Ferrari Driver Academy is a driver development programme by the Formula One team Scuderia Ferrari to promote young talent within its own organisation, with several drivers being selected and funded by the team, while under long-term contracts. Over the years several Academy drivers have been promoted to Formula One: Charles Leclerc, Sergio Pérez, Lance Stroll, Mick Schumacher, Zhou Guanyu and Oliver Bearman.
 | |
| Founded | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Base | Maranello, Modena, Italy |
| Team principal(s) | Jérôme d'Ambrosio |
| Current drivers | FIA Formula 2  Oliver BearmanFIA Formula 3  Dino BeganovicFormula Regional European Championship  Rafael Câmara  Tuukka Taponen F1 Academy  Maya Weug Aurelia Nobels |
| Website | https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/fda |
History
editThe idea of the concept came from Felipe Massa's coaching within the Ferrari organisation, with the Brazilian being loaned out to Sauber for three seasons whilst being under contract with Ferrari. Jules Bianchi became the first recruit to the scheme in December 2009, being followed by Mirko Bortolotti, Daniel Zampieri, and Raffaele Marciello in March 2010.[1] In late 2010, Ferrari confirmed Sergio Pérez had been signed up to the scheme, the Mexican being set to be its first graduate to Formula One competition, having already signed for Ferrari-powered Sauber days before the announcement.[2][3] Pérez ceased being a member of the academy after signing to McLaren in 2013. Bianchi also ceased being a member in July 2015, after dying from injuries he sustained at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix while racing for the Ferrari-powered Marussia team. Lance Stroll also ceased being a member following his departure to Williams. Marciello, on the other hand, ceased to be a member for personal reasons.
After rumours of the academy being disbanded, it was announced that the programme would be expanded with Massimo Rivola as its new head. On 23 June 2015, Antonio Fuoco had his first Formula One test with Ferrari during the 2-day post-Austrian Grand Prix test in Spielberg at the Red Bull Ring. In March 2016, it was announced that Charles Leclerc would be inducted into the Ferrari Driver Academy. In November of that year, Enzo Fittipaldi was among five drivers invited to join the Ferrari Driver Academy and was confirmed as a Ferrari Driver Academy member alongside Marcus Armstrong the following month. In late 2017 Ferrari added Callum Ilott, Robert Shwartzman and Gianluca Petecof to their line-up. Mick Schumacher, the son of multiple Formula One World champion Michael Schumacher was added to the lineup in 2019.
In September 2018, it was announced Leclerc would become the first academy member to graduate to Ferrari in 2019.[4]
Mick Schumacher graduated to F1 with Haas F1 after winning the 2020 Formula 2 Championship, while Championship runner-up Callum Ilott was given a test and reserve driver role at Scuderia Ferrari. After 2020, three drivers left the academy: Giuliano Alesi, Enzo Fittipaldi and reigning Formula Regional European Champion Gianluca Petecof, meanwhile Australian karter James Wharton joined it after winning the Ferrari Scouting competition.[5]
In January 2021, Maya Weug, 16, became the first female driver to join the academy.[6] In Autumn of 2021 Ferrari added European Karting vice-champion Rafael Câmara and Italian F4 and ADAC F4 champion Oliver Bearman to their lineup, after the pair won the Ferrari's Scouting World Final.[7]
Following the second running of the Girls On Track – Rising Stars competition, Laura Camps Torras was signed to the setup.[8]
In July 2024, Haas F1 announced that they have signed Bearman on a multi-year contract beginning in the 2025 season.[9]
Current drivers
edit| Driver | Years | Current Series | Titles as FDA member |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020– | FIA Formula 3 Championship | Formula Regional European Championship | |
| 2021– | F1 Academy Formula Regional European Championship |
none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | |
| 2022– | FIA Formula 2 Championship Formula One |
none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | |
| 2022– | Formula Regional Middle East Championship Formula Regional European Championship |
Formula Regional European Championship | |
| 2023– | Formula Regional Middle East Championship Formula Regional European Championship |
Formula Regional Middle East Championship | |
| 2023– | Formula 4 UAE Championship F1 Academy Euro 4 Championship |
none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | |
| Sources:[11][12][13][14] | |||
Scuderia Ferrari Esports Team
