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McLaren has confirmed the signing of a new driver to its development programme, Matteo De Palo, whilst also announcing three exits from the academy.
McLaren has officially welcomed Matteo De Palo to their driver development programme after his impressive performance in FRECA with Trident Motorsport where he finished second and won four races.
De Palo, an 18-year-old Italian driver, will be competing in the 2025 Macau Grand Prix in papaya before transitioning to FIA Formula 3 for the 2026 season.
Expressing his excitement, De Palo mentioned that joining the McLaren Driver Development Programme is a great honor, acknowledging the team’s reputation for nurturing talent.
In addition to De Palo’s arrival, McLaren announced the departure of Ugo Ugochukwu, Martinius Stenshorne, and Brando Badoer from the academy, along with Alex Dunne.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, the chief business affairs officer for McLaren, praised De Palo’s progress and expressed the team’s commitment to supporting his growth as a professional racing driver.
