McLaren Driver Development Programme explained

McLaren Driver Development Programme
Base:Woking, Surrey, England, UK
Current Drivers:WEC
Ryō Hirakawa
IndyCar
Pato O'Ward[1]
Formula 2
Gabriel Bortoleto
Formula 3
Alex Dunne
Martinius Stenshorne
FRECA
Ugo Ugochukwu
F1 Academy
Bianca Bustamante
Karting
Dries Van Langendonck

The McLaren Driver Development Programme (formerly known as the McLaren Young Driver Programme, the McLaren-Honda Young Driver Programme, and the McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Support Programme) is a driver development program operated by McLaren. It is intended to offer year-by-year guidance, assistance and endorsement to help promising young racers climb the motorsport ladder.

The most notable participant in the programme is Lewis Hamilton, who joined the programme while karting and eventually graduated to the McLaren F1 Team. He has won the Formula One Drivers' Championship seven times between 2008 and 2020, where the championship was won with McLaren. Hamilton is currently the only graduate from the programme who has won a World Championship as a McLaren driver.

Four programme drivers have graduated to the McLaren F1 Team: Lewis Hamilton in, Kevin Magnussen in, Stoffel Vandoorne in, and Lando Norris in . Hamilton and Norris have won a Grand Prix race with the team.

History

The programme was founded in 1998 by McLaren and Mercedes as the McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Support Programme. The programme notably signed Lewis Hamilton, Nick Heidfeld and Nicolas Minassian as some of its first drivers.

From 2019 to 2021, no drivers were part of the program. 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.[2] [3] In March 2021, American karting driver Ugo Ugochukwu was recruited into the programme.

In April 2023, the Young Driver Programme was replaced by the Driver Development Programme. Later in October, the programme signed its first female driver in Bianca Bustamante, with Bustamante representing McLaren in the 2024 F1 Academy season.[4]

Drivers

Current

DriverSinceCurrent seriesTitles achieved as McLaren Driver Development Programme member
Ugo Ugochukwu[5] 2021–Formula Regional Middle East Championship
Formula Regional European Championship		Euro 4 Championship (2023)
Pato O'Ward2023–IndyCar Seriesnone as McLaren Driver Development Programme member
Ryō Hirakawa[6] 2023–FIA World Endurance ChampionshipFIA World Endurance Championship (2023)
Gabriel Bortoleto[7] 2023–FIA Formula 2 Championshipnone as McLaren Driver Development Programme member
Bianca Bustamante[8] 2023–Formula Winter Series
F1 Academy		none as McLaren Driver Development Programme member
Alex Dunne[9] 2024–FIA Formula 3 Championshipnone as McLaren Driver Development Programme member
Martinius Stenshorne2024–FIA Formula 3 Championshipnone as McLaren Driver Development Programme member
Dries Van Langendonck[10] 2024–Kartingnone as McLaren Driver Development Programme member

