Jerome D’Ambrosio follows Lewis Hamilton and becomes Head of Ferrari Driver Academy. Jerome D'Ambrosio will take over the leadership of the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Scuderia Ferrari’s recruitment campaign continues on all fronts. In Jeddah, just a few hours before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, news leaked about a new figure destined to take over the leadership of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Maranello’s program dedicated to scouting and nurturing young talents.

What aroused curiosity was the name of the chosen one, Jerome D’Ambrosio, a thirty-eight-year-old Belgian with a career in single-seaters, including appearances in Formula 1 in 2011 with Marussia and in 2012 at the Italian Grand Prix with Lotus.

Jerome D’Ambrosio returned to the Formula 1 paddock full-time last season as the head of the Mercedes junior program, very close to Toto Wolff. Twelve months ago, there was talk of his possible candidacy for the role of right-hand man to the Mercedes team principal, but since the beginning of this year, his presence has not been noticed in the pit box, an absence noted in Bahrain and confirmed in Jeddah.

“Jerome is in charge of the young driver program in close collaboration with Gwen Lagrue,” Toto Wolff explained in 2023. “They work together and keep a constant eye on the world of motorsport, starting from karting.” – the Mercedes team principal added.

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According to various sources, Jerome D’Ambrosio’s contract with Mercedes is nearing its conclusion (at the end of the current Formula 1 season), and his future is expected to be in Maranello at the helm of the Ferrari Driver Academy program. After the departure of Laurent Mekies and Marco Matassa, the Ferrari Driver Academy has been under the control of Jock Clear since the beginning of the year, but the British engineer’s agenda also includes direct involvement in the Formula 1 world championship races.

Hence, the probable need to have a full-time figure at the helm of the program that brought two young drivers from the Academy to drive the Formula 1 cars for the first time this weekend.