In the Formula 2 season that is about to start next March, there will be an absence that will make noise. In fact, no Ferrari Driver Academy driver will be present in the preparatory category that saw the young promises of the Cavallino triumph in 2017 (Charles Leclerc) and in 2020 (Mick Schumacher).
Until last year the FDA saw the presence in F2 of Robert Shwartzman and Marcus Armstrong, but the Russian, after finishing in second place his second year in the series, has decided not to return to the assault of the title in 2022 and is he was appointed test driver for Ferrari, while for the New Zealander it was decided not to continue the collaboration.
Indeed Armstrong has fallen short of expectations over the past two years. After fighting for the title in Formula 3 in 2019, Marcus struggled to adapt to the new category despite having raced for very competitive teams such as ART Grand Prix and DAMS.
The Ferrari Driver Academy will instead see two drivers present in Formula 3: the confirmed Arthur Leclerc and the new entry Oliver Bearman. The Monegasque, announced today by Prema, will necessarily have to make the leap in quality that everyone expects after a good debut season and will have to be part of the large group of drivers fighting for the title, while the Englishman, after having amazed in the 2020 by conquering the title in both Italian and German F4, he will be one of the rookies to keep an eye on.
Marcus Armstrong, Dams
Photo by: DAMS
Another junior Cavallino driver is Dino Beganovic. The Swede will return to the assault of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine again with Prema trying to improve the results obtained in a 2021 where the Rosin family team was unable to express itself as expected.
The presence of drivers from the Ferrari Driver Academy in Formula 4 will be nourished: Maya Weug will be engaged for the second year in the category, while James Wharton – winner of the first edition of the FDA Scouting World Finals – and Rafael Cȃmara – selected in the series will debut in the series. edition 2022.
Finally, Callum Ilott was granted an “annual license” to allow him to experience the adventure in the American IndyCar series, a category in which it would have been too difficult for the FDA to continue to follow the British driver with Academy standards.
“The 2022 class of the Ferrari Driver Academy started its journey today. This is always an important day, for the boys and girls who are protagonists but also for Scuderia Ferrari, because this program is an important part of what it wants. say #essereFerrari ”declared Mattia Binotto.
“From the FDA we not only want to bring out the best talents to take them to race with our single-seaters in Formula 1 but we want to train people and drivers who know how to best interpret the values that distinguish the Scuderia Ferrari”.
“This year we have seven boys and two girls who will continue their journey towards that final goal which is Formula 1, a championship in which 20% of the registered drivers have been or are still part of the FDA in 2022. The dream – theirs but also ours – is to imitate Charles Leclerc, who is now starting his fourth season as an official driver of the Scuderia. My personal good luck goes to each of them for a new growing season, to be faced with a great desire to learn and, above all, always with a smile because that of the pilot is one of the most beautiful jobs in the world “.
The head of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Marco Matassa, continued: “The start of a new season for the Ferrari Driver Academy is a solemn moment, even more so this year: in time of the ongoing pandemic, it is splendid to be able to open again. the doors of the Gestione Sportiva to our kids “.
“We will have nine students to follow and to each of them we will give all our experience, helping them to make their way in an ultra competitive environment like that of single-seater racing. 2021 was a year of sowing, in which many of our talents made their debut in new categories: I expect that this season we will begin to reap the benefits. We want more victories and see our players contending for titles in at least two championships “.
“I also want to do a big good luck to our freshmen, Oliver, Rafael and Laura, who in addition to being drivers of sure prospect confirm the success of our talent selection scheme, based on partnerships with ACI, Tony Kart, Escuderia Telmex and Motorsport Australia, as well as with the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission for the Girls on Track – Rising Stars program in which we strongly believe. “
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