Formula 1

IndyCar Stars Join McLaren’s Revamped F1 Talent Hunt

Published

1 month ago

20/04/2023

IndyCar sensations Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou are joining forces with the iconic McLaren racing team, as they embark on the reinvigorated Formula 1-focused ‘McLaren Driver Development Programme’. With an ambitious vision to foster young talent and create a robust pipeline for McLaren’s F1, IndyCar, and Formula E teams, this groundbreaking initiative marks a new chapter in the team’s illustrious history of nurturing elite racers.

IndyCar leading contenders Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou have joined McLaren’s restructured Formula 1-focused ‘McLaren Driver Development Programme’.

The revamped McLaren initiative is designed to help young talent advance into F1, while also creating “a potential talent pipeline” for not only McLaren’s F1 team but also its IndyCar division and new Formula E team.

At 23, O’Ward leads McLaren’s current three-driver IndyCar roster and ranks second in the 2023 championship, while 26-year-old Palou, the 2021 champion and currently third in the standings, races for Ganassi but is widely rumored to eventually join McLaren’s IndyCar team.

O’Ward and Palou have already taken part in official Formula 1 practice sessions representing McLaren, while Palou has additionally assumed the role of a McLaren F1 reserve driver.

CEO Zak Brown highlighted McLaren’s extensive history in nurturing young drivers into elite racers, expressing pride in the continuation of this tradition well into the future. This is not the first time McLaren has invested in the development of young talent.

Some of the current F1 racers, such as Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Kevin Magnussen, and Nyck de Vries, were once part of McLaren’s junior program.

The new initiative will be led by Emanuele Pirro, an ex-McLaren F1 test driver who competed in 37 Grand Prix races for Benetton and BMS Scuderia Italia. Later, he became a five-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner with Audi’s factory team. Pirro expressed his excitement about the role, citing McLaren’s significant impact on his career, including the opportunity to work alongside legends like Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and Gerhard Berger.

Pirro’s responsibilities will involve designing a cutting-edge program, selecting top-notch drivers, and providing them with the necessary tools to maximize their potential. Moreover, he will integrate them into McLaren’s mission, vision, and values, with the ultimate goal of progressing one of them to the F1 team.

Alongside Palou and O’Ward, American McLaren junior Ugo Ugochukwu has joined the program. The 15-year-old former European karting champion finished third in British F4 last year and will compete full-time in Italian F4 in 2023.

As for the current McLaren F1 driver lineup, there is no immediate need for new talent. The team is led by 23-year-old Norris and 22-year-old Oscar Piastri, who made a strong impression after being recruited from Alpine’s driver development program. However, the 2023 McLaren F1 car has not yet met expectations.

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