Jehan Daruvala had a rollercoaster 2020
Jehan Daruvala after winning the Bahrain Grand Prix last year
Jehan Daruvala had a rollercoaster 2020.
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It started off on a high-he made the step up to Formula Two, was snapped up by Red Bull's young driver programme, and marked himself out as one of the drivers to watch during pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Having battled for the Formula Three title a year earlier in what was his strongest season in single seater racing yet, he went into the year with a certain momentum behind him.
But it didn't quite go according to plan.
Formula Two sits one step below Formula One on the motorsport ladder and serves as the proving ground for young F1 hopefuls who are all battling it out for a shot at the big time.
Daruvala, driving for British team Carlin, showed flashes of the speed that have marked him out as India's next big F1 hope. But poor starts meant he often fell back during the races.
An underpowered engine further hindered his efforts but by the time the circus arrived in Russia, Daruvala had turned the page on his struggles, ending his season on a high with a podium and finally a win in the finale in Bahrain.
Daruvala is yet to announce his plans for 2021. He is confident he will be back in F2 in a competitive seat and has set his sights on fighting for the title.
He has already laid down a marker, setting the fastest time on two days of the three-day post-season F2 test session.
But he will have to carry that sort of form through into next year.
Daruvala's struggles in 2020 need not define what has thus far been a strong junior career. It is a fact that some drivers take a year to settle in. Take Mick Schumacher for instance. The son of seven-times world champion Michael, the 21-year-old will make his Formula One debut this year after having won the F2 title.
But in 2019, his first year in the category, he could do no better than 12th in the overall standings, the same as Daruvala managed this year, except the German had fewer points than the Mumbai lad in 2020.
Daruvala doesn't have to win the title in 2021. His teammate Yuki Tsunoda finished third last year but will still make his F1 debut with AlphaTauri next season.
But he has to put on a convincing display and proven he has what it takes to cut it as a Grand Prix driver.
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