Charles Leclerc to the Ferrari Driver Academy

Author of an entry in F3 thunderous, even leading the FIA ​​European Championship ahead of the two experienced Giovinazzi and Rosenqvist, Charles Leclerc then experienced a more difficult second part of the season. While the colt from All Road Management and the Dutch team of Fritz Van Amersfoort, who brought Max Verstappen in 3rd place last year, were confronted without really understanding the reason with a less good performance on the track. This can be partly explained because the opponents, Prema Powerteam especially, and Jagonya Ayam with Carlin, had regained all the efficiency that they had sometimes lacked.

Finally 4th in the championship, but easily the best rookie, the 18-year-old Monegasque made a strong impression during the Macau Grand Prix, managing to worry Rosenqvist who was going to score a double. Before that, the two daring overtakes achieved by Charles, from the outside when braking at the Lisboa Hotel on the Swede, as well as that on the Scotsman McLeod, will remain as great moments engraved on his business card, and which in speak volumes about Leclerc's potential and determination.

As he prepares to compete in the GP3 Series post-season tests, probably with the ART Grand Prix team, Charles Leclerc has already been announced by our Italian colleagues at Italiaracing.net as a future driver for the Ferrari Driver Academy. A promotion appearing quite logical, Nicolas Todt (All Road Management) having a long-standing close connection with the Team Ferrari, for having managed the career of Felipe Massa there and having placed the unforgettable Jules Bianchi there. Likewise, Charles was very close to Jules, who was in a way his sporting godfather.

The Ferrari Driver Academy staff is about to receive some changes. Luca Baldisseri, the former engineer of Michael Schumacher, who manages it, should leave this role to one of the team's current Italian executives F1, because he will be directly involved in the career of Lance stroll, already a foal of the Ferrari Driver Academy for two years, and whose father invested in the Prema Powerteam team. The young Canadian will continue in F3 in 2016 with the Rosin family team, and with the aim of competing in the GP2 Series (F2 ?) in 2017 to prepare him for F1.

The 2016 FDA pilots should be at least three. With Charles Leclerc (will he be in GP3, or directly in GP2?) we will find Antonio Fuocco (GP3 for a second season or GP2?) and the Chinese Guan You Zhou (vice-champion of Italian F4 with Prema). On the other hand, exit Raffaele Marciello. The 3 European F2013 champion did not confirm the expectations placed on him in the GP2 Series for his second season. In its defense, the Trident team was not necessarily at the same level this season as Racing Engineering, with whom it started in 2014, and its large size is not really an advantage.