Nigerian Teenage Karter Joins Formula #1

McLaren has signed 13-year-old Nigerian-American karter, Ugo Ugochukwu, to a long-term deal to support his development through motorsport’s junior categories.

Ugochukwu is son of Nigerian supermodel, Oluchi Onweagba, better known as Oluchi.

The influential 40-year-old, married to Italian fashion designer,
Luca Orlandi, is believed to have played a crucial role in her son’s meteoric rise to fame.

As well as providing support for his career, McLaren has agreed “an option on Ugo’s services in the future”.

The Formula 1 team said the agreement gives them an option to sign Ugochukwu to a race deal in the future.

McLaren Racing chief executive officer Zak Brown said: “We’ve been watching Ugo’s progress with interest.

“So when the opportunity to sign an agreement with him became available, we had no hesitation moving on it.”

The move gives McLaren what they describe as a multi-year contract with Ugochuku, within which there is an option they can choose to take up, which would tie him to a further multi-year racing deal. This could be in F1 or in other categories.

McLaren famously signed Lewis Hamilton when he was 13 after an impressive start to his racing career.

The Briton went on to enter F1 with the Woking team and won his first world F1 world title with them in 2008 aged 23.
Team boss Andreas Seidl said: “Ugochukwu’s signing reflects our refocused approach to identifying and supporting new talent, away from a formal young driver programme to a more tailored basis.”

In February, Ugochukwu was signed to the same management firm as current McLaren race driver Lando Norris.

“I’m honoured to be signed by such an iconic team as McLaren Racing so early in my career,” said the 13-year-old.

“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.”

Ugochukwu has won a host of titles since he began karting in 2013 and last year, won the FIA OKJ European Championship.