The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Workforce is worked up to announce its Junior Programme driver line-up for 2023. Six drivers from 2022 proceed with the Workforce, and there may be one new addition for this yr, bringing the roster to seven up-and-coming abilities. The programme, established in 2016, carries on Mercedes-Benz’s legacy of figuring out and supporting younger drivers.
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The seven juniors will compete in classes spanning the whole F1 feeder collection ladder spectrum, from karting to FIA Formulation 2.
Toto Wolff, Workforce Principal & CEO:
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We’re trying ahead to seeing how our Junior Drivers progress this season. We observed some nice performances in 2022, and we’ll maintain serving to them enhance as they develop. Kimi’s Formulation Regional Center East title is an encouraging current instance of their progress. All our Junior Drivers are at very completely different however thrilling phases of their younger careers, and I’m positive it will likely be one other constructive yr for the programme.
Gwen Lagrue, Driver Growth Advisor:
For 2023, our Junior Programme has drivers racing in virtually each step of the feeder collection ladder. We’re optimistic it will likely be one other robust season and yr of constructive progress. After an preliminary style of F1 in Abu Dhabi final yr on the rookie check, we anticipate Frederick Vesti to be preventing for wins and be in rivalry for the FIA F2 title.
Following a profitable marketing campaign within the Formulation Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA), Paul Aron strikes as much as FIA F3. He’s able to be a front-runner in his first season. Andrea Kimi Antonelli will graduate from FRECA after an impressive double title successful the F4 marketing campaign, and a strong begin to 2023, successful the Formulation Regional Center East championship.
Alex Powell is main our group of drivers on the worldwide karting scene alongside Yuanpu Cui and Luna Fluxá; all of them have the expertise to ship robust seasons. We’re additionally happy to welcome the proficient Kenzo Craigie to our programme in 2023, changing into our youngest Junior as he tackles the British karting championships.
Introducing the Junior Programme Class of 2023:
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Andrea Kimi Antonelli: Class of 2023 – Junior Programme Line-Up
Born in Bologna, Italy, in 2006, Kimi joined the Junior Programme in April 2019, following a number of titles and championships in junior karting classes.
Success in karting continued with Kimi claiming the WSK Euro Sequence and Tremendous Grasp Sequence titles earlier than taking back-to-back FIA Karting European Championships within the OK class. On the finish of 2021, he acquired his first style of F4, scoring a number of podiums. He moved to F4 full-time in 2022, taking the ADAC and Italian titles with Prema Racing.
For 2023, he strikes as much as Formulation Regional European Championship by Alpine, having already received the Center Jap model of the collection.
Paul Aron
Paul Aron: Class of 2023 – Junior Programme Line-Up
Paul was born in 2004 in Tallinn, Estonia, and began karting at seven. He claimed numerous karting titles in his early profession throughout Estonia and Europe, together with the WSK Champions Cup and CIK-FIA European Championship within the OK Junior class. He moved into single-seaters with ADAC and Italian F4 campaigns in 2019.
He joined our Junior Programme that very same yr earlier than shifting to Formulation Renault Eurocup in 2020, scoring a podium end. He continued within the collection because it rebranded to the Formulation Regional European Championship, ending third in 2021 and 2022. For 2023, he strikes as much as FIA Formulation 3 with Prema.
Kenzo Craigie
Kenzo Craigie: Class of 2023 – Junior Programme Line-Up
Born in Epsom, UK, in 2010, Kenzo is the newest driver to hitch the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Workforce’s Junior Programme. Success within the Cadet karting class has seen Kenzo ascend to the highest ranks of the British karting scene.
His breakthrough yr got here in 2021 as he earned a ticket to the Rotax Max Grand Finals in Bahrain. This proved to be the stepping stone to him finishing a whole season of the British Karting Championship in 2021, the place he completed ninth. In 2022, Kenzo dominated the Cadet class, successful the Final Karting Championship Sequence, British Kartmasters (GP Plate), British Karting Championship (O Plate), and ending because the British Karting Championship Vice-Champion.
In 2023 he’ll step as much as the Junior class, competing within the UK, Worldwide Rotax, and IAME classes.
Yuanpu Cui
Yuanpu Cui: Class of 2023 – Junior Programme Line-Up
Yuanpu was born in Xi’an, China, in 2008 and joined our Junior Programme in 2021, off the again of a joyous season of development and growth in go-karts. His father was additionally a racing driver, and Yuanpu first started competing professionally in 2014, with occasions in China. Over the following few seasons, he continued to ship robust outcomes as he expanded his racing outdoors of China.
In 2020, he completed P2 within the 31° Andrea Margutti Trophy in OK-Junior, scored victories and podiums within the WSK Champions Cup in 60 Mini, and claimed top-three finishes within the WSK Tremendous Grasp Sequence in 60 Mini. He remained in OK-Junior in 2021 earlier than stepping as much as OK in 2022, the place he claimed a number of spectacular outcomes. Yuanpu stays in OK for 2023.
Luna Fluxá
Luna Fluxa: Class of 2023 – Junior Programme Line-Up
Luna was born in 2010 in Spain and joined the Junior Programme in 2022 after impressing together with her first seasons in karts. She began racing in 2017 after attending the ‘programa mujer y motor’, a collection launched by the Spanish Vehicle Federation to develop feminine participation in motorsport.
She then rose by means of the Spanish karting ranks within the Alevin class earlier than shifting to bigger WSK and IAME Euro Sequence occasions, persistently reaching the finals. In 2021, the Spanish-British racer centered on 60 Mini racing and received the IAME Euro Sequence in X30 Mini. She stepped as much as OK Junior in 2022 and, after an excellent yr of growth, will stay within the class for 2023.
Alex Powell
Alex Powell: Class of 2023 – Junior Programme Line-Up
Born in Miami, Florida, in 2007 however with Jamaican nationality, Alex made his karting debut in 2015. After beginning his profession karting nearer to residence within the Caribbean and the USA, he stepped as much as the European karting scene in 2018, claiming numerous titles and wins over the next seasons. He joined our Junior Programme in 2019.
Alex stepped as much as OK Junior and Junior ROK in 2020 and remained in OK-Junior the next yr, the place he claimed top-three finishes in numerous collection and debuted within the OK class. In 2022 he moved as much as OK full-time and completed runner-up within the FIA Karting European Championship. He’ll as soon as once more compete within the OK class for 2023.
Frederik Vesti
Frederik Vesti: Class of 2023 – Junior Programme Line-Up
Born in Vejle, Denmark, in 2002, Frederik impressed early in his profession by claiming back-to-back Danish Karting Championships in 2013 and 2014 – in Cadet Junior and KFJ courses. He moved into single-seaters with a race-winning season in Formulation Ford Denmark in 2016 earlier than shifting to Danish and ADAC F4 the next yr.
He completed runner-up within the Danish collection and remained in ADAC F4 for 2018 (ending P4) whereas additionally racing in Italian F4. He moved to the Formulation Regional European Championship the next yr, taking the title with 13 wins, earlier than ending fourth within the 2020 and 2021 FIA Formulation 3 seasons. Frederik joined our junior Workforce at the beginning of the 2021 season.
Fred moved as much as Formulation 2 with ART Grand Prix final yr. In his rookie season, he claimed one win, pole place, and 4 additional podiums, ending ninth total. He stays in F2 for 2023 however switches groups from ART to Prema.
