Red Bull remains on the prowl to uncover the next Max Verstappen, but from next year the energy drink company will scale back the number of drivers currently included in its junior programme.
Throughout the years, under the watchful eye of its ever-present advisor Helmut Mark, Red Bull has nurtured a plethora of young talents in the junior ranks of motorsport, many of which have graduated to Formula 1.
This season, Red Bull’s Junior Team line-up included a total of twelve young hopefuls honing across a multitude of categories, from karting all the way up to the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
Recognizing the need to focus on the cream of the crop, Christian Horner has emphasized that Red Bull will initiate a process of carefully reducing the number of drivers in their junior program.
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The strategic move aims to ensure that only the most exceptional talents continue to receive the team’s support and opportunities for future success.
“I think that things go in waves, it produced Sebastian Vettel, it’s produced Max Verstappen,” Horner
told ESPN’s Unlapped podcast.
“Daniel [Ricciardo] is a graduate of it. Carlos Sainz is a graduate of it. Pierre Gasly is a graduate of it. There’s so many drivers it’s given opportunity to and got to Formula 1, with Alex Albon being another.
“And yeah, it’s focusing a bit more on youth I think going forward as well.”
Red Bull hopeful and FIA F1 Championship competitor Sebastian Montoya.
In Formula 2, none less than six drivers compete with the support of Red Bull, but only DAMS’ Ayumu Iwasa, who currently sits third in the standings, remains a title contender in the feeder series.
Horner suggested that Red Bull’s efforts will likely focus on the lower steps of motorsport’s development ladder.
“We have a lot of drivers in Formula 2 this year,” he added. “I think that will be thinned out moving forward and perhaps a refocus on perhaps some of the lower formulas as well.
“But you know, a Max Verstappen or a Sebastian Vettel, they don’t come along every season. So, it’s just making sure that you identify that talent when it does come along.”
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