INDIA in F1

Tag: Ferrari Driver Academy

  • Jaden Pariat selected for Ferrari Driver Academy trials

    Jaden Pariat selected for Ferrari Driver Academy trials

    Banbury (UK) 16 August 2023: Rising Indian motorsport star Jaden R Pariat has been invited to the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) selection trials, as one of the best young talents in the Asia Pacific and Oceania region.

    The prestigious Ferrari Academy selection trials begin on September 23 at Sepang. The drivers will take part in track walks, engineer meetings, fitness testing, and importantly time behind the wheel of a Tatuus FIA F4-T421 machine on track. The top five drivers then head to the FDA Scouting World Finals in Maranello.

    Jaden Pariat who moved to the UK in 2022, is taking part in the full F4 British Championship with Phinsys by Argenti team. On his impressive debut weekend, the then 15-year-old scored a spot on the Rookie Cup podium, exemplifying his winning potential before getting a memorable podium victory at Donington Park.

    While more than 100 drivers applied the Ferrari Driver Academy programme, Jaden is selected as one of 25 drivers for six different countries who will now head to Sepang International Circuit for the five-day assessment process.

    Announcing the selection result Jaden Pariat said from his base in UK: “I am extremely happy to have been chosen to take part in the Ferrari Driver Academy selection trials in Malaysia. I have learned so much in almost a year of racing in the F4 British Championship and looking forward to trials for the Ferrari Driver Academy.”

    “It will be an enjoyable five days I am sure and there will be plenty for me to take away from the experience. But I am definitely going in with the intention of making it to the final five and hopefully, heading to Maranello for the World Finals,” the Shillong driver added.

    The Scuderia Ferrari programme aims to bring on talented youngsters and takes its inspiration from a comment made by Enzo Ferrari: “I love to think that Ferrari can make drivers as well as cars.” The Ferrari Driver Academy is not just a race driving school. It is a true academy where all aspects of their chosen profession are taught in a meticulous manner. Over the years, many of the Academy students have gone on to race at a high level. Charles Leclerc and Mick Schumacher among others made it all the way to Formula 1.

    Michael Smith of Motorsport Australia, who will be conducting the trials, said:“We’re looking forward to hosting 25 of the best young drivers from the Asia Pacific region. It’s exciting to see more drivers from outside of Australia in the FDA selections.”

  • Ruhaan Alva selected for Ferrari Driver Academy trials

    Ruhaan Alva selected for Ferrari Driver Academy trials

    Bengaluru, 23 Sept. 2022: Bengaluru teenager Ruhaan Alva has been chosen to participate in the 2022 Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) selection programme at the Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, from September 26 to 28.

    The 16-year old from Bengaluru, who is supported by JK Tyre, is the only Indian racer to be chosen for the Asia Pacific and Oceania regional selection programme which will be attended by 24 drivers from seven countries – Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Japan – in the 14-17 years age group.

    Ruhaan, a multiple National karting champion, said: “I am really excited to have been selected for the Ferrari Driver Academy selection programme. While it is a big step forward for me while pursuing my dream, it will be a very challenging three days in Malaysia, but I will give it my best shot.”

    File photo of Ruhaan Alva

    The 24 aspirants were selected from a pool of more than 60 applicants. The chosen drivers will be evaluated on their driving, fitness and media skills during the three-day programme at the Sepang International Circuit.

    At the end of the three-day session, possibly two drivers may be selected to attend the FDA’s Scouting World Finals in Maranello, Italy, where they will compete with drivers from other regions in a bid for a potential place in the FDA for 2023.

    All drivers will have one day in the Formula 4 cars where they will be trained and assessed for their racing skills. On the day that the drivers are not in the car, the drivers will be trained and assessed by the media team, as well as the fitness and training coach. Only the top six applicants selected by representatives of Ferrari and Motorsport Australia will proceed to the third day, September 28.

    On the third day, these six drivers will be assessed all day by Ferrari and Motorsport Australia personnel in a series of tests. The driver or drivers to attend the FDA World Finals in Italy will be selected from this final six.

  • Ferrari Driver Academy 2021 starts with 8 drivers

    Ferrari Driver Academy 2021 starts with 8 drivers

    Maranello, 8 Feb 2021: This morning marked the twelfth year of courses for the Ferrari Driver Academy, the Prancing Horse programme established in 2009 with the aim of preparing talented youngsters to one day drive for Ferrari in Formula 1.

    Seven young men and Maya. This year, there are eight young drivers that will be trained and supported by the Ferrari Driver Academy, six of whom were in Maranello this morning. Mick Schumacher was absent with the good reason that he is working with the Haas F1 Team with whom he will make his Formula 1 debut this season. Dino Beganovic will join his fellow students tomorrow as he is returning from Abu Dhabi, where he took part in the second and third rounds of the Formula 3 Asian Series. As at the start of any academic year, the more experienced drivers who, partly because of the pandemic, had not seen one another for a while, spent some time before the bell sounded to recount what they had been up to over the winter. For two of them, this was a more nerve wracking and serious moment: Australian James Wharton is just 14 and was selected at the FDA Scouting World Finals, as the best of the youngsters from around the world and 16 year-old Dutch girl Maya Weug, who very recently won the FIA “Girls on Track – Rising Stars” to become the first girl to join the FDA. They make up the 2021 intake.

