Mercedes outline junior driver programmes for 2022

Mercedes have confirmed their junior driver roster and respective racing schedules for 2022, as the F1 team realise the potential of their development programme for the first time this year as protege George Russell steps up from Williams to the factory team.

Mercedes created a junior programme, similar in ethos to Red Bull's scheme, Ferrari's Driver Academy and the Alpine Academy, back in 2016.

Russell is the first driver from this programme to make it to the top rung of the ladder by reaching the factory team, although Esteban Ocon and Pascal Wehrlein also both succeeded in making it into F1 with Mercedes' help.

Mercedes will back seven drivers in 2022, with two new signings: 11-year-old British-Spanish racer Luna Fluxa and 15-year-old Daniel Guinchard.

Fluxa, the first female signing to the programme, will race in junior karting, while Guinchard will step into the world of single-seaters by joining Argenti in British Formula 4.

Familiar names at the higher levels of Mercedes' driver programme

Andrea Kimi Antonelli continues with Mercedes and will race in Italian F4 with PREMA, while Paul Aron races with PREMA in Formula Regional European Championship this year. Frederik Vesti continues to teeter on the periphery of F1, and will drive for ART in Formula 2 this year.

"It's going to be a really exciting year for our junior drivers, and we're delighted to welcome them to our W13 launch on Friday as part of our motorsport family," said Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO of the Mercedes F1 team.

"There are some familiar faces in the programme from previous years, looking to build on their strong progress, and there are also several new members of the programme who have joined us this year. It will be great to see how they develop in their first season with us."

Below is a full rundown of the seven drivers on Mercedes' roster in 2022.