Ferrari announces latest driver academy signing as Filippo Sala joins

Ferrari has signed Italian driver Filippo Sala as the latest recruit to its driver academy. 

The 13-year-old has risen through the ranks, starting in the United States. He began karting aged just five and went on to win his first race two years later. In 2018, Sala competed in the Entry Level 60 championship, during which he celebrated at the top of the podium in 18 of the 21 rounds. 

From here, the Italian made the move across the pond to the United States to take advantage of the lower racing age - you can race at just eight years old in the US compared to nine in Europe. Competing in the Challenge of America title, he won five out of six races, which unsurprisingly, secured him the title. 

After winning the world Easykart championship in 2020, he secured the Italian IAME 60 title in 2021.

At just 13 years old, the Italian driver has racked up some mightily impressive wins, including the Trofeo delle Industrie in 2023 and 2024. This year he won the OK class at Sarno and a round of the WSK championship. 

Sala becomes the seventh driver in the Ferrari Driver Academy and is the first Italian to join since Antonio Fuoco in 2018.