Gabriele Tarquini believes Formula 1’s modern technology has fundamentally changed the way young drivers prepare for the highest level of motorsport. The former F1 driver explained how telemetry, advanced simulators and extensive engineering support now allow emerging talents to develop skills much earlier, with Kimi Antonelli’s opportunity to fight for the world championship at just 20 illustrating the scale of that transformation.
Speaking during a conference at Historic Minardi Day, which examined the evolution of Formula 1 from the 1970s to the present, Tarquini compared the learning process of previous generations with the resources available to today’s drivers. One particularly significant difference concerns access to information: what once depended heavily on advice from experienced competitors can now be studied through detailed technical data.
Gabriele Tarquini explains how F1 telemetry changed driver development
Before telemetry became an essential part of Formula 1 preparation, younger drivers often had little choice but to rely on information shared by their more experienced colleagues. According to Gabriele Tarquini, that created an environment in which learning another driver’s approach to a circuit could be surprisingly difficult.
The former F1 racer, who now serves as sporting director of the Genesis World Endurance Championship team, recalled that drivers would sometimes describe which gear they used through a particular corner or where they began accelerating. However, there was no straightforward way for a younger competitor to establish whether those explanations were accurate.
Tarquini suggested that experienced drivers sometimes deliberately provided misleading information, particularly when they felt threatened by a faster newcomer. Rather than helping somebody who could eventually challenge them for their seat, they might describe a different approach to a corner or withhold useful details about their driving technique.
As a result, developing a competitive understanding of an unfamiliar circuit often involved considerable trial and error. Young drivers needed to interpret whatever advice they received and gradually build their own knowledge through time spent behind the wheel.
Modern telemetry has significantly changed that process. Drivers can examine braking points, acceleration patterns, gear selection and speed differences with far greater precision. Those interested in how such information is interpreted can explore the F1 qualifying telemetry and corner comparison, which illustrates the differences between drivers across individual laps.
Why young Formula 1 drivers can now compete at 20
The transformation in driver preparation has also affected the age at which talented competitors can establish themselves in Formula 1. Tarquini explained that, in previous generations, drivers normally arrived after completing a substantial apprenticeship in junior racing categories.
The conventional route involved progressing through championships such as Formula 3 and Formula 2, gradually acquiring experience before receiving an opportunity at the highest level. Some drivers also completed initial Formula 1 tests during that period, allowing them to become familiar with the machinery before making their competitive debut.
According to Tarquini, even the youngest newcomers were generally around 22, 23 or sometimes 24 years old. Entering Formula 1 considerably earlier was regarded as exceptional rather than a realistic progression for most developing drivers.
He identified Mike Thackwell’s debut at 19 as a notable exception to that pattern, illustrating just how unusual such an early arrival once appeared.
The contrast with the modern championship is particularly striking when considering Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes driver has reached the age of 20 with an opportunity to challenge for the Formula 1 World Championship, a situation Tarquini believes would have been extremely difficult to imagine during earlier eras.
The Italian driver’s rapid progression also demonstrates how different the modern development pathway has become. The importance of detailed performance information can be seen in telemetry comparisons involving Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari, where individual driving techniques can be examined rather than relying simply on impressions or verbal explanations.
Simulators and engineers have accelerated the F1 learning curve
For Gabriele Tarquini, the most important difference is not any single innovation but the combination of technological and technical support now available to emerging drivers.
Modern simulators provide additional preparation opportunities, while telemetry allows drivers to examine their performance and identify areas requiring improvement. Engineering teams can also supply detailed information that helps drivers understand both the car’s behaviour and the techniques needed to extract greater performance.
These resources allow younger competitors to acquire knowledge and develop their understanding much more quickly than was possible when information depended heavily on experience accumulated during traditional racing apprenticeships.
Tarquini believes that this support explains why drivers can now reach Formula 1 at 20 without necessarily having the same breadth of previous racing experience as their predecessors.
Crucially, however, he emphasised that the arrival of advanced technology has not made Formula 1 cars easy to drive. Modern machinery still requires exceptional ability, adaptability and a deep understanding of its behaviour. Simulators and telemetry can accelerate preparation, but they cannot replace the skill needed to perform at the highest level.
Technology has changed how F1 experience is acquired
The comparison between Formula 1 generations therefore concerns the way experience is developed rather than a reduction in the demands placed on drivers.
Where previous competitors often needed several additional seasons to build their knowledge through direct racing experience, today’s young talents can benefit from more structured preparation and access to sophisticated technical information before and during their Formula 1 careers.
For Tarquini, Kimi Antonelli represents a particularly clear example of this evolution. His ability to compete for the championship at such a young age highlights how much the route to Formula 1 has changed, even though the challenge of mastering a Grand Prix car remains substantial.
The traditional apprenticeship has not disappeared entirely. Instead, telemetry, simulation and engineering expertise have transformed how quickly ambitious young drivers can acquire the understanding required to compete against the world’s best.
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