Yeah the academies definitely stopped the idea of “if you win a junior championship you’re on a way to F1”. Nowadays it’s “if you’re in an academy you’re on a way to F1”. And winning a championship might only be a part of enabling you to get into an academy.
And there are a few academies that are now moneymakers, taking drivers that are sons/daughters of rich people and/or have good sponsors, pretending to give them a path into something, and just collecting that money.
Yeah the academies definitely stopped the idea of “if you win a junior championship you’re on a way to F1”. Nowadays it’s “if you’re in an academy you’re on a way to F1”. And winning a championship might only be a part of enabling you to get into an academy.
And there are a few academies that are now moneymakers, taking drivers that are sons/daughters of rich people and/or have good sponsors, pretending to give them a path into something, and just collecting that money.