Ex-F1 hopeful slams driver market ‘politics’ with Sergio Perez among trio name-dropped

Mitch Evans, a GP3 Champion and multi-time Formula E runner-up, slammed the “politics” which he believes interfere with the Formula 1 driver market.

The New Zealander became GP3 Champion back in 2013 as he strived to work his way up the ranks, but with the F1 door remaining shut after a best finish of P4 in the GP2 standings, Evans transitioned into Formula E with Jaguar, where he has since finished runner-up in the championship twice, most recently in the 2023-24 campaign.

‘Weird sport’ Formula 1 ‘doesn’t make any sense’

Evans would reflect on his struggles to find a route into Formula 1, claiming a “freak situation” is needed for a driver to get their chance, as he pointed to the situations of Nick de Vries, Oliver Bearman and Sergio Perez in his outcry against the “politics” he sees in the Formula 1.

De Vries – a long-standing reserve driver in F1 – got his chance at AlphaTauri after impressing in a one-off Williams outing in the place of the ill Alex Albon at Monza in 2022, but was fired mid-season the following year.

Ferrari-backed Bearman meanwhile – who debuted with the team at the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP after Carlos Sainz underwent appendix surgery – will step up from F2 to a Haas F1 seat in 2025, while Perez has hung on to his Red Bull seat after speculation that he could be replaced over the summer break.

“The hard thing was getting a seat for F1 tests,” Evans told Total-Motorsport.com. “I’ve done sim days, been quicker than race drivers and been competitive, but it brings nothing.

“You just need a freak situation to happen. Even trying to get reserve seats, there are guys paying to be reserve drivers. It’s ridiculous.

“When you are really in the fickle of it and know how it works, the sport is demented.

“Look at Nyck de Vries. He was not going to [get a] chance at all for an F1 seat, then he got a free chance when Alex Albon got sick, did a good job and all of a sudden he’s the best thing since sliced bread. He’s the same driver he’s been for all the other years.

“Look at Oliver Bearman. These are good guys but the week before [the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP] he qualified 18th in Bahrain, then he gets a chance at Ferrari. He did a decent job but was in one of the best cars.

“It’s all about perception but teams don’t want to take risks on drivers anymore. The only way you can get there is by getting a crazy opportunity in a race seat.

“They are never going to take a punt on you for the sake of it. You can have all the data, the CV from junior categories, sim days but still not get an opportunity. It’s a weird sport. It doesn’t make any sense.

“A lot of guys [that] get opportunities bring money. Look at Sergio Perez, he still brings money to Red Bull and you can’t compete against that. He’s not a bad driver but you are competing against that.

“It’s hard to go up against a driver on pure merit. That’s the way it is. A lot of F1 guys who come to Formula E, they get a massive reality check. It’s a shame De Vries didn’t work out, I don’t know if that put a bad light on us.

“It’s a strange sport, strange world but it’s not all based on pure performance. It’s not like tennis, golf, football where you can share your skills at any moment. Teams go for safer choices or people with their own pool.”

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Bearman’s Haas F1 promotion also drew some scepticism from Sky F1 pundit Naomi Schiff, who pointed to the Brit’s F2 results.

It has been something of a nightmare campaign for the 19-year-old, who has scored just 34 points and is P15 in the standings, with his numerous Haas FP1 outings, plus that Ferrari debut, providing more weight for Haas’ decision to sign him for F1 2025.

“I think he was incredibly lucky,” Schiff told Sky F1 in reference to that chance to debut with Ferrari in Saudi Arabia. “Obviously he had shown potential and that’s the reason why he was standing in for Ferrari.

“But he was incredibly lucky to get that opportunity in Saudi to really display what he’s able to do because based off of his results in Formula 2 this year, he would probably not have been a candidate for the seat.

“Now he’s got six free practices, he obviously did one last year with Haas as well, he’s got six practices this year. So I think he’s going to come into Formula 1 pretty prepared.

“I mean not a lot of drivers get to come in and have lived in the real action on many occasions.”

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