\n<\/p>\n
McLaren have made 11-year-old Harry Williams their youngest ever signing.<\/b><\/p>\n
Williams is two years younger than F1 great Lewis Hamilton was when he joined the team in 1998.<\/p>\n
Ella Hakkinen – daughter of double F1 world champion Mika – was previously the youngest driver currently on the McLaren driver development programme, having joined last year aged 14.<\/p>\n
Seven-time world champion Hamilton joined the programme aged 13, going on to make his F1 debut in 2007.<\/p>\n
Reigning champion and McLaren driver Lando Norris also came through the programme, joining aged 17.<\/p>\n
“Our goal is to build a consistent pipeline, laddering into our race programmes in F1, IndyCar and the World Endurance Championship for many years to come, and adding Harry as a talented young karter demonstrates this,” said Alessandro Aluni Bravi, McLaren’s chief business affairs officer.<\/p>\n
“For this driver, I think there is no target, no pressure other than enjoy karting to get maximum experience, but also to understand what does it mean to be a McLaren driver.”<\/p>\n
Williams, from Cheshire, first started karting in 2021 and was the 2025 British Open Champion, O plate winner in the Italian Waterswift Series and was fifth in the European Waterswift Championship.<\/p>\n
“I am really excited to join the McLaren driver development programme. They’re known for developing talent, so it’s great to join the team as I continue to progress in karting and into single-seater racing in the future,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n