In addition to the two-driver race line-up, Formula 1 teams typically keep a candidate in reserve as back-up, occasionally hold on to a development driver, and sometimes have an academy of aspiring youngsters desperate to make their mark. Here’s how the picture looks for 2018.
Mercedes
Mercedes has Esteban Ocon at Force India as the Frenchman continues to gain experience in Formula 1, but its reserve drivers this year are Pascal Wehrlein and George Russell. Wehrlein competed for Manor (2016) and Sauber (2017) but was unable to secure a seat and will this year combine Mercedes reserve duties with a return to the DTM, in a bid to re-capture the crown he gained in 2015, prior to Mercedes' exit. When Wehrlein is unavailable, his position will be taken by Russell. The 20-year-old Briton won last year’s GP3 title, tested for Mercedes and Force India, and this season will compete for ART in Formula 2.
Ferrari
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Ferrari’s test and reserve role will once more be taken by Antonio Giovinazzi; the 2016 GP2 runner-up was overlooked in favour of Marcus Ericsson for a race seat at Sauber, the team with which he started two Grands Prix last year in place of the unfit Wehrlein. Giovinazzi has been joined by ex-Red Bull and Toro Rosso racer Daniil Kvyat, the Russian acting as development driver, while leading Academy member Charles Leclerc will debut for Sauber. Alongside Leclerc on the Academy are: Antonio Fuoco (Formula 2 with Charouz Racing System), Guan Yu Zhou, Marcus Armstrong and Robert Shwartman (all Formula 3 with Prema), Callum Ilott (GP3 with ART), Giuliano Alesi (GP3 with Trident), Enzo Fittipaldi and Gianluca Petecof (Formula 4 with Prema).
Red Bull
Red Bull will continue to employ the services of Sebastien Buemi as a test driver; Buemi raced for Toro Rosso between 2009 and 2011 and is now a frontrunner in the World Endurance Championship and Formula E. Buemi is set to be aided in Formula 1 simulator duties by the leading member of the Junior Team, Dan Ticktum, the Macau Grand Prix victor who will race for Motopark in Formula 3. Other Junior Team members are Neil Verhagen (FR2.0 Eurocup with Tech 1), Jack Doohan and Dennis Hauger (both British F4 with Arden), along with Jonny Edgar and Harry Thompson (karting). Honda-backed Nirei Fukuzumi, meanwhile, has become a Red Bull athlete, and will divide his time between Formula 2 (Arden) and Super Formula (Mugen).
Force India
Force India has signed Nicholas Latifi as its test and reserve driver, and he will partake in selected FP1 sessions, though a planned pre-season run was cancelled due to illness. Latifi, who tested Renault’s R.S.17 last year, will continue to compete for DAMS in Formula 2, having placed fifth overall in 2017. Nikita Mazepin remains as development driver and was entrusted with giving the VJM11 its track debut during testing; he will race for ART in GP3 this season.
Williams
Williams undoubtedly has the services of the most high-profile test/development driver in the form of Robert Kubica. The Pole will participate in three FP1 sessions this year in order to assist the team’s progress with its FW41, while simultaneously continuing in his ambition to land a race seat. Ex-Renault youngster Oliver Rowland, third in last year’s F2 standings, has taken up the position of ‘Young Driver’ (though ironically is older than both racers) and will assist with simulator duties and also sample the FW41 during in-season testing.
Renault
Jack Aitken, the leading member of Renault’s Academy since its 2016 revival, has been appointed as reserve, and the GP3 runner-up will step up to Formula 2 with ART this year. Last season’s Formula 2 runner-up, Artem Markelov, will be Renault’s development driver, and runs in both current and old-spec machinery are planned. Aitken again spearheads Renault’s young driver scheme, and the other members are Sacha Fenestraz (F3 with Carlin), Sun Yue Yang (BRDC British F3 with Carlin), Max Fewtrell and Victor Martins (Eurocup FR2.0 with R-ace GP), Christian Lundgaard (Eurocup FR2.0 with MP Motorsport) and Arthur Rougier (Eurocup FR2.0 with Fortec Motorsports)
Haas
Santino Ferrucci and Arjun Maini will again form Haas’ development driver pairing. Ferrucci has been with Haas since 2016 and tested both the VF-16 and VF-17, the American stepping up to Formula 2 with Trident halfway through last year. Ferrucci will contest the full campaign for Trident this season, and he will be partnered by debutant Maini.
McLaren
Formula 3 champion Lando Norris, 18, has replaced Jenson Button as reserve driver and will fill the breach if Fernando Alonso or Stoffel Vandoorne are unavailable. Norris, who already has F1 test experience, will compete for Carlin in Formula 2 this year; one of his rivals will be Nyck de Vries, the Prema racer a long-term member of McLaren’s young driver scheme. Experienced simulator ace Oliver Turvey will continue working behind-the-scenes at McLaren, alongside his sportscar and Formula E duties, and he has been joined by World’s Fastest Gamer winner Rudy van Buren.
Sauber
Sauber will hand track time to Ferrari reserve Giovinazzi this year, with his programme set to include running at six Grands Prix. Sauber’s nominated test driver is Tatiana Calderon. She will carry out simulator duties and benefit from on-site coaching at selected Grand Prix weekends; she will stay in GP3 this season, her third year in the division, racing for Jenzer Motorsport.
Toro Rosso has yet to name any non-race drivers
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