McLaren overhauls F1 junior programme – The British team has released three of its young talents — Ugo Ugochukwu, Martinius Stenshorne and Brando Badoer — as part of a major overhaul of its driver development programme. This comes only months after Formula 2 driver Alex Dunne chose to leave the British team, signalling a broader restructuring of McLaren’s approach to nurturing young racing prospects.
Team statement and new signing
McLaren confirmed the departures in a brief statement, thanking the trio for their efforts and acknowledging their contributions during their time with the team. “With multiple wins and podiums across their time with the team, we thank them for their contribution to McLaren and wish them the best for the future,” it read.
The announcement coincided with the addition of Matteo De Palo to the McLaren Driver Development Programme. De Palo will join IndyCar star Pato O’Ward, Formula 4 racer Dries Van Langendonck and F1 Academy’s Ella Lloyd in the team’s junior ranks. McLaren described De Palo as an “exciting young talent” with strong potential, underlining the team’s continued focus on supporting drivers who have the ability to reach the highest levels of motorsport.
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Ugo Ugochukwu’s journey
Ugochukwu, the longest-serving of the departing trio, joined McLaren in 2021 at the age of just 13. Hailed as a future Formula 1 prospect after his early karting triumphs, the young American quickly built a solid reputation. He won the Formula 4 title in 2023, secured victories in the Formula Regional series in 2024, and achieved a triumph at the prestigious Macau Grand Prix.
However, his debut season in the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema was challenging. Despite showing flashes of potential with two podium finishes, Ugochukwu endured a run of bad luck and inconsistency that left him falling short of expectations. Looking ahead, he will join Campos for the 2026 F3 season as he continues to pursue his Formula 1 dream.
Martinius Stenshorne’s rise
Norwegian driver Martinius Stenshorne joined McLaren in 2024, having finished runner-up to Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli in the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship. His time with McLaren was brief but notable. In his first F3 season, he secured one win and finished 18th overall. The following year, he demonstrated clear progress, achieving two victories and finishing fifth in the standings.
Stenshorne’s consistent improvement earned him a promotion to the 2026 FIA Formula 2 Championship with Rodin Motorsport. Although his partnership with McLaren has ended, his upward trajectory suggests that he is still a driver to watch on the road to Formula 1.
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Brando Badoer’s short spell
Brando Badoer, son of former Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer, was the newest addition to McLaren’s junior programme, having joined only this year. The Italian has steadily progressed through the feeder series, achieving podium finishes in both Formula 4 and Formula Regional.
His 2025 season in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema got off to a slow start, with him initially struggling to break into the top 20. However, he showed significant improvement in the closing stages, securing three top-10 finishes in the final five races. Nevertheless, McLaren’s decision to release him highlights the competitive nature of its development structure.
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A new chapter begins with Matteo De Palo
Matteo De Palo is set to replace the departing trio. He arrives at McLaren following an impressive campaign in the Formula Regional European Championship, where he finished second to Freddie Slater. The Italian teenager will move up to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Trident in 2026.
“Joining the McLaren Driver Development Programme is a great honour,” said De Palo. “The team has an excellent track record in developing talent, so I am looking forward to developing as a racing driver in all areas. Thank you to Zak, Alessandro and the entire McLaren team. I am looking forward to getting out on the track in papaya.”
McLaren Racing’s chief business affairs officer, Alessandro Alunni Bravi, described De Palo as a promising new addition who embodies the team’s long-term development goals.
“We look forward to supporting his development as a driver and in all the other areas of being a professional driver,’ he said. ‘We would also like to thank Ugo, Martinius and Brando for their contribution to McLaren and wish them all the best for the future.”
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MORE F1 NEWS – Stella reveals Piastri achilles heel struck again in Brazil
McLaren’s team boss Andrea Stella has been repeating a narrative to explain why his Australian driver struggled so much in Austin and Mexico City. He claims Oscar Piastri’s driving style hampers him when the track conditions are low grip.
The team had encouraged him to adapt his driving style to resolve the issue in Mexico, although Oscar was unsure of how well the experiment had gone. “It’s difficult to say ultimately, I think we certainly tried a lot of different things, but at the back with cars as well, so it was difficult to kind of get a read on whether what I was changing with my driving was working that well or not,” Piastri said in the media pen.
The problem for the McLaren driver is that Las Vegas is next on the F1 calendar where the cold desert night temperatures will again see little grip in Sin City. The team’s expectations for Brazil were much higher for their young driver as the surface in Sao Paulo is abrasive often creating high tyre degradation.
São Paulo circuit more abrasive
And this year the degradation of the rubber was expected to be even higher,. Given the thousands of grooves cut into the track surface to improve drainage after 2024’s rain soaked Grand Prix. This is why Pirelli brought tyre compounds a step harder than last year, an unusual step given they have been generally selecting compounds this season which are softer to promote more pit stops.
It all began so well for the Australian who hasn’t been on the podium since his win in Zandvoort, he was milli seconds behind his team mate in practice with Lando Norris topping the time sheets. Yet come Sprint qualifying the two tenths gap to his team mate re-appeared and it is this which has defined much of Oscar’s woes in recent race weekend.
The Sprint was a disaster for Piastri again as early in the race as he pushed harder he hit the kerb in turn two by mistake, sending his McLaren hurtling into the barrier amidst showers of carbon fibre. He could only make P4 in Grand Prix qualifying and was now almost three tenths away from Norris who claimed his sixth pole position of the season…READ MORE
Clara Marlowe is a Formula 1 writer at TJ13 with over 15 years of experience in motorsport journalism, having contributed features to established sports magazines such as Evo, MCN, Wisden Cricket Monthly and other digital outlets.
Clara specialises in human-interest storytelling, focusing on the individuals behind the sport, including drivers, engineers, and team personnel whose roles are often overlooked in mainstream coverage.
At TJ13, Clara contributes long-form features and narrative-driven pieces that explore the personal and professional journeys within Formula 1. This includes coverage of career-defining moments, internal team dynamics, and the human impact of high-pressure competition.
Clara’s work brings depth and perspective to the sport, complementing news and analysis with stories that highlight the people behind the machinery.
Clara has a particular interest in how personal narratives intersect with performance, and how individual experiences shape outcomes across a Formula 1 season.
