A fundamental step Audi wants to do things right. The house of the Rings entered F1 this year for the first time in its history and immediately decided to adapt to rival teams by launching its own ‘academy’. In fact, Audi’s Driver Development Program has been officially launched, which is essentially the equivalent of the various ‘youth teams’ of Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes etc., which over the last 10 years have been fundamental in bringing young talents into the Circus who then became the protagonists of the championship. “Identified as a key part of the team’s strategy to build a competitive Formula 1 team by investing in young talent both on and off the track,” Audi explained, “the program will select and support promising young drivers from karting and junior formula series, providing them with a clear path to the top of motorsport. Members of the Driver Development Program will receive world-class training and mentorship as part of a bespoke programme, covering various aspects from on-track performance and driving development to from engineering to human aspects, media and marketing”. Experience at the helm Leading this program will be an old F1 acquaintance who is one of the most loved and respected names in the history of British motorsport: Allan McNish, three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including twice with Audi. “Being entrusted with finding the pillars of the future Audi Revolut F1 Team is a great honor and a responsibility that is very close to my heart – declared McNish – this brand is based on a history of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ (At the cutting edge of technology) and this philosophy must be applied both to our young drivers and to our cars. We are not just looking for pure speed – explained the former Scottish driver – but also resilience, intelligence and a team-oriented mentality. This must distinguish a future Audi champion. Our goal is to build a path that transforms potential into precision and performance. I am excited to begin this work and to identify the first generation of talents who will become part of this ambitious project.”
