McLaren Revamps Driver Program, Releases Three Juniors

McLaren has initiated a significant restructuring of its junior driver program, parting ways with three promising talents: Ugo Ugochukwu, Martinius Stenshorne, and Brando Badoer. This clear-out follows Alex Dunne's earlier decision not to continue with the team, signaling a major shift in the Woking outfit's development strategy as they welcome new talent Matteo De Palo.

Why it matters:

• McLaren's driver development program is a critical pipeline for nurturing future F1 stars. This shake-up suggests a sharpened focus and potentially higher performance thresholds for those in their ranks.
• The decision to release these drivers, some with significant junior formula success, highlights the cut-throat nature of F1's path and McLaren's commitment to only retaining those they believe have a clear shot at the pinnacle.
• It also underscores the intense competition in junior categories, where even strong results may not be enough to secure a long-term future with a top F1 team.

The Details:

• Ugo Ugochukwu: The longest-serving of the released trio, Ugochukwu joined McLaren in 2021 at 13. Despite early success, including a Formula 4 title in 2023, a Formula Regional race win in 2024, and a Macau Grand Prix victory, his 2025 FIA Formula 3 season with Prema yielded only two podiums. He will move to Campos for 2026.
• Martinius Stenshorne: Signed in 2024 after finishing second in the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship, Stenshorne spent two seasons with McLaren. In 2024, he won one F3 race, finishing 18th, and in 2025, he secured two wins and fifth in the championship. He will graduate to FIA Formula 2 in 2026 with Rodin Motorsport.
• Brando Badoer: Son of former F1 driver Luca Badoer, Brando only joined McLaren's roster this year. After podiums in Formula 4 and Formula Regional, he struggled to consistently crack the top 20 in his 2025 FIA Formula 3 season with Prema, though he showed improvement with three top-10 finishes in the final five races.
• New Addition: McLaren has signed Matteo De Palo, who finished second to Freddie Slater in this year's Formula Regional European Championship. De Palo will step up to FIA Formula 3 in 2026 with Trident.

What's next:

• The revised McLaren Driver Development Programme now includes IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward, Formula 4 driver Dries Van Langendonck, F1 Academy's Ella Lloyd, and the newly signed Matteo De Palo.
• McLaren's Chief Business Affairs Officer, Alessandro Alunni Bravi, expressed excitement about De Palo, stating they look forward to supporting his development across all aspects of being a professional driver.
• The departing drivers will continue their careers in various junior categories, aiming to prove McLaren's decision wrong and catch the eye of other F1 teams or manufacturers.