Bittersweet news for Leclerc family as Ferrari confirm 2024 Driver Academy line-up

Henry Valantine
Ferrari junior Arthur Leclerc smiling. Austria, July 2022.

Arthur Leclerc smiling with the Formula 1 logo behind him.

Arthur Leclerc will no longer be a part of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2024, with the Scuderia having confirmed changes to the line-up for next season.

James Wharton, who was the only FDA member to win a title in 2023 in UAE Formula 4, also leaves the programme, but for 23-year-old Leclerc, younger brother of Ferrari driver Charles, the team confirmed he will be “remaining part of the Ferrari family”.

Ferrari also announced that Jock Clear, long-time race and performance engineer will be taking over the programme as a whole next season, with Marco Matassa leaving his role at the top of the FDA.

Ferrari announce FDA changes for 2024 and confirm new line-up

The decision was taken on Leclerc after his P15 finish in the Formula 2 standings in 2023, with one podium finish to his name while racing for DAMS, though he will be kept within the Scuderia racing family in another capacity, which has not yet been announced.

Elsewhere, Ferrari recently held its Scouting World Finals to look for new talent, but while they did not add any new drivers to the FDA, they will be keeping a close eye on those who took part in the tests set out for them.

But on Thursday, the team confirmed its plans for their junior drivers heading into next season, with British teenager Oliver Bearman having already been announced for a second season in Formula 2, set to line up alongside highly-rated Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

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Dino Beganovic and Rafael Camara will continue in Formula 3 and Formula Regional respectively, while Tuukka Taponen will also step up to Formula Regional for the season ahead from Formula 4.

Ferrari added that the FDA’s two female drivers, Aurelia Nobels and Maya Weug, will both take part in the F1 Academy next season, with F1 teams compelled to place at least one driver in the series racing under their official moniker.

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