Dino Beganovic debuts with Ferrari
It will be Dino Beganovic, a 21-year-old driver from Landeryd, Sweden, who will drive Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari in the first free practice session of the upcoming Bahrain GP. An occasion the 2004-born youngster will long remember and that will mark his official Formula 1 debut, albeit as a rookie driver involved, for now, “only” in FP1.
It will be the first of at least four sessions in which the young Swedish talent—this year competing in Formula 2 with Hitech after two up-and-down seasons in F3 (both ending in sixth place overall) and after winning Formula Regional in 2022—is expected to get behind the wheel of the Ferrari. The new 2025 regulation, in fact, requires each full-time driver to give up their seat to a debutant with fewer than three F1 Grands Prix under their belt twice per season, rather than just once as in previous years.
Dino Beganovic’s Ferrari dream
“For me,” explains Beganovic, who has been a Ferrari Driver Academy member since 2020, “it’s a dream come true. Many drivers dream of driving a Ferrari, and for me it’s truly very exciting to have the chance to do it. I know that aiming to one day become a Ferrari race driver is a very ambitious goal, but I’ll do everything I can to achieve that dream, starting with making the most of the path I’m on in the junior categories, where I’m currently racing in Formula 2 with Hitech Grand Prix. The support of the FDA is fundamental for growing as a driver, and it’s wonderful to have this opportunity. I can’t wait. I’ll try to enjoy it as much as possible, while doing my best to help the engineers with their work.”
The journey in the Ferrari Driver Academy
The 21-year-old Swedish talent also spoke about his development within the FDA: “I joined the Academy in 2020, when I was racing in Formula 4. It’s been a beautiful journey, which has given me the chance to receive the support of a highly skilled team of technicians as well as the honour of being part of an iconic brand. Ferrari is very special to me because I’ve been a fan of the Prancing Horse since I was a child. The team has supported me for many years, even during difficult times. Next weekend I’ll try to help the team and do well in Formula 2, which remains my main focus for this year.”
“Bahrain is a circuit that drivers and engineers know quite well, since it’s hosted pre-season testing for a long time. It features a nice mix of slow and fast corners and is also quite demanding on the tyres because the asphalt has a lot of grip, so it’s important to have a car that’s gentle on the tyres. The presence of wind is often a variable to keep in mind, while as I mentioned, the layout makes it a great circuit for testing,” concluded Ferrari’s next driver—if only for FP1—Dino Beganovic.
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