The Red Bull Driver Search program is once again on a mission to find and test young driver candidates around the world, who will be given the opportunity to progress and become part of the next generation.
The Red Bull team reminds that, since it was founded in 2001, the Red Bull Junior Team has been dedicated to the development of the best young talented drivers in motorsport. Currently, the team consists of nine drivers between the ages of 15 and 19, who drive in the junior series, and now they have been joined by two more young talents.
The search for future champions began in the first week of August in Jerez, Spain. 11 candidates between the ages of 13 and 16, who arrived from Great Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Lebanon and Mexico, were invited, and among them two of the best were chosen to join the program, Fionn McLaughlin and Scott Lindblom , the Red Bull team announced.
During the three-day event, promising young drivers had the opportunity to try F4 and GP3 cars in a shootout format. Their performances were evaluated by dr. Helmut Marko, advisor to Red Bull Motorsports and head of the Red Bull Junior Driver program.
”The important thing here is that we see them for the first time in a Formula car, we follow how they adapt, how quickly they progress during the two-day testing. We are looking for talent and speed, a driver who will win races. We’re really focused on how well these drivers do under pressure and in the qualifying simulation. We don’t buy stars, we make them. We give them a chance, and they can use our simulators in Milton Keynes. They will have support in training and nutrition. It is the perfect preparation for Formula 1,” said dr. Marko, who used to be a professional driver himself.
The first driver to be selected for the Red Bull Junior Team is 16-year-old Fionn McLaughlin from Derry, Ireland. He will leave karting next season and will drive the F4 series. After a challenging but rewarding few days of testing in Jerez, McLaughlin said he was aiming high.
”My goal is to become world champion. I never give up, I work hard until I reach the top. I will try to make it happen,” said McLaughlin.
He revealed that his role model is former Red Bull Racing champion Sebastian Vettel.
”Because of him I started racing. He was always an inspiration to me,” added the young Irishman.
Another newcomer to the team is 14-year-old Scott Lindblom from Falun, Sweden. He will join the Red Bull family as a kart driver.
”The biggest challenge during the test was to adapt my go-kart driving style to drive an F4 car,” said Lindblom.
Dr. Marko praised the young Swede, saying that it was his first time driving an F4 car, but that he was immediately competitive when he got out on the track.
The names of the new drivers in the program will be announced soon, they point out.
Namely, the Red Bull Junior Team has been successful for years in selecting drivers and introducing them to Formula 1.
The Red Bull Driver Search program was crucial in finding talent, and as many as five drivers from this program won F1 races. They are Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo, Max Verstappen, Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz Jr. The famous Seb has four championship titles, and Max three, they remind.
