GP2 Series boss Bruno Michel says he isn't concerned by the lack of GP2 champions immediately graduating to Formula 1.
The last feeder series champion to have stepped up to F1 the season following their GP2 crowning was Pastor Maldonado in 2010 after securing a Williams seat for the 2011 season.
Meanwhile Jolyon Palmer is the only GP2 champion since Maldonado to graduate to F1, but his promotion to the top level wasn't immediate and saw him sitting on the sidelines for a season before joining Renault.
Next year will see another GP2 champion get a delayed promotion in McLaren's Stoffel Vandoorne, but Michel isn't concerned as long as they eventually make the step up to F1.
"You know, Stoffel was ready [to race in F1], we all knew that. But he had to wait one year," Michel told Motorsport.
"It is always better when we get our [champion] driver to the grid [the following year], but look at what happened to Stoffel. You look at what happened to Jolyon.
"They did not get on the grid the following season, but they got on the grid eventually, and that's the most important thing for me."
The most recent GP2 champion, Pierre Gasly, has also failed to secure an F1 seat for 2017 and will race in Japan for a year, but Michel is confident he will make the step up eventually.
"Pierre will not go to Toro Rosso, but the guy is ready for F1. I'm sure Pierre will get to F1 at some point, but it is not happening next year.
"It would be better to see automatically guys going [to F1], but its not always like that. It's been the case, but it's not always like this."
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