edit| Driver | Joined Since | Current Series | Titles as FDA member |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023– | F1 Sim Racing | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | |
| 2023– | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | ||
| 2023– | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | ||
| 2023– | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | ||
| 2023– | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | ||
| 2023– | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports | Ferrari Esports Series (2022) | |
| 2023– | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports SRO Esports Sim Pro Series |
SRO Esports Sim Pro Series | |
| 2023– | rFactor 2 GT Challenge Formula SimRacing World Championship Virtual Endurance Championship |
rFactor 2 GT Challenge Virtual Endurance Championship | |
| 2023– | rFactor 2 GT Challenge Virtual Endurance Championship |
Virtual Endurance Championship | |
| 2024– | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports Virtual Endurance Championship DTM Esports Pro Championship British F4 Esports Championship |
Virtual Endurance Championship | |
| 2024– | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports DTM Esports Pro Championship Precision Racing League GT3 Sprint Series British F4 Esports Championship |
Precision Racing League GT3 Sprint Series | |
| 2024– | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | |
| 2024– | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | ||
| 2024– | British F4 Esports Championship FIA F4 Esports Global Championship |
British F4 Esports Championship | |
| 2024– | F1 Sim Racing | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | |
| 2024– | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member | ||
| 2024– | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member |
Former drivers
edit- Championship titles highlighted in bold.
Former FDA Esports drivers
edit| Driver | Years | Series competed in | Titles as FDA Esports member |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | F1 Esports SRO GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup |
GT World Challenge Esports Europe Endurance Cup (2021) | |
| 2019 | F1 Esports | None | |
| 2020 | F1 Esports SRO E-Sport GT Series Championship |
None | |
| 2020 | F1 Esports | None | |
| 2021 | F1 Esports | None | |
| 2019–2022 | F1 Esports SRO GT World Challenge Esports Europe SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports |
F1 Esports (2019) SRO GT World Challenge Esports Europe Endurance Cup (2021) | |
| 2021–2022 | SRO GT World Challenge Esports Europe SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports |
Ferrari Esports Series (2020) SRO GT World Challenge Esports Europe Endurance Cup (2021) | |
| 2021–2022 | F1 Esports | None | |
| 2021–2022 | F1 Esports | None | |
| 2021-2023 | Le Mans Virtual Series | None | |
| 2021-2023 | Le Mans Virtual Series | None | |
| 2021-2023 | Le Mans Virtual Series | None | |
| 2022 | F1 Esports | None | |
| 2022 | SRO GT World Challenge Esports Europe SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports |
Ferrari Esports Series (2021) | |
| 2022 | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports | None | |
| 2022 | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports | None | |
| 2022-2023 | Le Mans Virtual Series | None | |
| 2022 | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports | None | |
| 2022 | F1 Esports | None | |
| 2022 | F1 Esports | None | |
| 2023 | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports | None | |
| 2023 | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports SRO Esports Sim Pro Series |
None | |
| 2024 | rFactor 2 GT Challenge Formula SimRacing World Championship Virtual Endurance Championship |
Virtual Endurance Championship | |
| 2023-2024 | F1 Esports | None |
Esports
editIn 2019, Ferrari established the FDA Esports Team to compete in the Formula One Esports Series.[24] That same year, Italian David Tonizza won the drivers' championship, securing their first championship victory.[25]
In 2020, Enzo Bonito and Filip Prešnajder joined the team. A much harder season was to come, with Ferrari only taking 2 wins in the season, both achieved by Tonizza.
For 2021, two-time Esports champion Brendon Leigh joined the team from Mercedes to partner Tonizza and newcomer Domenico Lovece. They finished 4th in the teams' championship on 125 points with 1 win and 2 podiums, both from Tonizza.
Runner-up from 2017 Fabrizio Donoso joined Leigh and Tonizza at Ferrari for 2022. They endured their worst season to date, with only one podium from Leigh and ending up 7th in the team standings.
