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    The FDA Scouting World Finals evaluation camp draws to a close

    Late this afternoon saw the conclusion of the evaluation camp for the 2021 edition of the Ferrari Driver Academy’s Scouting World Finals.

    Maranello 15 ottobre 2021

    Late this afternoon saw the conclusion of the evaluation camp for the 2021 edition of the Ferrari Driver Academy’s Scouting World Finals. This event featured four very young drivers coming from various parts of the world who are all trying to become a part of the Maranello programme that is dedicated to the most promising talents, and aims to find future champions worthy of driving Scuderia Ferrari’s Formula 1 cars.

    Evaluation test. The four youngsters – who were introduced to the FDA by its scouting partners Aci Sport, Tony Kart, Motorsport Australia and Escuderia Telmex – were put to work over five intense days of testing and evaluation. These allowed the Academy to collect data on the drivers’ physical capabilities, attitudes and mental approach to managing the intensity of life in sport both on and off the track. The hopefuls – Briton Oliver Bearman, Finland’s Tuukka Taponen, Australian Jesse Lacey and Brazil’s Rafael Chaves Camara, also had to grapple with the simulator. Then the last two days were dedicated to driving at the Fiorano track at the wheel of a Formula 4 chassis decked with Pirelli tyres that are identical to the ones used in the Italian Championship.

    Decisions. At the end of the camp, the young men left Maranello and now they are waiting to hear the decisions of the Ferrari Driver Academy. The engineers, who found all four of the young drivers to be very well prepared, will reunite over the coming days to analyse in detail the data from the track, along with the drivers’ physical and theory tests, to work out if any of them has what it takes to join the Academy. The choices will be made in the coming weeks and it will soon be known if any new students will join the group. At the moment the FDA is looking after eight drivers: Mick Schumacher, currently racing in Formula 1 with the Haas F1 team; Scuderia Ferrari test driver Callum Ilott, who has been racing in 2021 in Gran Turismo competitions and in the IndyCar Series; Robert Shwartzman and Marcus Armstrong who are both racing in Formula 2; Arthur Leclerc in Formula 3; Dino Beganovic in Formula Regional; Maya Weug in Formula 4 and James Wharton, who is making his first steps in the same category having spent 2021 racing in karts.