McLaren announced the son of former Ferrari driver as its new junior driver

McLaren has introduced that it has exercised its choice on Brando Badoer, welcoming the 18-year-old to the McLaren Driver Growth programme from October 2024.

The group had beforehand signed an choice on the Italian who presently competes in Formulation Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA). After a 12-month interval of analysis, McLaren has opted to train this selection.

The son of former Ferrari driver, Luca Badoer made his single-seater debut within the 2022 Formulation 4 UAE Championship, whereas additionally racing within the Italian Formulation 4 sequence in the identical 12 months. In 2023, he continued in each championships, scoring 5 podiums within the Italian sequence, together with two second-place finishes at Imola and Monza.

Throughout the 2024 pre-season, Badoer achieved three podiums within the Formulation Regional Center East Championship, earlier than transferring as much as FRECA with Van Amersfoort Racing. So far, the 18-year-old has achieved seven podiums with 5 second-place finishes and two third locations.

As a part of his continued development via the McLaren Driver Growth programme, Badoer will compete for Prema Racing within the 2025 FIA Formulation 3 Championship alongside fellow McLaren Driver Growth programme member Ugo Ugochukwu.

Led by F1 Enterprise Operations Director, Stephanie Carlin, the McLaren Driver Growth programme will see Brando be part of the group’s expertise pipeline which has an overarching purpose to assist drivers develop in the direction of Formulation 1, IndyCar and Formulation E.

McLaren’s Director of F1 Enterprise Operations Stephanie Carlin commented: “It’s nice to welcome Brando to our Driver Growth programme.

“We’ve saved an in depth eye on him over the previous 12 months and have been impressed along with his performances as a rookie within the aggressive Formulation Regional championship, so it made sense to train our choice and produce him into the programme full time. We sit up for seeing him racing in papaya and supporting his improvement as he strikes to compete within the FIA Formulation 3 Championship with Prema Racing.”

Commenting on his new alternative, Badoer famous: “I’m excited to hitch the McLaren Driver Growth programme. It’s a unbelievable alternative to hitch a group with such an incredible racing heritage and a confirmed document for growing expertise.

“Competing within the 2025 FIA Formulation 3 Championship with Prema Racing will assist proceed my development and I’d prefer to thank the entire group at McLaren for his or her help. I can’t wait to be taught from the group’s steerage and get racing within the group’s iconic colors.”

F1earlier