A driver development program , also known as a driver development team or driver academy , is a system or structure designed to identify and develop talent in auto racing . Programs are typically offered to drivers aged 12 to 25 in junior racing categories—such as kart racing and lower formulae —with the aim of progressing to top-level motorsport series, often devised by racing teams, external companies and sponsors.
10-546: The Red Bull Junior Team is a driver development programme operated by Austrian conglomerate company Red Bull GmbH to identify and develop talent in open-wheel racing . Members of the Junior Team are financed and sponsored by Red Bull in kart racing and junior formulae . The programs have been successful in bringing a selection of drivers into Formula One . Five graduates— Sebastian Vettel , Daniel Ricciardo , Max Verstappen , Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz Jr. —have won
20-578: A Formula One Grand Prix , whilst Vettel and Verstappen have won the World Drivers' Championship a combined eight times. Red Bull owns two teams in Formula One, Red Bull Racing and RB . The Red Bull Junior Team was also the name of RSM Marko , a team that competed in International Formula 3000 between 1999 and 2003, sponsored by Red Bull and run by Helmut Marko . The Red Bull Junior Team
30-492: A driver may also be recouped via a share of earnings from wages and brand deals. In 1998, McLaren became the first Formula One team to establish a driver development program, founding the McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Support Programme ; its initial cohort famously included 13-year-old kart racer Lewis Hamilton , who became the first driver development program alumnus in Formula One to win
40-567: A wide range of coaching methods and technologies to train all of the physical and psychological attributes required in high-level motorsport, including full motion racing simulators and psychotherapy . Some programs have been criticized for offering long-term, low-paying contracts, whilst occasionally charging additional fees for the use of their facilities and technologies. Companies that specialise in driver training and related programs remain commercially viable through such fees, and typically do not financially support junior careers. Investment in
50-611: The World Drivers' Championship in 2008 . The Red Bull Junior Team have graduated 14 members—and two former members—to Formula One, noted for their use of a second team to promote junior talent under the wing of Helmut Marko . As of 2024, Red Bull have coached two World Drivers' Champions, both winning their titles with Red Bull Racing : Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen . All of these teams have their own developmental driver programs and/or field cars/trucks on their team for developmental drivers. Full motion racing simulator Too Many Requests If you report this error to
60-527: The Graduates to Red Bull Racing table. The scheme has been successful, with several of the drivers backed by Red Bull making it into Formula One: As well as these, Red Bull has supported many up-and-coming young drivers: Red Bull Driver Search was an American spin-off run from 2002 to 2005 in parallel with the Red Bull Junior Team. Its aim was "Searching for the future American F1 Champion". The winner
70-716: The first Red Bull Junior graduate to win the Formula One World Championship. The similar Red Bull Driver Search , now ended, was an American spinoff of the same idea held in 2005. In 2024, Red Bull formed a separate programme, called the Red Bull Ford Academy Programme , to support the team's F1 Academy drivers. This list includes drivers who have graduated from the Junior Team to Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri/RB but have not raced for Red Bull Racing. Former Red Bull Junior Team drivers who have driven for Toro Rosso/AlphaTauri/RB and Red Bull Racing appear on
80-650: The scouting, signing and training of driver talent around the world. Racing teams will typically sign young drivers with the intention of eventually graduating them to a senior category with the organisation, such as Formula One , IndyCar or NASCAR . Many teams sign drivers to multi-year contracts, in which they assist in funding their careers in junior formulae—such as kart racing , Formula Three and Formula Two in open-wheel racing , as well as late models and ARCA in stock car racing —to develop their talent and experience. Such contracts may also serve to prevent driver talent from being poached . Many programs now employ
90-474: Was Scott Speed , who went on to compete in F1 in 2005 as a test driver for Red Bull. In 2024, Red Bull set up the Red Bull Ford Academy Programme to support the team's F1 Academy drivers. F1 Academy was founded by Formula One as a racing series aimed at developing and preparing young female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition. Driver development program Driver development programs involve
100-471: Was formed in 2001 as Red Bull's European driver programme. Red Bull offers funding and support for the promising young drivers that are part of the programme. In 2004, Christian Klien became the first Red Bull Junior to race in Formula One, while in 2008, Sebastian Vettel became the first Red Bull Junior to win a Formula One Grand Prix, the Italian Grand Prix . Two years later, in 2010 , Vettel became
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