Photo Credit: McLaren F1
McLaren Racing have announced the formation of a new Driver Development programme, aimed at supporting young talent in their journey through the junior categories of motorsport.
Having founded a similar concept in 1998 called the McLaren Young Driver Programme, which helped to find the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Kevin Magnussen, the company were left with no youth on record between 2019 and 2021, following the promotion of Lando Norris to F1.
The project will be led by former Formula 1 driver and Le Mans winner, Emanuele Pirro. The Italian has a wealth of experience across multiple categories of racing, including 40 Grand Prix starts.
The current batch of drivers include IndyCar’s Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward, as well as the talented American Ugo Ugochukwu. Speaking about the launch of the new programme, McLaren CEO Zak Brown, was excited to get the project underway.
“McLaren has a long history of developing emerging talent into top-level racing drivers and I’m proud that will continue long into the future. We have an experienced team here at McLaren, who will be ably led by Emanuele, that are capable of providing the support and resources required to develop raw young talent into highly competitive professional racing drivers.
“With McLaren’s wide racing portfolio across Formula 1, IndyCar and Formula E, we’re well placed to help develop young talent from the very start of their careers all the way through to full-time racing or test and development roles,” he said.
“We already have an exciting stable of talent, featuring Pato, Alex and Ugo, and I’m excited to continue supporting their development as we start to build the McLaren Driver Development programme.”
2006 and 2007 Le Mans winner Pirro, shares a similar excitement with Zak Brown about the project, as he stated that: “I am thrilled by this assignment for several reasons. McLaren played a crucial role in my career by giving me the opportunity to earn an F1 drive and to elevate myself to a higher level by working alongside Senna, Prost and Berger.
“Together with my team, my role will assist in creating a state-of-the-art programme, selecting the best possible drivers and providing them with all the tools they need to make the best use of their talent. Furthermore, embed them in the McLaren mission, vision and values and hopefully, have one of them progress to the F1 team,” he said.
“McLaren has an amazing history in F1. It means a lot to me, and I am hugely proud to be part of this programme. I am grateful to Zak Brown and Andrea Stella for giving me this great opportunity.”
