Motorsport: Ferrari's young guns

Ferrari Academy student Raffaele Marciello leads the way at Hampton Downs. Photo / Supplied

The Ferrari Driver Academy is aimed at developing young talent within the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One environment.

The programme consists of five courses of three days each, where the drivers take English language lessons, study mental preparation, are coached in the concept of improving team spirit, physical preparation, and have tests on the simulator and on the track.

There are five drivers in the Ferrari nursery: Jules Bianchi, Brandon Maisano, Raffaele Marciello, Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll. In charge are Ferrari factory-based engineer and former strategist Luca Baldisserri and academy technical manager Francesco Pon.

In New Zealand at the moment is 17-year-old Marciello, who is contesting the Toyota Racing Series. Last weekend at round four at Hampton Downs, Pon was on hand to see how the teen was progressing. Driven sought his views.

What was the attraction of the TRS championship?

Pon: At the academy we think it's a valuable championship and gives the drivers valuable time to practise and race.

With five weekends in a row, with testing on Thursday and Friday and then racing, it makes the drivers concentrate and keep focused.

If you think about other professional sports like football, tennis and basketball, everyone is training every single day. That's the good thing about the TRS championship ... it helps the driver build up confidence and improve his racing skills.

You've just arrived for this round and Raffaele has won his first race.

I would prefer seeing him doing this in the beginning but you have to take into consideration that he is only 17.

There are times when a driver has a lot of skills and it is difficult for him to manage them all. I think my being here has made him concentrate and focus on his duties.

We worked on a few technical things but not too much. We did some stuff with the tyres and how to get them to work better.

Of all your drivers, why did you decide to send Raffaele?

He needed specific training and that was racing. He is very much a qualifying-orientated driver and we want him to open his race mind more.

He has to improve his racecraft and not just concentrate on trying to pass someone in front of him, but worry about the others behind him and not leave the door open. It's easy for him to win races if he's out in front.

My aim is to see Raffaele improve during the race when in traffic. I'm not worried about his qualifying - we know he's fast. We want him to be aware of everything around him.

Why set up the academy?

Times are changing in Formula One and the drivers are getting younger. This is a sport that requires a lot of skills and mental preparation.

In the past the drivers were much older and aware of their behaviour and what they had to do, and were more committed. Now the drivers want to just drive and have fun.

At the academy we are trying to add wider life skills and communication. It's about helping the drivers grow their awareness about what they do, and build consistency.

Will the F1 team use academy drivers in the main game?

For sure. If we are short of a driver in F1 we can look to the academy for a replacement. And the young drivers at the academy are also learning the Ferrari way and how we do things.