Driver development program

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A driver development program,^[a] also known as a driver development team or driver academy, is a system or structure designed to identify and develop talent in auto racing. Programs are typically offered to drivers aged 12 to 25 in junior racing categories—such as kart racing and lower formulae—with the aim of progressing to top-level motorsport series, often devised by racing teams, external companies and sponsors.

Driver development programs involve the scouting, signing and training of driver talent around the world. Racing teams will typically sign young drivers with the intention of eventually graduating them to a senior category with the organisation, such as Formula One, IndyCar or NASCAR. Many teams sign drivers to multi-year contracts, in which they assist in funding their careers in junior formulae—such as kart racing, Formula Three and Formula Two in open-wheel racing, as well as late models and ARCA in stock car racing—to develop their talent and experience. Such contracts may also serve to prevent driver talent from being poached. Many programs now employ a wide range of coaching methods and technologies to train all of the physical and psychological attributes required in high-level motorsport, including full motion racing simulators and psychotherapy.

Some programs have been criticized for offering long-term, low-paying contracts, whilst occasionally charging additional fees for the use of their facilities and technologies. Companies that specialise in driver training and related programs remain commercially viable through such fees, and typically do not financially support junior careers. Investment in a driver may also be recouped via a share of earnings from wages and brand deals.

Three graduates of driver development programs have won the World Drivers' Championship: Lewis Hamilton of McLaren (2008), Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull (2010), and Max Verstappen (2021) of Red Bull

In 1998, McLaren became the first Formula One team to establish a driver development program, founding the McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Support Programme;^[1] its initial cohort famously included 13-year-old kart racer Lewis Hamilton,^[2] who became the first driver development program alumnus in Formula One to win the World Drivers' Championship in 2008.^[3] The Red Bull Junior Team have graduated 14 members—and two former members—to Formula One, noted for their use of a second team to promote junior talent under the wing of Helmut Marko.^[4] As of 2024, Red Bull have coached two World Drivers' Champions, both winning their titles with Red Bull Racing: Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.^[5]

Driver program	Team	Est	Selected Driver(s)[b]
Alpine Academy	Alpine	2002	Heikki Kovalainen (2007) Romain Grosjean (2009) Jack Doohan (2025)
AMF1 Driver Development Programme	Aston Martin	2021	None
Ferrari Driver Academy	Ferrari	2009	Sergio Pérez (2011) Jules Bianchi (2013) Charles Leclerc (2018) Mick Schumacher (2021) Oliver Bearman (2024)
Haas Driver Development Program	Haas	2016	Pietro Fittipaldi (2020)
Honda Formula Dream Project [ja]	Honda Red Bull Racing[c] RB[c]	2006	Yuki Tsunoda (2021)[d]
McLaren Driver Development Programme	McLaren	1998	Nick Heidfeld (2000) Lewis Hamilton (2007) Kevin Magnussen (2014) Stoffel Vandoorne (2016) Lando Norris (2019)
Mercedes Junior Team	Mercedes	2014	Pascal Wehrlein (2016) Esteban Ocon (2016) George Russell (2019) Andrea Kimi Antonelli (2025)
Red Bull Junior Team	Red Bull Racing RB	2001	Christian Klien (2004) Vitantonio Liuzzi (2005) Scott Speed (2006) Sebastian Vettel (2007) Sébastien Buemi (2009) Jaime Alguersuari (2009) Daniel Ricciardo (2011) Jean-Éric Vergne (2012) Daniil Kvyat (2014) Max Verstappen (2015) Carlos Sainz Jr. (2015) Pierre Gasly (2017) Yuki Tsunoda (2021)[e] Liam Lawson (2023)
Sauber Academy	Sauber	2019	None
Williams Driver Academy	Williams	2016	Lance Stroll (2017) Nicholas Latifi (2020) Jack Aitken (2020) Logan Sargeant (2023) Franco Colapinto (2024)
Former teams
Caterham Development Driver Program	Caterham	2012–2014	Giedo van der Garde (2013) Will Stevens (2014)
Force India F1 Team Academy	Force India	2011–2018	None
Marussia F1 Team Young Driver Program	Marussia	2012–2015	Max Chilton (2013)
Team Lotus Young Drivers Scheme	Team Lotus	2010–2011	None
Toyota Drivers Academy	Toyota	2003–2009	Kazuki Nakajima (2007) Kamui Kobayashi (2009)

• Andretti Global – Louis Foster, Bryce Aron, Jamie Chadwick, James Roe Jr., Salvador de Alba, Michael d'Orlando (all Indy NXT), Oliver Wheldon (Skip Barber Formula Race Series), Sebastian Wheldon (USF Juniors)
• Ed Carpenter Racing – Josh Pierson (Indy NXT)
• Juncos Hollinger Racing – Ricardo Escotto (Indy NXT)
• Team Penske – Myles Rowe (Indy NXT)

• KCMG Driver Development Project
• Honda Formula Dream Project
• TGR-DC Racing School

All of these teams have their own developmental driver programs and/or field cars/trucks on their team for developmental drivers.

• Drive for Diversity
• Drivers Edge Development
• Porsche Junioren
• VMB Driver Development