Back Programa de desarrollo de pilotos de McLaren Spanish McLaren Young Driver Programme Finnish McLaren Young Driver Programme Italian McLaren Driver Development Programme Dutch Programa de jovens pilotos da McLaren Portuguese McLaren Driver Development Programme Swedish McLaren genç pilot programı Turkish 麥拉倫少年車手計劃 Chinese
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| Founded | 1998 |
|---|---|
| Base | McLaren Technology Centre Woking, Surrey, England |
| Team principal(s) | Stephanie Carlin |
| Current drivers | IndyCar Pato O'WardFormula 3  Brando Badoer Martinius Stenshorne Ugo UgochukwuF1 Academy  Ella Lloyd Karting  Dries Van Langendonck |
The McLaren Driver Development Programme, formerly known as the McLaren Young Driver Programme, is a driver development programme operated by McLaren. It is intended to offer year-by-year guidance, assistance and endorsement to help promising young racers climb the motorsport ladder. The program is managed by Stephanie Carlin, formerly of Carlin Motorsport.[1]
The most notable participant in the programme is Lewis Hamilton, who joined the programme while karting and eventually graduated to the McLaren F1 Team. He has won the Formula One Drivers' Championship seven times between 2008 and 2020, where the 2008 championship was won with McLaren. Hamilton is currently the only graduate from the programme who has won a World Drivers' Championship. The programme was also formerly known as the McLaren-Honda Young Driver Programme and the McLaren-Mercedes Young Driver Support Programme, reflecting engine deals with Honda and Mercedes, respectively.
As of 2024, nine programme drivers have graduated to Formula One, with four of those debuting directly with the McLaren F1 Team: Lewis Hamilton in 2007, Kevin Magnussen in 2014, Stoffel Vandoorne in 2016, and Lando Norris in 2019. Hamilton and Norris have won a Grand Prix race with the team.
- ^ Gale, Ewan; Riberts, James (15 November 2024). "The unconventional route taken by McLaren's new academy chief". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 17 November 2024.