At just 10 years of age, the brazilian is the youngest driver to enter an international academy linked to a F1 team, and will compete from this month on with the Sauber Karting Team, linked to Alfa Romeo
Brazil will have its youngest representative in an international pilots’ academy starting this year. Miguel Costa, a 10 year-old karting driver, was hired by the Sauber Karting Team, linked to Alfa Romeo F1 team. The Brazilian, who is in Europe, where he participates of WSK’s (World Series Karting) complete season, is the youngest driver to have this type of connection in a talent development program linked to a team in F1.
“I am very happy to receive this invitation to be a part of the Sauber team for young drivers. Currently, to get these places in big F1 teams, it is necessary to get a good training in these academies, so I am sure that it is a great start thinking about my future in motorsport ”, says Miguel.
Miguel had his first years of karting competing in the United States, winning competitions in Miami, Florida. The driver also accumulated good results at the Karting World Championship in 2018 and 2019, the year he moved to Europe to compete in Italy. In his debut year in Europe, Miguel was the Italian kart champion between the rookies, with three victories.
“I had a year with a lot of changes in my career in 2019, but I adapted very well in Italy and I already got my first title here. I hope that in 2020 more achievements will come, I will work for that”, says Costa, after debuting for the Sauber Karting Team in the WSK Champions Cup, in Adria, where he competed in the Mini category among 78 drivers in his class.
The next stage of the championship will be again on this Italian circuit. The official training of the WSK Super Master in Adria begins this Thursday (30th) and the finals of all categories will take place on Sunday, February 2nd.
Learn about the young career of Brazilian driver Miguel Costa:
2011: At 2 years old, Miguel Costa won his first electric car from his father
2012: With only 3 years old, Costa accelerated his first go-kart
2013: Costa started driving a professional go-kart at the age of 4
2015: In the USA, Costa won 3rd place in the Homestead Championship
2016: At 7, Costa was champion in Florida in the Micro category with 6 wins and 7 poles. He also secured the ROK Cup runner-up with a victory.
2017: Miguel was runner-up again in the ROK Cup, this time with 2 poles and 2 wins. He also won the runner-up at SKUSA in Las Vegas, being the youngest winner of his category in the USA at just 8 years old.
2018: He went up to the Mini category and kept winning podiums in the American championships. In the same year, he competed in his first World ROK go-kart at just 9 years old, winning a battery and reaching the final in 29th place among the 160 drivers.
2019: Made its first full season in Europe. Rookie champion of the Italian Championship with 3 wins and a third place. At the World ROK, he finished 16th (out of 140 drivers) and at Le Mans he was 5th (among 85 participants).