2024 World Scouting Camp underway in Maranello

This Monday, four drivers from as many different countries, Australia, Belgium, Italy and the United Kingdom, have gathered in Maranello, at the Scuderia Ferrari headquarters to take part in this year’s World Scouting Camp, the final instalment of the scouting programme by Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, which was established back in 2009 with the aim of finding the most promising young drivers who could one day drive for Scuderia Ferrari in Formula 1.

The participants. In alphabetical order, these are the four drivers: from the UK, 16 year old Ethan Jeff-Hall recently made the headlines as the surprise winner of the karting world title in the OK class at the PF International circuit in England. He also won the 2023 RMC International Trophy and came second in the British Rotax Junior category. This year, he also made his car racing debut, winning the Ginetta Junior championship with six wins and 14 podiums. 14 year old Italian Iacopo Martinese won this year’s OK Junior class in the European championship at France’s Val d’Argenton circuit. He already got himself noticed two years ago, taking the Italian title in the Mini GR3 class. Another 14 year old, Thibaut Ramaekers comes from Belgium. In 2023 he won the IAME Karting Winter Cup and was a front runner in European races. 19 year old Costa Toparis is the Australian 2022 champion in the KA2 class and this season he raced in the European Formula Regional championship, securing one podium finish, having made his car debut in Formula 4 two seasons ago. Toparis is clearly the most experienced of the quartet, having already taken part in the final part of Ferrari’s scouting programme in 2021.

At the headquarters. The four youngsters arrived at Via Enzo Ferrari 27 in Maranello to be welcomed by Jock Clear, the head of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, Deputy Team Principal Jerome d’Ambrosio and other Academy staff. The evaluation process begins today, to assess their physical and mental ability, their suitability to life as a racing driver, as well seeing how they cope with the all-important sidebars of dealing with sponsors and media. On Tuesday they will get their first look at Fiorano with a track walk, prior to actually driving it over the next two days, in a race weekend simulation. They will be at the wheel of Formula 4 cars provided by the Prema team, fitted with the same tyres as used in the Italian championship, supplied by Pirelli, a Ferrari scouting programme partner.

Benchmark. On hand to support the candidates and the SFDA staff will be Dino Beganovic, who has been competing in Formula 3 this year with the Prema team. The Swede is the reference driver for this event, first out on track on both days to set times for the four candidates to aim at.