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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]
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said this was due to the team's "very targeted" approach and already stable Formula One line-up, meaning it would be difficult for any young drivers to find a place in Formula One. [3] [4] In April 2023, the Young Driver Programme was replaced by the Driver Development Programme. [1]
The Mercedes Junior Team is a driver development programme by the Mercedes-AMG F1 Team to help promote drivers from karts through the feeder series ladder to promote them to their Formula One team. All eligible drivers have been promoted to Formula One, with Pascal Wehrlein, Esteban Ocon and George Russell, the latter driving for Mercedes from ...
The Alpine Academy, [1] formerly known as the RF1 Driver Programme, Renault Driver Development and Renault Sport Academy, is a driver development programme to support young racing drivers through their careers. The programme was created by Renault F1 in 2002. In 2011, the programme was renamed LRGP Academy, following the rebranding of the team ...
Two years later, in 2010, Vettel became the first Red Bull Junior graduate to win the Formula One World Championship. The similar Red Bull Driver Search, now ended, was an American spinoff of the same idea held in 2005. In 2024, Red Bull formed a separate programme called the Red Bull Academy Programme to support the team's F1 Academy drivers.
The Sauber Academy, formerly known as the Sauber Junior Team, is a driver development programme by Sauber Motorsport to support drivers from karts through the feeder series ladder to promote them to their Formula One team.
The Williams Racing Driver Academy, formerly known as the Williams Young Driver Programme, is a driver development programme by Formula One team Williams.It is meant to promote talent in different racing series by helping them with funds, with the hope of finding drivers who will race for the team in the future.
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.