expensive sport of all. For an ordinary kid with a middle-class family behind him, competing in karts for more than one season would be almost a utopia. To get in Formula 1 the years in the minor leagues are many, e without the economic support of a third party, very few families are able to support the dream of their little jewel. This is where the academies come in handy, real greenhouses where young talents are cultivated. teams spend millions of euros to support the costs of annual memberships, which grow the more you progress.
The huge investments of the teams, however, are not always repaid. To be part of the major academies are, for each team, about a dozen pilots, with the necessary exceptions (for example, Red Bull has fifteen, much more than the average). Among all these guys, very few manage to get a seat in the top flight. It is self-evident to conclude that, perhaps, the current model isn't all that functional considering the conversion rate between attendees and those who pass the cut.
Academy Red Bull and Mercedes: different approaches, similar results
The two contenders for the 2021 title are certainly opposites regarding the approach to talent. La world champion team in charge prefers to push on quantity. The star instead it favors the meticulous selection of a promising talent for every age group. Red Bull he has often made headlines for Helmut Marko's youth management. The Austrian consultant is known for his harsh ways that leave little escape to those not born with the authority of a Verstappen. Some pilots on the grid count the winged bull, a sign that despite the questionable ways, the approach works, even if there are so many 'failed' projects.
Mercedes, on the other hand, is demonstrating that focusing on a few but good ones is not madness, on the contrary. Russell is a Stella project, and from the minor categories diamonds are sprouting that promise more than good, like the young Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, interviewed by us at YawClub. Both teams can be proud of their modus operandi, despite the contrast between the Mercedes cradle and the spartan Red Bull.
Piastri and Schumacher: two interesting cases
Providing the best teaching on the matter are the controversial cases of Piastres e Schumacher. The young Australian jewel, cultivated by the millions since Alpine, he left the French house for McLaren. The crime has given rise to quite a few diatribes, especially legal ones. What happened is the demonstration that, sometimes, investing in a rider with the risk of having him taken away is not the best of ideas, even if the ingenuity of the French has played its part.
On the Schumacher side however, needless to say the management of the Ferrari Driver Academy has left something to be desired. The little horse, currently without a team principal, was partially holding the Haas seat, but the low political clout didn't help when Mr. Haas had to make a decision. Kayser's son has left Maranello to look elsewhere, perhaps aware of not being in the best hands. The most ironic part for the Scuderia is that the German wasn't even doing badly, often achieving better placements than his teammate. The only fully successful project from Ferrari is Leclerc, but passing through Mick and Giovinazzi, it is obvious to conclude that the management is not exemplary.
Academy: what is the right choice?
Everything that happens can lead to one conclusion: investing in academies is worthwhile, but limiting expenditure in the 'academy' budget item to encourage the direct purchase of the interested rider from another team can yield more by spending less. McLaren taught us with Piastri, Ferrari when caught a former Red Bull academy Sainz, and Milton Keynes, that, as second driver, he has a former Ferrari academy. The mix of the seats over time speaks volumes about how good it is out of reach for teams to actually predict how and where their projects will end up. Who knows, therefore, if the teams that can afford the 'greenhouses' for drivers will change their approach back to a more old-school method in the light of recent events.
