Ferrari could abandon driver academy

Ferrari is reportedly considering terminating its young driver programme.

Citing Italian sources, the Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat claims that new team president Sergio Marchionne, notorious for his strict economising, is no fan of the so-called ‘driver academy’.

Founded in 2009, and based on the earlier grooming of Felipe Massa, the first Ferrari Driver Academy member Jules Bianchi died last month after a 2014 Suzuka crash.

The current members are Antonio Fuoco, Raffaele Marciello, Lance Stroll and the Chinese Guan Yu Zhou.

Ilta Sanomat reported that Marchionne and team boss Maurizio Arrivabene “believe that the money would be better spent on car development”.