Felipe Drugovich believes that the Formula 2 champions should be allowed to stay in the championship in case there are no available seats in F1.
Drugovich won the 2022 Formula 2 title at Monza last week. However, the 22-year-old will not be on the F1 grid next year. He joined Aston Martin’s driver development program.
At the same time, Drugovich cannot compete in F2 anymore as the past series champions are not allowed to participate. The Brazilian thinks that the champions should be allowed to compete if they cannot find an F1 seat.
“I think in my opinion, either you’re champion and you cannot stay anymore and you have to be promoted to F1, or you can stay,” Drugovich commented.
“I think it’s kind of how it works in Moto2 and Moto3. I think first of all, what needs to change is whoever wins the championship needs to get a go in F1.
“We had a few contacts in IndyCar, but as I said many times, it’s not the main goal for now, we’re just trying to be in F1.
“But as I said, if I need to race something else other than F1 next year, it’s for sure a category to consider.”
F2 and F3 CEO Bruno Michel is against Drugovich’s proposal as he thinks that it would affect the concept of the junior series ladder.
“I disagree with it. I think it’s a pyramid and you have to have a system where at some point it has to be up or out.
“I wouldn’t like F2 or F3 to become professional championships because if you do that, that’s exactly what’s going to be the issue. You will have guys staying forever in the same championship, having a big advantage because they have a massive experience of it over the young drivers who are coming.
“Not only would it not be good for their careers, but it wouldn’t be good for the young drivers because they would be probably not shining [as much] because they would fight against people that honestly are probably not better than them but have much more experience, know the tracks, know the car, know the teams, know whatever.
“So for me, absolutely not, and I’ve always been very, very pushy for that. We did it from the very beginning of GP2 and GP3: The winner cannot stay, and I think it’s a very important point to continue.”
