Ferrari Driver Academy: Jock Clear is the new Head of Young Driver program. Marco Matassa, who took over the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2018, is leaving his position.

Scuderia Ferrari’s 2023 was a year of sowing, as two newcomers, Aurelia Nobels and Tuukka Taponen, joined the Maranello team’s young driver program. Additionally, five of the remaining six drivers came from a lower category. Therefore, it was challenging to expect to collect many titles in this season, and indeed, the balance sheet shows only one championship won, the Formula 4 in the United Arab Emirates. The program will see a new direction for 2024, with Jock Clear becoming the new head of the Ferrari Driver Academy. A figure who has long been part of the walls of Maranello and Formula 1.

The British engineer has held key roles in teams for many years, primarily as a track engineer. From Jacques Villeneuve (1996-2003) to Lewis Hamilton in 2013 and 2014, but also Nico Rosberg (2010) and the unforgettable Michael Schumacher in the Mercedes years (2011 and 2012). The role of directing the FDA complements that of Senior Performance Engineer for the Ferrari F1.

The next motorsport season should, therefore, be one in which the seeds planted in 2023 will bear fruit. Oliver Bearman will be back in Formula 2, Dino Beganovic and Rafael Camara will again be at the starting line of Formula 3 and Formula Regional, respectively, and the Brazilian will be joined by Tuukka Taponen, ready for the category jump. Both girls are expected to be part of the new F1 Academy season. Only six of the eight drivers are confirmed: James Wharton and Arthur Leclerc leave the program, with Leclerc remaining part of the Ferrari family.

Marco Matassa, who took over the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2018, is leaving his position to start a new professional adventure. Starting in 2024, Jock Clear will lead the FDA. An engineer with extensive experience in Formula 1, he has long been involved with the Academy’s young talents.

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Source: f1ingenerale