    Busy week. Welcoming the students was Head of FDA, Marco Matassa, Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto and Sporting Director Laurent Mekies. This week the drivers will take part in the usual start of the year Camp, consisting of five demanding days of lessons on various topics, from technical matters to regulations, marketing and communications, as well as some physical and mental aptitude tests, as well as sports and two days of karting on the Lonato track, run by Tony Kart, a long time partner of Maranello’s young driver programme. Over the course of the year, the FDA will follow each driver personally with support on and off the track, organising specific activities, depending on their level of experience and the type of race category in which they will be competing.

    Programmes. Mick Schumacher will continue his development in Formula 1, at the wheel of the Haas F1 Team car. The arrival of the German means there are now four FDA members past or present on the F1 grid: apart from Charles Leclerc, one must not forget Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll. Also on the scene and present at several races will be Callum Ilott in his role as the Scuderia test driver. The youngster from Cambridge will still enjoy the thrill of racing as he will also be taking part in a GT programme, at the wheel of a Ferrari for some of the most famous sports car races.

    Formula 2. Robert Shwartzman and Marcus Armstrong will race in the junior category. The Russian stays with the Prema team and his clear goal is to win the title, given his 2020 performance in the category when he took four wins, the most of any driver, as well as proving to be very consistent. Marcus, who drove a Ferrari Formula 1 car for the first time two weeks ago in a test at Fiorano, has recently switched to the DAMS team and is more determined than ever to be a front runner.

    Formula 3. Last year, Arthur Leclerc finished second in the Formula Regional championship, even though he took more poles and wins than anyone else. His performance has earned him a step up to Formula 3 for this year. Arthur can once again count on the support of the Prema team and right from the start he should be a protagonist.

    Formula Regional. Last year, Ferrari Driver Academy students did very well in the European Formula Regional championship and this year, the Maranello marque can again count on a very quick driver in the shape of Dino Beganovic. The Swede, born in 2004, made his single-seater debut last year and made a very positive impression in the Italian F4 Championship certified by FIA, taking his first win at Imola and demonstrating consistency on his way to third in the championship. Over the past two weeks, as part of his training, Dino competed in the Formula 3 Asian Series, which uses the same car that he will race in Europe in Formula Regional. He has already demonstrated a clear affinity for the car, finishing on the podium four times from nine races.

    Maya and James. Lastly, two new arrivals, Maya Weug and James Wharton. The Dutch girl had her first taste of a Formula 4 car during the FIA “Girls on Track – Rising Stars” programme and will continue in this category. As for James Wharton, his age means he has to continue racing in karts in 2021 and so the FDA has prepared a programme to get him ready for single-seaters, including a series of tests in the second part of the season. Have a good year guys!
    Mattia Binotto Team Principal & Managing Director Scuderia Ferrari
    quoteToday marks the official start of the new season for the Ferrari Driver Academy. It’s an important moment, not just for the eight participants in the 2021 academic year but also for the whole Scuderia. We have always said that the FDA is not just a school that has to help the best youngsters make it to Formula 1, but that above all it must train those that one day will be the standard bearers for Scuderia Ferrari in the top level category of motor racing.
    We achieved that with Charles Leclerc and we are pleased that this year, another driver who grew up with us, Mick Schumacher, will also make his F1 debut. Apart from the well known names of Callum, Robert, Marcus, Arthur and Dino, listed in order of their ages, I am very pleased to welcome the two new students, Maya Weug and James Wharton, who join the Academy this year. Their arrival is important because it also confirms the effort we are putting in when it comes to making motorsport more inclusive.
    I wish all of them the very best of luck and hope that they will progress and be successful during this season which they should tackle with humility, determination and with a desire to learn, without ever forgetting that they are following their dream.quote
    Marco Matassa Head of Ferrari Driver Academy
    quoteThe start of a new year for us at the Ferrari Driver Academy is always a very special moment. We are pleased to see our drivers again and say welcome to our new intake knowing that we can expect an intense season. In 2020, our drivers got excellent results and that can only spur us on to try and do even better in 2021, because looking for continuous improvement is the basis of Ferrari’s and therefore also the FDA’s philosophy.
    I want to extend a special welcome to our newcomers, James Wharton and Maya Weug, whose arrival signals new frontiers for the Academy. James is actually the winner of the first FDA Scouting World Finals. This event featured six finalists battling it out for a place on our programme, chosen from a large group of very young drivers from around the world, thanks to our collaboration with ACI, Tony Kart, Motorsport Australia and Escuderia Telmex.
    Maya is the first girl to join the FDA through our partnership with the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission’s global programme to find the best young female drivers, a project we really believe in. We can’t wait to start working with all these youngsters to prepare the groundwork for another year of good results.
  • A Formula 1 kind of Wednesday for Robert, Callum and Mick

