The
Ferrari Driver Academy, the structure created by Ferrari
to help develop talented young drivers chosen from the
global motor sport arena, with a view to training them
for an eventual future in the world of F1, enters a new
season with a new arrival while saying goodbye to
others.
Apart from his duties as third driver with Sahara Force
India, Jules Bianchi had a good 2012 season as a
contender in the World Series 3.5, eventually finishing
second overall: the Frenchman took three wins, eight
podium finishes and five pole positions. Jules’
objective for 2013 is naturally to find a firm place in
Formula 1. “That is fundamental for our project,” said
Luca Baldisserri, the head of the FDA, “that he reaches
this target: it could see him have a great future in
red.”
“By the time he had signed for McLaren, Mexico’s Sergio
Perez had already left the Academy, as did Brandon
Maisano, who did not reach the progress goals
established for him at the start of the season. However,
he finished third in the Italian Formula 3 Championship,
with three wins, 15 podiums and two pole positions.
There was a more positive outcome for the other two
youngsters, Lance Stroll and Raffaele Marciello. The
very young Canadian raced in karts, winning the Las
Vegas Trophy, finishing fourth in the WSK Masters, fifth
in the CIK-FIA World Championship, eighth in the Euro
CIK-FIA and twelfth in the WSK Euro. Next year, Lance
will compete in the KF category with the Chiesa Corse
team.
Marciello was very much a front runner in the FIA F3
Euroseries, finishing second in the Championship with
eight wins, thirteen podium finishes and four pole
positions from the thirty races he contested. This year
Raffaele will again contest this championship for Team
Prema.
There’s a new arrival this year, in the shape of Antonio
Fuoco. Born on 20 May 1996 in Cosenza, Italy, Antonio
began his career in karts when he was only four years
old and already, in 2007, he secured his first
international win in the 60 mini category. In 2009, the
promising driver moved up to KF3 where he took third
place in the Italian championship, improving by one the
following year, when he finished second overall in the
series. At the end of 2011, Antonio won the Supercorso
prize, organised by the CSAI in collaboration with the
FDA, which included some tests at the wheel of a Formula
Abarth. The great results on his debut in KF2 in 2012,
when Antonio finished third in the WSK Euroseries, along
with the progress he showed in testing in the Formula
Abarth means the young Italian is now officially part of
the Ferrari Academy. Apart from supporting talented
youngsters, the FDA programme also includes initiatives
aimed at promoting motor sport in general, in Italy and
other countries, with partnerships that see it support
junior championships in Europe, America (Panam GP
Series:) 7 events with 24 participants, the 2012 winner
being the Ecuadorian Sebastian Merchan and in Asia
(Formula Pilota:) 18 races and 14 drivers, the 2012
winner being Italy’s Antonio Giovanazzi.
The process begun in 2011 continues for selecting young
kart racers taking part in the Italian KF3 and KF2
Championships for the Supercorse CSAI-FDA. The winners
of the Formula Abarth Championship, Italy’s Luca Ghiotto
and from Uruguay, Santiago Urrutia, took part in the
Supercorso CSAI-FDA. The winners of the Italian F3
Championship, Riccardo Agostini (ITA) and Eddie Cheever
(ITA) tested an F1 car at Vallelunga, along with the
winner of the FIA F3 Championship, Daniel Juncadella
(ESP.) For this season there will be some changes in the
integration of working methods of youngsters from the
FDA and the Federation School.
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