In a bid to revamp their driver development program and provide better support to young drivers at the karting level, McLaren made significant changes at the start of 2023. The team brought on board new talents such as 2023 FIA F3 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, F1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante, American junior Ugo Ugochukwu, and Italian Formula 4 talent Brando Badoer. These additions were aimed at facilitating a more feasible path for these young drivers to climb up to F1 and potentially make a mark in the sport.
Former McLaren F1 test driver Pirro was initially appointed to lead the driver development program when he joined the setup in 2023. However, Pirro recently announced his departure from McLaren via social media. It was understood that Pirro had joined on a one-year contract, which was not extended. Following his exit, McLaren decided to move the young driver program in-house. The leadership of the program will now fall under the guidance of Stephanie Carlin, the newly-appointed F1 business operations director. Carlin, who previously served as the team principal of the Rodin Carlin F2 and F1 Academy squads, will be supported by senior McLaren engineers in overseeing the driver program.
In an Instagram post announcing his departure, Pirro expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to work with McLaren and help develop young drivers. He mentioned that he had put in place a structure to nurture talented and hard-working drivers into potential McLaren champions. Pirro also stated his confidence in the internal resources that will now be running the driver development program. He wished the best to the young drivers he had worked with and expressed his readiness to take on new challenges in the future.
In addition to the changes in the driver development program, McLaren also announced a restructure in its technical department. Former Ferrari engineer David Sanchez, who had been with the team for only three months, decided to leave by mutual consent due to a reported ‘misalignment’. As a result, former Red Bull stalwart Rob Marshall was appointed as the team’s new chief designer.
With these changes in place, McLaren is looking to strengthen its foundation and create a more robust pathway for young talents to progress through the ranks of motorsport. The team is committed to nurturing future champions and providing them with the necessary support and resources to succeed in the highly competitive world of Formula 1.
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