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 for young kart and race car drivers to learn and perfect their racing skills. These programmes are devised by racing teams, external companies and funded partnerships primarily to attract and develop future racing talent. Most programmes now employ a wide range of skilled coaches and technologies to train all of the physical and psychological abilities inherent in driving at the limit and winning races. Most racing teams will sign a driver to a multi-year contract in which they fund or part fund the driver in junior formulas (such as Formula 3 and Formula 2 in Europe, and Late models and ARCA in stock car racing) and gradually help them succeed to the highest levels of motorsport. Some teams have been criticized for unfair long-term and low-paying contracts for the talented drivers they find whilst also charging the less talented drivers very high fees for the use of their simulations and facilities. Companies that specialise in racing driver training or development programmes remain commercially viable through selling time in their simulators or gyms and generally speaking do not fund a drivers career. Funded partnerships, good driver management companies and driver search and development initiatives will fund or part fund a drivers development and will survive as long as the owners financial commitment and or success at recouping their investment. Be that a return from a talented drivers wages or a promotional exercise designed by a brand or corporation.

Contents

The following is a list of teams that currently have a driver development programs or are driver development teams.

Open-wheel racing

Formula One

McLaren Hamilton 2008 Spanish GP (cropped).jpg
RB6inSuzuka (cropped) (cropped).jpg
2021 British Grand Prix (51349530573) (cropped).jpg
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; its initial cohort famously included 13-year-old kart racer Lewis Hamilton, who became the first driver development program alumnus in Formula One to win the World Drivers' Championship in 2008. 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. As of 2024, Red Bull have coached two World Drivers' Champions, both winning their titles with Red Bull Racing: Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

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

IndyCar Series

Super Formula

NASCAR

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

Notes

  1. British English: driver development programme
  2. Drivers who have graduated to Formula One as members of the program, as of 2024. Bold indicates a World Drivers' Champion.
  3. 1 2 As an engine supplier.
  4. Also a member of the Red Bull Junior Team.
  5. Also a member of the Honda Formula Dream Project  [ ja ].

See also

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References

  1. Motorsports, J. R. "JR Motorsports, GMS Racing Launch Drivers Edge Development". www.jrmracing.com. Retrieved 2019-02-17.