    A Formula 1 kind of Wednesday for Robert, Callum and Mick

    Maranello, 30 Sept 2020:  This was a day to remember for Robert Shwartzman, Callum Ilott and Mick Schumacher at the Fiorano track. The Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) students each had a run behind the wheel of a 2018 Ferrari SF71H to experience driving a Formula 1 car as part of the #RoadToF1 programme. Mick and Callum are scheduled to take part in the first free practice session for the Eifel Grand Prix on 9 October, with Alfa Romeo Racing and Haas F1 Team respectively, and Robert will make his Friday debut on 11 December at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

    Robert. First up was Robert, who has three Formula 2 wins to his name so far this year. For the 21 year old Russian this was his very first time at the wheel of a Formula 1 car. He went out for an installation lap at 9.03 and twenty minutes later he began his first real run. The youngster, who has been part of the FDA since 2017, got off to a cautious start, but soon got the hang of the car and the track.

    Callum. Callum Ilott’s turn came at noon. The Englishman has been with the FDA since 2018 and is currently second in the Formula 2 series with three wins to his name. This was his first time at the wheel of a Ferrari, although the 21 year old from Cambridge had experienced a Ferrari-powered Formula 1 Alfa Romeo Racing C38 at last year’s post-Spanish GP test at the Barcelona Catalunya circuit. Ilott completed a good number of laps of the 2.976 km track, running at a constant pace; perfect preparation for his debut at the Nürburgring.

    Mick. At 3pm, it was the turn of Mick Schumacher, the current Formula 2 championship leader, with two wins. The 21 year old German has been with the FDA since 2019 and this was not his first time at the wheel of a Ferrari. In 2019, he drove that year’s SF90 in Bahrain, also having a drive in the Alfa Romeo C38 at the same test. Mick also completed his programme, aimed at familiarising himself with a Formula 1 car, after so many races in the junior category over the past few months.

    Next appointment. There is now a long break in the Formula 2 calendar until the two rounds planned in Bahrain on 28 and 29 November and 5 and 6 December.

    Robert Shwartzman said: “I have dreamed of the day when I would drive a Formula 1 car for the first time ever since I was a little kid and finally today was the day. Driving this car was fantastic and great fun.
    The power is what strikes you most: when you accelerate the horsepower never seems to stop. The brakes are equally impressive: the car stops when it feels as though it’s too late to make the corner. Apart from the actual driving, it was also special to work with the team. There are a lot of them and they pay attention to every little detail. They really work at a very high level. Thanks to everyone who made this memorable day possible.”

    Callum Ilot said: This was an unforgettable day. I’d already been able to drive a Formula 1 car last year, but today I was able to get to grips with the car with just ten days to go to my debut on a Grand Prix weekend. It was very useful and I thank Ferrari for giving me this opportunity.
    What struck me about the SF71H was its aero efficiency, which means you have grip levels you just don’t find in other categories. Then there’s the extreme power from the engine and instant braking.

    Mick Schumacher said: “I would like to thank Ferrari and the FDA for giving me the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a hybrid-powered Formula 1 car, a few days before my debut at a Grand Prix weekend at the Nürburgring. It was very useful to get used to all the procedures again, which are pretty complex and also with how a team works in this top level of the sport.
    A few weeks ago in Mugello, I was able to drive an F2004, an amazing car, but quite old fashioned now. Getting behind the wheel of a 2018 hybrid car allowed me to understand how important the electronics are for the Power Unit and how much progress Formula 1 has made in terms of aerodynamics.
    I can’t wait to jump into the cockpit in Germany and it will be nice to take part in a practice session for the first time in front of my home crowd. In the team, there are some mechanics who worked with my father and that will make the day even more special.”

    Marco Matassa Head of FDA Technical Department
    “I am very pleased with how today went. I’d like to thank the Scuderia Ferrari race team for its support, because in the middle of such a busy season, it’s no small matter to change the car configuration to suit the individual needs of all three drivers, while helping them get to grips with something as complex as a hybrid-powered Formula 1 car.
    On the technical front I’m happy with the way Mick, Callum and Robert quickly got used to the SF71H. For two of them this wasn’t their first time in a Formula 1 car, but even so it’s not easy to switch from the driving style demanded from a Formula 2 car to one best suited to Formula 1. The car has much more power, a significantly more sophisticated braking system and power steering that requires sensitivity and precision to use properly. However, they were all quick and immediately began running at a good pace. I believe the laps they did today will be very useful when Mick and Callum run on Friday at the Nürburgring.
    On a purely emotional level, it was wonderful to see the lads in their red race suit in front of their Ferrari, posing for the group photo, especially with Robert who was having his very first drive in a Formula 1 car, which is an unforgettable moment for any driver.”