Former

DriverYearsF1 team(s)
Wesley Graves[11] [12] 1998Karting (1998)None
Nicolas Minassian1998International Formula 3000 Championship (1998)None
Norman Simon1998German Formula Three Championship (1998)None
Ricardo Zonta1998FIA GT Championship (1998)BAR (1999–2000)
Jordan (2001)
Toyota (2004–2005)
Nick Heidfeld1998–1999International Formula 3000 Championship (1998–1999)Prost (2000)
Sauber (2001–2003; 2010)
Jordan (2004)
Williams (2005)
BMW Sauber (2006–2009)
Renault (2011)
Lewis Hamilton[13] 1998–2006Karting (1998–2001)
British Formula Renault Championship (2002–2003)
Formula 3 Euro Series (2004–2005)
GP2 Series (2006)		McLaren (2007–2012)
Mercedes (2013–2024)
Ferrari (2025–)
Mário Haberfeld[14] 1999International Formula 3000 Championship (1999)None
Cheng Congfu[15] 2003–2006British Formula Renault Championship (2003–2006)None
Giedo van der Garde2006Formula 3 Euro Series (2006)Caterham (2013)
Oliver Rowland2007–2010Karting (2007–2010)None
Alexander Albon2010Karting (2010)Toro Rosso (2019)
Red Bull Racing (2019–2020)
Williams (2022–)
Jack Harvey2010Formula BMW Europe (2010)None
Petri Suvanto[16] 2010Formula BMW Europe (2010)None
Oliver Turvey2010–2011GP2 Series (2010–2011)None
Kevin Magnussen2010–2013German Formula Three Championship (2010)
British Formula 3 International Series (2011)
Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2012–2013)		McLaren (2014–2015)
Renault (2016)
Haas (2017–2020; 2022–2024)
Ben Barnicoat2010–2015Karting (2010–2013)
Formula Renault 2.0 NEC (2014)
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2014–2015)		None
Nyck de Vries[17] 2010–2018Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (2012–2014)
Formula Renault 2.0 Alps (2013–2014)
Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2015)
GP3 Series (2016)
FIA Formula 2 Championship (–)		Williams (2022)
AlphaTauri (2023)
Tom Blomqvist[18] 2012FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2012)None
Andrew Tang[19] 2012Karting (2012)None
Stoffel Vandoorne2013–2016Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2013)
GP2 Series (2014–2015)		McLaren (2016–2018)
Nobuharu Matsushita[20] 2015–2017GP2 Series (2015–2016)
FIA Formula 2 Championship 		None
Nirei Fukuzumi2016–2017GP3 Series (2016–2017)None
Lando Norris[21] 2017–2018FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2017)
FIA Formula 2 Championship 		McLaren (2019–)
Sérgio Sette Câmara[22] 2019FIA Formula 2 Championship None
Álex Palou[23] [24] 2023IndyCar Series (2023)None

