Ugo Ugochukwu, the promising young driver from the United States who was recently crowned FIA European karting champion, has signed a long-term deal with McLaren. The 13-year-old Nigerian-American has already won many titles in his short career in the United States and Europe, including the FIA OKJ European Championship for 2020.

The agreement gives McLaren Racing a future option on Ugo’s services while still promoting his growth and evolution as he progresses through junior motorsport.

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal, McLaren F1, said: “Ugo is a promising young talent with strong development prospects. While he is still early in his career, it is clear he has the ingredients to be successful in the sport. This signing reflects our refocused approach to identifying and supporting new talent, away from a formal young driver programme to a more tailored basis.”

Ugo Ugochukwu, said: “I’m honoured to be signed by such an iconic team as McLaren Racing so early in my career. To have the support of McLaren is fantastic and what any young driver dreams of. I’m focused right now on developing as a driver and racer, so having McLaren by my side can only help me on and off the track.”