McLaren has signed a contract with a 13-year old American karter with the aim to support him through racing’s junior categories.
Formula 1 team, McLaren sign Ugo Ugochukwu
The Formula 1 team has pointed out that the agreement gives them an option to sign Ugo Ugochukwu to a race deal in the future, given his obvious, tangible potential.
The move gives McLaren what they describe as a multi-year contract with Ugochukwu, within which there is an option they can choose to take up, which would tie him to a further multi-year racing deal. This could be in F1 or other categories.
McLaren, like many F1 teams, has had a young driver programme for many years. Their most high-profile graduate is Lewis Hamilton, who was also signed by the team when he was 13, and who remains so far F1’s only black driver.
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Ugochukwu was born in New York, and his mother is Nigerian. He won last year’s FIA OK-Junior European championship, and this season has graduated to the senior class.
