Ferrari->ke252’s long and illustrious history in Formula One would never have happened if it didn’t have a slew of excellent drivers racing their cars. From Juan Manuel Fangio to Michael Schumacher, the Scuderia has, without question, fielded some of the sports’ best drivers.

Now, the Italian supercar makers are taking their scouting and talent development to a new level as it formally launched the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Meant to find those young diamonds-in-the-rough and hone their skills in the art of race driving, the Ferrari Driver Academy will allow young drivers with an enormous amount of potential to train under the wings of the best in the business. From the initial steps of kart racing, these drivers will be given a thorough course by Luca Baldisserri all the way to the top step of the program, Formula One.

While the selection process regarding which driver receives a formal invitation to the academy remains undisclosed, Ferrari already has announced its first driver in the fold: Jules Bianchi, the talented hot shot who bagged the Drivers’ and Teams’ championship in the recently-concluded Formula 3 Euroseries.

The Ferrari Driver Academy certainly speaks volumes on the Scuderia’s deep-rooted mission to remain a force in the world of auto racing and it figures that finding young upstarts and improving their skills will go a long way in keeping Ferrari a player in auto racing, whatever league or class it may be.

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