Maranello, 13 December – In 2011, Brazilian driver Nicolas Costa will join the Ferrari Driver Academy, having won the first ever Formula Future Fiat championship, the new Brazilian series which is backed by Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver Felipe Massa. The programme got underway on 25 April at Interlagos, as part of the Racing Festival, which also included the Trofeo Linea and a motorcycle race, the 600 Supersport.

Nicolas Costa was crowned champion in the new series just last weekend, at the end of two races, the eleventh and twelfth rounds of the season, held at the Santa Cruz do Sol international circuit. Cosa took a fourth and a sixth place, to end up with a total of 116 points, just getting the better of the second placed man by a whisker, as Francisco Alfaya came home with just one point less.

The nineteen year old from Rio de Janeiro had this to say about winning the series and the incredible opportunity of joining the Ferrari academy: “All drivers would love to drive a Ferrari and I still cannot believe what has happened. Being able to count on the backing of such a professional team is a dream come true.”