Brando Badoer: McLaren's Future and Norris's Championship Aspirations

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Brando Badoer, the son of the famous ex-formula 1 racer Luca, and now his son will be in the development ranks for the McLaren future, but till now, he has not even featured in Formula 3. He is driving for Van Amersfoort Racing in the Formula Regional European Championship, in which he is doing quite well.

Who is Brando Badoer?

Brando Badoer is an 18-year-old Italian future Formula 3 Championship Driver for the Prema Racing team. If things go well for him, he might be one of the faces who can feature in the F1 for McLaren in 2025. However, right now, he is racing in the Formula Regional European Championship, in which he is placed fifth with 174 points.

Brando won one pole and finished six times out of 12 stars for the Van Amersfoort Racing team, a great performance that made McLaren make the move before any other team gave him a contract.

Brando Racing Career

Season	Series	Team	Races	Poles	F/Laps	Podiums	Points	Position
2022	Formula 4 UAE Championship	AKM Motorsport	16	0	0	0	0	28th
	Italian F4 Championship	Van Amersfoort Racing	20	0	0	0	14	16th
	ADAC Formula 4 Championship	Van Amersfoort Racing	6	0	0	0	0	NC†
2023	Formula 4 UAE Championship	Pinnacle VAR	9	0	1	1	69	6th
	Italian F4 Championship	Van Amersfoort Racing	21	1	3	5	165	6th
	Euro 4 Championship	Van Amersfoort Racing	8	0	0	3	88.5	6th
2024	Formula Regional Middle East Championship	PHM AIX Racing	15	0	0	3	76	10th
2024	Formula Regional European Championship	Van Amersfoort Racing	12	1	2	6	133*	3rd*
2025	FIA Formula 3 Championship	Prema Racing	0	0	0	0	0	TBD

Table Credit @ Wikipedia

What Brando Badoer Said About McLaren’s Offer?

I am excited to join the McLaren Driver Development programme,” Badoer said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to join a team with such a great racing heritage and a proven record for developing talent.
“Competing in the 2025 FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema Racing will help continue my progression and I’d like to thank the whole team at McLaren for their support. I can’t wait to learn from the team’s guidance and get racing in the team’s iconic colours.”
Brando Badoer Said in Interview

“It’s great to welcome Brando to our Driver Development programme. We’ve kept a close eye on him over the past year and have been impressed with his performances as a rookie in the competitive Formula Regional championship, so it made sense to exercise our option and bring him into the programme full time. We look forward to seeing him racing in papaya and supporting his development as he moves to compete in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema Racing.”
McLaren Posted the Statement on Brando Signing.

It is going to put a bit of pressure on the two stabilized McLaren Drivers and especially on Lando Norris, who signed a new contract in January to stay at McLaren until 2027. However, if there is any downfall, then McLaren will look to replace him.

What did Nigel Mansell say about Lando Norris?

The 1992 World Champion Nigel Mansell praised the McLaren team for competing with Red Bull as recently, in the constructor championship, they gained the 1st rank with 516 points.

“It’s going to be on a race-by-race basis,” he said to Top Offshore Sportsbook. “But I think it’s just incredibly professional that the team have come and shared their view on what’s going to happen for the rest of the year.
“But I think it’s up to Lando to step up because he’s got to be at least as quick, if not quicker than Oscar and get the job done. And like Lando said himself, he’d like to do it on his own merit. So yeah, I mean the pressure’s on both of them.”

What do you think about Lando Norris becoming the New World Champion and You take on New McLaren driver Brando?