The Ferrari Academy, which is now being run by former sporting director 
Massimo Rivola and has been rebranded with a new logo, now has two new youngsters on its books: Monaco’s Charles Leclerc and a Frenchman called Alesi, Giuliano Alesi, the son of former F1 racer Jean. Leclerc is a celebrated artist and has been racing in Formula 3. He will soon move to GP3 with ART Grand Prix. In addition to being in the academy, he will be a Ferrari development driver, working with the Haas team.
Alesi has done only two seasons in karts and one in French Formula 4 and will now move up to GP3.
The other Academy drivers are Antonio Fuoco, another GP3 driver, who is also a Ferrari development driver, andGuan Yu Zhou, who finished second in last year’s Italian Formula 4 Championship and will move into Formula 3 this year.
Gone from the programme are Raffaele Marciello and Lance Stroll, both of whom have been involved for five seasons. Others who were involved since the programme began in 2009 include the late Jules Bianchi, Mirko Bortolotti, Daniel Zampieri, Sergio Perez and Brandon Maisano. The idea of preparing young drivers dates back to when Felipe Massa was a youngster and was under Ferrari’s wing during his years at Sauber.
joeblogsf1 
Whenever I hear the name LeClerc I can’t help but think of the ‘allo, allo’ character who says “tis I LeClerc “. Lol.
Your headline revealed my age! I immediately thought Jean Alesi was coming back and the old guy from ‘Allo ‘Allo with the moustache and glasses in a ridiculous disguise . “‘Tis I LeClere! ” Finding a niche for these chaps may be difficult.
However I can happily say I reside in complete ignorance of the real chaps of whom you speak. Let them hope they both shine and have huge piles of wonga, else they will join Marciello and Stroll.
I think Stroll has that huge pile of wonga…..
No kidding….
Stroll went to Williams as development driver for 2016, so he’s not exactly disappeared…
Money… It’s a gas!
And is being personally mentored by Mr Baldisserri, formerly of the FDA too.
Stroll and his / his family’s GDP sized piles of wonga have moved over to Williams for the time being, I believe.
I need so, taking their charm with them…
Suppose money can’t buy you everything hey Joe?
I don’t know why, but for some reason I’ve got a craving to have a puff on a Marlboro Red at present.
I think of Michel Leclere who raced in F3/F2 in the 1970’s, and was very quick…i’m not sure that he didn’t have try outs with Tyrrell and Martini in F1 ??
A celebrated ARTist with the ARM to prove it?
Nepotism at its finest, as is the Formula 1 way. Absolutely nothing suggests Alesi jnr has any credentials whatsoever, but yet here he is in a coveted junior programme. Such waste makes me sick.
Nepotism indeed. The Indian tyre company MRF invites such drivers to compete in their own label winter series. Recognise any of these names: Fittipaldi, Newey, Lauda, Schumacher, Alesi?
But it was fun seeing Jean Alesi (with his Speedcar Series mate Benoit Lamonerie) having kittens whilst watching the young Guiliano Alesi struggling to control his Indian built Renault 2 litre Dallara around the challenging Dubai Autodrome Grand Prix Circuit.