Forgotten F1 Drivers of 2014 to 2018 | Part 8

Will Stevens

Will Stevens entered Formula 1 at one of the most difficult periods for smaller teams; his debut came with Caterham at the final race of 2014 before securing a full-time seat with Manor Marussia in 2015.

The problem wasn’t a lack of talent; it was survival.

Both teams Stevens raced were fighting financial collapse; Caterham disappeared almost immediately, while Manor spent most weekends simply trying to stay alive.

Stevens became one of many drivers caught in the harsh financial realities of modern F1; when Manor secured Mercedes power for 2015, the team needed larger sponsorship packages than Stevens could provide, the seat eventually went elsewhere, ending his F1 career after just 18 starts.

However, it wasn’t the end, leaving F1 turned out to be a blessing; he established himself as one of endurance racing’s most respected professionals, he became a regular contender in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans twice and building a career far more successful than many expected after his F1 exit!

Alexander Rossi

After spending years as a reserve driver, Rossi finally received his opportunity with Manor Marussia late in 2015.

He impressed immediately; particularly at his home race in Austin, where he matched the team’s best result of the season.

Like many drivers at Manor; Rossi faced the same financial obstacles, the team preferred drivers with larger sponsorship packages, making his future unceartain.

Reports suggest, that he made a choice, rather than remain in fighting at the back of F1 grid, he decided to move to IndyCar, it proved to be one of the smartest decisions of his career.

Just months after leaving F1; Rossi stunned the motorsport by winning the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie; while his F1 career lasted only five starts, he became a major star in American motorsport.

Roberto Merhi

Roberto Merhi arrived in F1 with strong credentials; he had dominated Formula 3 and was highly regarded throughout the junior categories.

Unfortunately; he arrived at exactly the wrong team, Manor Marussia’s financial situation meant every seat had a price attached, Merhi started most of the 2015 season but was repeatedly replaced whenever the team needed additional funding.

Rossi took several of his races; while Manor’s future plans focused heavily on drivers capable of bringing larger sponsorship packages.

By the end of 2015; Mehri was out of F1 despite often outperforming expectations.

His career continued across multiple disciplines; including Formula E, Formula 2, Endurance Racing and more, while F1 never gave him a second chance, he remained a repsected figure throughout international motorsport.

Felipe Nasr

Few F1 stories are as ironic as Felipe Nasr’s, the Brazilian announced himself with a sensational fifth-place finish in his F1 debut for Sauber at the 2015 Australian GP, Brazil immediately believed it had found its major F1 star.

For much of 2016, Nasr fought to keep both himself and Sauber alive in the championship standings.

When his sponsorship from Banco do Brasil also disappeared, he found himself without any options.

Since leaving F1, Nasr has become one of the most successful endurance racers in North America; winning championship and multiple editions of the Daytona 24 Hours.

Rio Haryanto

Rio Haryanto made history when he became the first Indonesian driver to compete in F1, his arrival at Manor in 2016 generated enormous excitement throughout Indonesia.

Unfortunately his F1 dream depended heavily on sponsorship funding.

Haryanto completed 12 races before losing his seat to a young Esteban Ocon, who would later become a Grand Prix winner.

Although his F1 career ended quickly, Haryanto remains an important figure in Indonesian motorsport history and continues racing while helping manage his family’s business interests.

Brendon Hartley

Before arriving in F1, Brendon Hartley had already established himself as one of endurance racing’s elite drivers, the New Zealander joined Toro Rosso late in 2017 and completed the full 2018 season.

After just 25 races, Hartley was gone.

His return to endurance racing quickly reminded everyone of his true abilities.

Multiple championship titles and Le Mans victories followed, cementing his status as one of the finest sports car drivers of his generation.

Sergey Sirotkin

Sergey Sirotkin entered F1 with Williams in 2018, the FW41 that season was notoriously difficult to drive and often looked completely uncompetitive against rival teams.

Despite this, he frequently matched or outperformed his teammate Lance Stroll, his lone F1 point arrived at Monza after a post-race disqualification promoted him into the top ten.

As the season came to an end, his sponsor withdrew its backing, and Williams quickly moved on, bringing Robert Kubica back to the grid for 2019.

Sirotkin never raced in F1 again, but he continued competing in endurance racing before eventually retiring from professional competition.