Complete F1 Esports Series results
edit| Year | Chassis | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Ferrari SF90 | BHR | CHN | AZE | CAN | RBR | GBR | GER | BEL | ITA | JPN | USA | BRA | 184 | 2nd | |
| 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |||||
| 16 | 16 | 13 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 17 | ||||||||
| 17 | 16 | 15 | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Ferrari SF1000 | BHR | VIE | CHN | NED | CAN | RBR | GBR | BEL | ITA | JPN | MEX | BRA | 100 | 5th | |
| 20 | 1 | 19 | 11 | Ret | 10 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 7 | Ret | 6 | |||||
| 14 | 7 | 20 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 14 | 11 | 19 | ||||||
| 11 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Ferrari SF21 | BHR | CHN | RBR | GBR | ITA | BEL | POR | NED | USA | EMI | MEX | BRA | 125 | 4th | |
| 9 | 14 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 9 | ||||||
| 12 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 18 | |||||
| 11 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Ferrari F1-75 |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Ilott is still contracted to Ferrari, but is said to be on an extended "gap year" from the academy while racing in the IndyCar Series.[14]
References
edit- ^ Beer, Matt (6 March 2010). "Ferrari expands young driver academy". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
- ^ Noble, Jonathan (8 October 2010). "Perez joins Ferrari young driver scheme". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
- ^ "FDA testing at Fiorano: on track with Formula 3 today and F1 Thursday". Ferrari.com. 12 September 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
- ^ "Charles Leclerc to drive for Scuderia Ferrari in 2019". Scuderia Ferrari. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ Allen, Peter (9 December 2020). "James Wharton wins Ferrari Driver Academy scouting shootout". Formula Scout. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ George Ramsay (23 January 2021). "Maya Weug becomes first female driver to earn a spot in the Ferrari Driver Academy". CNN. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
- ^ Gascoigne, Roger (8 November 2021). "Bearman and Camara signed by Ferrari Driver Academy for 2022". Formula Scout. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ "Laura Camps Torras wins Girls on Track – Rising Stars and a place in the Ferrari Driver Academy". www.ferrari.com. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ "MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Signs Oliver Bearman". haasf1team.com. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ a b "The Ferrari Driver Academy year gets underway". www.ferrari.com. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ Mitchell, Scott (19 January 2019). "Ferrari adds Schumacher to F1 junior programme". motorsport.com. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- ^ "Arthur Leclerc and Dino Beganovic for the Scuderia's young driver programme". 17 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
- ^ Smith, Luke (8 November 2021). "British youngster Bearman joins Ferrari Driver Academy". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Al via il 2022 della Ferrari Driver Academy". www.ferrari.com (in Italian). Retrieved 11 January 2022.
- ^ "Scuderia Ferrari: new from China". Ferrari.com. 9 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ^ Costa, Massimo (25 November 2015). "Esclusivo Leclerc nuovo pilota del Ferrari Driver Academy (Exclusive Leclerc new pilot of the Ferrari Driver Academy)". Italiaracing. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ "Alesi's F1 dream fades over funding issues". Planet F1. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
- ^ "Giuliano Alesi leaves the Ferrari Driver Academy and F2". Formula Scout. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
- ^ "Ferrari adds Brazilian karter Gianluca Petecof to Driver Academy | Formula Scout". www.formulascout.com. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
- ^ "Ilott is first British driver to join FDA". pitpass.com. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
- ^ Wood, Elliot (24 October 2017). "Robert Shwartzman added to Ferrari Driver Academy". Formula Scout. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^ Ferrari confirms Schumacher's exit from F1 young driver academy Autosport 15 December 2022
- ^ "Joining the Ferrari Driver Academy and winner of #GirlsOnTrack Senior competition… Laura Camps Torras". Twitter. Ferrari Driver Academy. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
- ^ "Ten Teams Confirmed For 2019 F1 New Balance Esports Series". 31 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Tonizza And Red Bull Crowned Champions! 2019 F1 Esports Grand Final Report". 5 December 2019. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.