AFTER impressing on Red Bull Driver Search, Red Bull’s global search program that aims to locate the next F1 world champion, 16-year-old Fionn McLaughlin from Derry will sign up for the elite Red Bull Junior Driver team.
Since its inception in 2001, the Red Bull Junior Driver team has been committed to developing the skills of young people in motorsport.
Currently the team is made up of drivers between 15 and 19 years old who compete in the Junior Formula Series and the organization is growing.
Red Bull Driver Search, which searches, selects and tests promising young drivers from around the world, to enroll in the Red Bull Junior Driver team.
Led by Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull Motorsports representative and head of the Red Bull Junior Driver program, the search for long-term F1 champions began the first week of August in Jerez, Spain.
A group of 11 invited applicants aged between 13 and 16 came from the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Lebanon and Mexico.
From this organization of aspirants, the first drivers who decided to sign up for the program were Fionn McLaughlin from Derry, as well as the young Swede Scott Lindblom.
The three-day occasion consisted of potential young drivers looking out and F4 and GP3 race cars in a penalty shootout format.
Dr Helmut Marko said: “What happens is that we are seeing the maximum of them for the first time in a Formula car.
“How they adapt, how quickly they progress, and how their improvement occurs over the course of a two-day trial. We are in favour of skill and speed, a reason to win a Grand Prix.
“We are focused on the quality of the drivers under pressure and on qualifying simulations. “
“We don’t buy stars, we manufacture them. We give them the possibility: they can use our simulators in Milton Keynes and they will get education and nutrition. It’s the best preparation for Formula 1,” added Dr. Marko, a former professional racing driver.
The first driver to move to the difficult Red Bull Junior Team, 16-year-old Fionn McLaughlin from Derry, Ireland.
McLaughlin will move from Karting to an F4 series next season.
After a few difficult but rewarding days in Jerez, the teenager from Magherafelt aspires to the stars.
He said: “My career goal is to be world champion. I never give up; I work hard until I get to the top. I will continue painting until I get there.
Fionn’s racing role model, Sebastian Vettel, also a graduate of Red Bull Junior Driver.
He added: “The driving force that got me into racing was Sebastian Vettel. He has been an inspiration to me.
Fionn will join the Red Bull Junior team via 14-year-old Swede Scott Lindblom, who is impressing in Spain.
Lindblom will join the Red Bull family as a Karting driver.
He said: “My biggest challenge is to adapt my driving tastes from Karting to F4, as it’s my first time in an F4 car. »
But as Dr. Marko pointed out: “It’s his first time in a Formula car and he went out and was competitive straight away. “
More Red Bull Driver Search nominees for the show are coming soon.
Over the years, the Red Bull Junior team has managed to attract a variety of drivers to Formula 1.
The Red Bull Driver Search program has played a pivotal role in the search process.
Five alumni of the Red Bull Junior Team; Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz Jr. have all won a Formula 1 race, while Vettel and Verstappen have won at least 3 world championships each.
©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. “The Sun”, “Sun”, “Sun Online” are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers’ Limited’s popular terms and conditions, in accordance with our Privacy and Cookies Policy. To request information about a license to reproduce material, our distribution site. Consult our online press kit. For other requests Contact us. To view all of The Sun’s content, use the sitemap. Sun’s online website is regulated through the Independent Press Standards Organization (IPSO)