Teenage Irish driver signed by Red Bull racing - to the same programme that produced multiple World Championship winners Vettel and Verstappen
Fionn McLaughlin has been identified by Red Bull racing as one of the fastest racing drivers on the planet
Sixteen year-old Irish driver Fionn McLaughlin has been identified by Red Bull racing as one of the fastest racing drivers on the planet.
The Magherafelt teenager has been selected as one of two drivers to join the elite Red Bull Junior Driver Team programme which has the stated aim of 'finding the next F1 world champion'.
Five former Red Bull Junior Team drivers Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz Jr. have won a Formula One race - Vettel and Verstappen have won at least three World Championships each.
Read More: Kellie Harrington double-bubble gold: an Olympic icon, a hero for our divided times
Read More: Kellie Harrington - how you can can fight against Olympic boxing superstar
Both McLaughlin and a Swede, Scott Lindblom, gained their invites to join the currently nine-strong programme following a three-day event racing and testing open-wheel F4 and GP3 racing cars in Jerez, Spain.
The duo were chosen from a final group of 11 drivers, all aged between 13-16 years-of-age, from the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Lebanon, Sweden and Mexico.
Said McLaughlin: “My goal in racing is to be a world champion. I never give up. I work hard until I’m at the top. I will keep working until I’m there.
“The driver that got me into racing was Sebastian Vettel. He has always been an inspiration to me.”
McLaughlin will move from Karting to an F4 series while 14-year-old Lindblom will join as a Karting driver: “My biggest challenge," he admitted, "was adjusting my driving style from Karting to F4 because it was my first time in a F4 car."
Led by Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull Motorsports Consultant and Head of the Junior Driver programme, the Search Programme, which caters for 15-19 year-old drivers, was set up in 2001.
“We don’t buy stars, we make stars," he said. "We give them the chance – they can use our simulators in Milton Keynes, they will have support with training and nutrition.
"It’s perfect preparation for Formula 1”, concludes Dr. Marko, a former professional racing driver.
“What is important here is that we see most of them for the first time in a Formula car. How they adapt, how quickly they progress and how their improvement is during a 2-day test.
"We are looking for both talent and speed, a driver to win a Grand Prix. We are really focused on how good these drivers are under pressure and on qualifying simulations.”
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
