McLaren has signed 18-year-old Brando Badoer to its Driver Development program by exercising its option.
The driver of Lola, Minardi, and Forti in the 1990s, Badoer’s father Luca made 50 starts in Formula One. Ten years after his last Grand Prix participation, he also made two outings for Ferrari, filling in for the injured Felipe Massa.
For the second time, McLaren has secured an option for Brando, who will represent Prema Racing in Formula 3 in 2025, alongside Ugo Ugochukwu, another McLaren development driver.
“I am thrilled to join the McLaren Driver Development program,” Badoer declared. Joining a team with such a storied racing history and a track record of nurturing talent is an incredible opportunity.
“I would like to thank the entire McLaren team for their support, and I look forward to competing in the 2025 Formula 3 championship with Prema Racing to further my career.” I’m eager to follow the team’s lead and race while wearing their recognisable colours.”
Badoer began competing in single-seaters in 2022 and has since moved up to several series. This year, he participated in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship and, with backing from Van Amersfoort Racing, the Formula Regional European Championship.
With one round left, Badoer is now sixth in the rankings after finishing on the podium seven times, including five times as the runner-up.
“We’ve kept a close eye on him over the past year and have been impressed with his performances as a rookie in the competitive Formula Regional championship, so it made sense to exercise our option and bring him into the program full-time,” stated Stephanie Carlin, director of F1 business operations at McLaren, who will be in charge of Badoer’s ongoing development.
“We look forward to seeing him racing in papaya and supporting his development as he moves to compete in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema Racing.”
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