1. Théo Pourchaire

Théo's name is on the tongue of every prospect-spotting F1 fan in the universe. At 17, he is leaps and bounds above where his competitors were at his age. Though the standings don't show it today, he's been a title contender all season. He's massively outdoing his much more experienced teammate, but we already know this year will not be his. Following a crash with Dan Ticktum, he suffered fractures bones in his wrist. This setback will almost certainly rule him out of title contention. That aside, as Sauber's only dedicated junior in this series or below, it seems all but certain that this wonderkid will end up behind the wheel of an F1 car before too long. 

F1 Comparison: Charles Leclerc

Strengths: Young, Quickest for his age group

Weaknesses: Inexperienced, Temper can flare up

2. Jüri Vips

Juri is closing in on shoe-in status. His recent driving skills have shown what we always knew he had. The Estonian ace has been lightning through the past three races. These good performances have thrust him in the midst of a 6-way title fight that no one in their right mind would try to predict. His high-up status on this list is bolstered entirely by his Red Bull junior status. Had he not achieved enough to make it here, Albon would in the second car for next year, but it seems like it's more than likely he'll be able to Race in F1 next year. 

F1 Comparison: Carlos Sainz Jr.

Strengths: Defending positions, Maturity

Weaknesses: Adaptability

3. Robert Schwartzman

Schwartzman's proficiency has fluctuated massively. His early-season performances were terrible, but coming back into the second half of the first half of the season has been great for him. His qualifying Pace remains his shining weakness, but one hopes that he will continue to grow in his capabilities. F2 last year saw him finish in the top 4, so Super License points shouldn't be a problem. 

F1 Comparison: Lance Stroll

Strengths: Determined, Grows quickly into new series

Weaknesses: Qualifying pace, Inconsistency

4. Oscar Piastri 

Oscar is a nose-to-the-grindstone kind of competitor. He'll never blow you away outright, but his long-term pace over the course of the season is astounding. It's the way he beat both Pourchaire and Seargent to the title last year, and how he's ever so close to the top this year. He just doesn't have bad races. In that way, he looks destined for at least a seat in a lower-end team. I'd say Haas or Williams would be a good shout. Great driver as well. 

F1 Comparison: George Russell

Strengths: Fast-learner, Generally calm, Championship-caliber

Weaknesses: Inexperience

5. Guanyu Zhou

It's been way too long that a Chinese driver hasn't made it onto the grid. In order to be a more global sport, F1 has to embrace the challenges of letting non-europeans race. Guanyu Zhou is a great example of this. His pace has been good enough, but let's pump the brakes on his chances. Obviously there's marketing to be had here, but also a limited number of seats for Alpine juniors. Honestly, it's a coin toss as to whether a team sees the potential in him to take him up or not. 

F1 Comparison: Esteban Ocon

Strengths: Consistency, Attitude

Weaknesses: Starts, Outright pace