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: McLAREN ANNOUNCES NEW DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME . McLaren.com . McLaren .
  2. Web site: van Osten . Phillip . 24 December 2020 . Brown: Lack of McLaren young drivers due to 'different philosophy' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201224171300/https://f1i.com/news/394800-brown-lack-of-mclaren-young-drivers-due-to-different-philosophy.html . 24 December 2020 . 14 January 2021 . F1i.com . en.
  3. Web site: Smith . Luke . 23 December 2020 . McLaren sticking to "targeted" approach for F1 young driver programme . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201226173545/https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/154340/mclaren-sticking-to-targeted-young-driver-approach . 26 December 2020 . 14 January 2021 . Autosport.com . en.
  4. Web site: 26 July 2023 . All 10 Formula 1 teams will have F1 Academy drivers and liveries for the 2024 season . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231029211249/https://www.f1academy.com/Latest/1OnyO0KBfbAIWbs4ywG6ia/all-10-formula-1-teams-will-have-f1-academy-drivers-and-liveries . 2023-10-29 . 2023-10-21 . F1® Academy . en.
  5. Web site: 22 March 2021 . McLaren sign long-term deal with 13-year-old American karting ace Ugo Ugochukwu . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231024072401/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.mclaren-sign-long-term-deal-with-13-year-old-american-karting-ace-ugo.4GPYYgngquIlvcaD8Qi1s3.html . 24 October 2023 . 22 March 2021 . www.formula1.com . en.
  6. Jogia . Saajan . 2023-09-22 . F1 News: McLaren Takes on New Reserve Driver . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231024072801/https://www.si.com/fannation/racing/f1briefings/news/f1-news-mclaren-takes-on-new-reserve-driver-sj4 . 24 October 2023 . 2023-10-24 . . en.
  7. Web site: Wood . Ida . 2023-10-05 . McLaren signs Bortoleto as junior, makes Badoer an 'optioned driver' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231024072941/https://formulascout.com/mclaren-signs-bortoleto-as-junior-makes-badoer-an-optioned-driver/111799 . 24 October 2023 . 2023-10-05 . Formula Scout . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2023-10-18 . McLaren sign F1 Academy's Bianca Bustamante as first female member of Driver Development Programme . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231024072622/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.mclaren-sign-f1-academys-bianca-bustamante-as-first-female-member-of-driver.6w5XZDIEWlRBNiUPSn1sbF.html . 24 October 2023 . 2023-10-23 . Formula 1® . en.
  9. Web site: FIA FORMULA 3 DRIVERS ALEX DUNNE AND MARTINIUS STENSHORNE JOIN McLAREN DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME. McLaren. May 16, 2024. May 16, 2024.
  10. Web site: 2023 World Junior Karting Champion Dries Van Langendonck joins the McLaren Driver Development programme . 2024-07-26 . www.mclaren.com . en-GB.
  11. Web site: Noble. Jonathan. Futures on Fast Forward. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026053408/http://www.atlasf1.com/99/jan20/support.html. 26 October 2020. 21 October 2020. Atlas F1.
  12. Web site: 9 April 1998. Mclaren Sign Kart Drivers. 21 October 2020. Crash. en. 27 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027025400/https://www.crash.net/f1/news/32572/1/mclaren-sign-kart-drivers. live.
  13. Web site: 5 September 2018. FAITH IN YOUTH: McLaren's young driver track record. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026055255/https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.faith-in-youth-mclarens-young-driver-track-record.629NzrIV9uY0ESacQsCEOE.html. 26 October 2020. 21 October 2020. Formula1.com. en.
  14. Web site: The F1 test driver who now saves wild jaguars. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Bradley. Charles. 25 December 2018. 26 June 2024.
  15. Web site: De Groote. Steven. 6 August 2003. McLaren signs Cheng Congfu. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201023183309/https://www.f1technical.net/news/105. 23 October 2020. 21 October 2020. F1 Technical. en-GB.
  16. News: McLaren tukee suomalaislupausta. sportti.com. 19 March 2010. 15 March 2017. 16 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170316113339/http://www.sportti.com/uutinen.asp?CAT=1-1&ID=169541. live.
  17. Web site: Wood. Elliot. 6 May 2019. Nyck de Vries' split with McLaren confirmed. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201129094041/https://formulascout.com/nyck-de-vries-leaves-mclaren/50229. 29 November 2020. 14 January 2021. Formula Scout. en-US.
  18. News: Stig's son joins McLaren. The Telegraph. 26 February 2012. 5 April 2018. 6 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180206210116/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/motorsport/9103306/Stigs-son-joins-McLaren.html. live.
  19. Web site: de Cotta. Ian. 10 February 2014. Tang wins big in New Zealand. Today Online.
  20. Web site: 22 February 2017. 2017 McLaren-Honda Young Driver Programme members revealed. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112003107/https://www.mclaren.com/racing/team/young-driver-programme/2017-mclaren-honda-young-driver-programme-members-revealed-3122258/. 12 November 2020. 14 January 2021. McLaren Racing. en.
  21. Web site: 2017. Lando Norris joins McLaren F1 young driver programme. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201027040405/http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/595039/Lando_Norris_joins_McLaren_F1_young_driver_programme/. 27 October 2020. 21 October 2020. GP Today.
  22. Web site: Wood. Elliot. 9 March 2020. Sergio Sette Camara leaves McLaren for return to Red Bull. 21 October 2020. Formula Scout. en-US. 23 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201023005029/https://formulascout.com/sergio-sette-camara-leaves-mclaren-for-return-to-red-bull/60525. live.
  23. Web site: Fryer . Jenna . 2022-07-28 . IndyCar champ Palou declares he will be at McLaren in 2023 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231024073051/https://apnews.com/article/sports-auto-racing-indycar-alex-palou-indiana-99b05f32cafedca5e826892ff0045974 . 2023-10-24 . 2023-10-24 . . en.
  24. Web site: Martin . Bruce . August 18, 2023 . McLaren And Arrow McLaren File Lawsuit Against Alex Palou . 2023-10-24 . . en.

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