The youngsters of the Ferrari Drivers’ Academy for the 2022 season
Marcus Armstrong has left the Ferrari Drivers’ Academy ahead of the 2022 season, while Callum Ilott has taken a “sabbatical year” after announcing his move to IndyCar .
Armstrong, 21, joined Ferrari’s young driver program in 2017, and has spent the last two years racing in Formula 2.
The New Zealander has yet to confirm his plans for 2022, but Ferrari revealed that he was no longer part of their development driver line-up.
The Italian team also announced that Ilott, who in 2021 was a reserve driver for the Alfa Romeo client team in Formula 1, would have “a ‘sabbatical year'” with them and will compete in IndyCar full-time with Juncos Racing, which leaves him out. of the Ferrari Driver Academy’s scope of work “by not being able to offer adequate support in English”.
The most prominent members of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2022 will be Mick Schumacher and Robert Shwartzman.
Mick Schumacher made his F1 debut last year with Haas, and will combine his role with the American team with 11 races as a reserve for the Maranello team.
Shwartzman finished runner-up in F2 last year and has already confirmed he will not return to the series, focusing instead on his duties as a Ferrari test driver in F1. Those of the Cavallino will not have any pilot under their umbrella in the F2 of this course.
Arthur Leclerc, the younger brother of F1 driver Charles, will race in Formula 3 in 2022 after keeping his seat at Prema. He will be joined in the team by young Briton Oliver Bearman , a finalist for the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year award and a new signing as a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Young drivers of the Ferrari Driver Academy 2022
Ferrari stated that the success of Bearman’s double title in Formula 4 last year made him decide to pass up Formula Regional and go directly to F3.
Dino Beganovic will remain in Formula Regional for 2021, while James Wharton, Maya Weug and new signing Rafael Camara will race in Formula 4.
Spain’s Laura Camps Torras has become the second woman to join the Ferrari Driver Academy after Weug, and will race karts while also testing an F4 car this year.
“The 2022 Ferrari Driver Academy line-up kicks off today,” Ferrari F1 boss Mattia Binotto said.
“It is always a significant day for the boys and girls who participate and also for Scuderia Ferrari, because this program is an important part of what it means to be Ferrari.”
“The role of the FDA is not simply to bring out the best in the most talented young people and bring them to compete with our cars in Formula 1, but it is also about training people and drivers who are able to take advantage of the values that the Scuderia represents. Ferraris”.
“This year, seven boys and two young women will be working towards their ultimate goal of racing in Formula 1.”
“In 2022, 20% of the F1 grid is made up of members of the present and past of the FDA. The dream for them and for us is to do the same as Charles Leclerc, who is about to start his fourth season racing for the Scuderia.
“I wish each and every one of them the best of luck throughout the season, which I am sure they will face with a desire to learn and, above all, with a smile, because being a racing driver is one of the best jobs in the world.
