Some young drivers look like stars of the future from their first campaign in a single-seater. Other drivers can come across as distinctly average year after year. But sometimes drivers who have been relatively under-the-radar can enjoy a breakthrough season that thrusts them into the limelight.
Here we highlight six drivers who impressed us for the first time in 2013. There is a previously unfancied driver who became an unexpected title contender in one of the major series, and another who showed superb progress to finish the year on the podium at the most famous race in junior single-seaters. There are some who made a name for themselves by fighting at the front in less competitive categories and one series rookie who consistently mixed it with illustrious and more experienced rivals.
Click through to the following pages to see who we named our Breakthrough Driver of the Year.
Photography by: GP3 Media Service, Renault Sport / DPPI, CGPM, Fast Lane Promotion / FR2.0 Alps, FOTOSPEEDY / F3 Open, Auto GP