![]() | |
Founded | 2009 |
---|---|
Base | Maranello, Modena, Italy |
Team principal(s) | Jérôme d'Ambrosio |
Current drivers | FIA Formula 2![]() Formula 3 ![]() ![]() F1 Academy ![]() ![]() |
Website | https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/fda |
Ferrari Driver Academy is a driver development program 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. Former Formula One driver Jerome d'Ambrosio is the head for the academy.
The 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]
Driver | Years | Current Series | Titles as FDA member |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | 2020– | FIA Formula 2 Championship | Formula Regional European Championship |
![]() | 2021– | F1 Academy | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member |
![]() | 2022– | FIA Formula 3 Championship | Formula Regional European Championship |
![]() | 2023– | FIA Formula 3 Championship | Formula Regional Middle East Championship |
![]() | 2023– | Eurocup-4 Spanish Winter Championship F1 Academy | none as Ferrari Driver Academy member |
Sources: [11] [12] [13] [14] |
This list contains the drivers that have graduated to Formula One with support from Ferrari. Therefore, drivers who have had support in the past and entered Formula One through other means, such as Lance Stroll and Zhou Guanyu, are not included. Drivers who drove for other teams while still part of Ferrari's youth setup are highlighted in italics.
Driver | Academy experience | F1 experience with Ferrari | F1 experience with other teams | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Years | Former series | |||
![]() | 2009–2014 | Formula 3 Euro Series ( 2009 ) GP2 Series (2010–2011) Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2012) Formula One (2013–2014) | — | Marussia (2013–2014) |
![]() | 2010–2012 | GP2 Series (2010) Formula One (2011–2012) | — | Sauber (2011–2012) McLaren (2013) Force India (2014–2018) Racing Point (2019–2020) Red Bull Racing (2021–2024) |
![]() | 2016–2018 | GP3 Series ( 2016 ) FIA Formula 2 Championship ( 2017 ) | 2019– | Sauber (2018) |
![]() | 2019–2022 | Formula 2 Championship (2019– 2020 ) | — | Haas (2021–2022) |
![]() | 2022– | FIA Formula 3 Championship (2022) Formula Regional Asian Championship (2022) FIA Formula 2 Championship (2023–2024) | 2024 | Haas (2024–) |
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 |
![]() | 2023–2024 | rFactor 2 GT Challenge Formula SimRacing World Championship Virtual Endurance Championship | Virtual Endurance Championship |
![]() | 2023–2024 | F1 Sim Racing | None |
![]() | 2024 | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports | None |
![]() | 2024 | F1 Sim Racing | None |
![]() | 2023–2024 | rFactor 2 GT Challenge Formula SimRacing World Championship Virtual Endurance Championship | rFactor 2 GT Challenge Virtual Endurance Championship |
![]() | 2023–2024 | rFactor 2 GT Challenge Virtual Endurance Championship | Virtual Endurance Championship |
![]() | 2024 | SRO Intercontinental GT Challenge Esports | None |
![]() | 2025 | iRacing Special Events | None |
In 2019, Ferrari established the FDA Esports Team to compete in the Formula One Esports Series. [22] That same year, Italian David Tonizza won the drivers' championship, securing their first championship victory. [23]
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.
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 |