Mercedes Junior Programme
Program to support young racing drivers through their careers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mercedes Junior Programme is a driver development programme by the Mercedes-AMG F1 Team to help promote drivers from karts through the feeder series ladder to promote them to their Formula One team. Four drivers have been promoted to Formula One while part of the Junior Programme: Pascal Wehrlein (2016), Esteban Ocon (2016), George Russell (2019), and Andrea Kimi Antonelli (2025). Of these, Russell and Antonelli have raced for the Mercedes works team.
Rashid Al DhaheriFormula 4
Andy Consani
Kenzo Craigie
Luna Fluxá Ethan Jeff-HallF1 Academy
Payton WestcottKarting
James Anagnostiadis Many Nuvolini
Niccolò Perico 
Devin Titz| Founded | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Base | Brackley, Northamptonshire, England |
| Team principal(s) | Gwen Lagrue (co-Director) |
| Current drivers | Formula Regional Rashid Al Dhaheri Formula 4 Andy Consani Kenzo Craigie Luna Fluxá Ethan Jeff-HallF1 Academy Payton WestcottKarting James Anagnostiadis Many Nuvolini Niccolò Perico Devin Titz |
| Website | https://www.mercedesamgf1.com/team |
Current drivers
| Driver | Years | Current Series | Titles achieved as Mercedes Junior Programme member |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luna Fluxá[1] |
2022– | F4 Spanish Championship | none |
| Kenzo Craigie[2] |
2023– | UAE4 Series Italian F4 Championship E4 Championship |
none |
| James Anagnostiadis[3] |
2024– | Karting (OK) | none |
| Rashid Al Dhaheri[4] |
2025– | Formula Regional Middle East Trophy Formula Regional European Championship |
none |
| Andy Consani[4] |
2025– | UAE4 Series Italian F4 Championship E4 Championship |
none |
| Ethan Jeff-Hall[5] |
2025– | F4 British Championship | none |
| Many Nuvolini[4] |
2025– | Karting (OK-J) | none |
| Niccolò Perico[6] |
2026– | Karting (OK-NJ) | none |
| Devin Titz[6] |
2026– | Karting | none |
| Payton Westcott[7] |
2026– | F1 Academy Italian F4 Championship |
none |
Graduates to Formula One
This list contains the drivers that have graduated to Formula One with support from Mercedes. Therefore, drivers who have had support in the past and entered Formula 1 through other means are not included. Drivers who drove for other teams while still part of Mercedes' youth setup are highlighted in italics.
| Driver | Academy experience | F1 experience with Mercedes | F1 experience with other teams | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Former series | |||
| Pascal Wehrlein |
2014–2018 | Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (2014–2015, 2018) Formula One (2016–2017) |
N/a | Manor (2016) Sauber (2017) |
| Esteban Ocon |
2015–2019 | GP3 Series (2015) Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (2016) Formula One (2016–2018) |
N/a | Manor (2016) Force India (2017–2018) Renault (2020) Alpine (2021–2024) Haas (2025–) |
| George Russell |
2017–2021 | GP3 Series (2017) FIA Formula 2 Championship (2018) Formula One (2019–2021) |
2020, 2022– | Williams (2019–2021) |
| Kimi Antonelli |
2018–2024 | Italian F4 Championship (2021–2022) ADAC Formula 4 Championship (2022) Formula Regional Middle East Championship (2023) Formula Regional European Championship (2023) FIA Formula 2 Championship (2024) |
2025– | N/a |
