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Some of the best Formula One drivers of all time have academies to thank for their achievements. But what are they?
How do Driver academies work?
In Formula 1, there are currently eight driver academies that belong to an individual team on the F1 grid. These academies are funded only by the teams and they scout out racing talent from all over the world for sponsorship through every racing series. Once their driver makes it to Formula 1, they are expected and sometimes contracted to drive for the team that runs the academy. Racing is an incredibly expensive career to start, so funding and sponsorship from the top teams are vital.
What do they do?
Each academy has specialist coaches and scouts who help find and develop the best young talents in racing. They are tasked with preparing the drivers for Formula One, both financially and practically by nurturing their skills. One of their main duties is putting their drivers in seats through every series. They achieve this by providing money for the drivers to make their way through the different series.
Some teams take their academies so seriously that they fund and sponsor a team in other divisions. For instance, the F1 teams of Alpine and Red Bull are heavily involved with the feeder series of Formula 2 and Formula 3. They have several young drivers in their academies currently racing in the championships, including the likes of Jack Doohan (Alpine) and Ayumu Iwasa (Red Bull).
How does it work?
Every driver that races for an academy was found by a large network of scouts, which each team has a plethora of. Each team spends a lot of money and time on their driver networks, and they use this investment for the future – for the team and the sport.
The usual route for an academy driver is from Formula 2 to a third/reserve driver role. Then they will be expecting a full-time seat in the car. However, some teams do this differently and they capitalise on their sister teams. For example, Red Bull and Ferrari often send their young drivers to AlphaTauri and Alfa Romeo respectively. As well as this, teams can loan out their talent to other teams. For example, Alex Albon was a part of the Red Bull family when he joined Williams last season.
When does it happen?
Racing academies are receiving more and more investment and recognition with each passing year. This could be due to the rising financial difficulties across the world or the rising popularity of the sport, which brings more drivers to join. Every year, drivers are snapped up or graduating from their teams, which is building an everlasting and ever-evolving system of racing talent in Formula 1.
Where does it happen?
Driver academies run throughout every series. They are mostly used and relied upon in F2, F3, F4 and more recently, Formula E. However, there are plenty of other series’ that use them. IndyCar, for example, also has a system for young drivers and so does Moto GP. Drivers from across the world are scouted for academies. From Brazil to India, there are no limits to a team’s reach.
What academies are there?
As stated earlier, there are eight academies on the F1 grid. Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin, McLaren, Williams, Alpine, Alfa Romeo and Red Bull, with the latter being notably the best. Aston Martin only recently launched their academy towards the end of the 2022 Formula 2 season. Take a look at each team’s most famous graduates and members:
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez
Mercedes: George Russell and Esteban Ocon
Aston Martin: Felipe Drugovich
McLaren: Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris
Williams: Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi and Logan Sargeant (joining F1 in 2023)
Alpine: Oscar Piastri and Robert Kubica
Alfa Romeo (Sauber Junior Team): Callum Illot and Theo Pourchaire
Red Bull: Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen
Why are they important?
Without these academies, there could be a lot of drivers who slip through the net. The funding and training that these teams provide are crucial to a young driver’s chances of making it to Formula One and without them, a lot of drivers may fail to do so.
Feature Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons