Jock Clear becomes driver-trainer for Ferrari F1 Juniors

Clear, who named Jacques Villeneuve World Championship title for Williams in 1997, has played a senior technical role at Ferrari since joining the team in 2015.

Clear has been a driver trainer for Charles Leclerc since the beginning of 2019 and acts as a useful interface between the Monegasque and the engineers who have got used to the collaboration.

Following recent discussions, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has announced that Clear’s role could expand to help Ferrari’s other junior drivers – including Schumacher in Haas and F2 race winner Robert Shwartzman

“Jock Clear is a great person and a great professional and has been with Ferrari for many years,” said Binotto.

“We had a few conversations with Jock in the last few weeks and would like to develop him further as a driver trainer, not only for Charles, but also for the future of our own young drivers who we have at the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA).

“Next year we have Mick in Haas, who is starting his experience in F1, but we still have young drivers who are competing in F2 – like Robert Shwartzman for example. And there is Callum Ilott, who will be our test driver next year, doing simulator and doing free exercises.

“So Jock’s role will be to help all of these drivers develop as drivers and make the most of their potential.”

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Binotto said the role of the driver-trainer is important in assessing performance on the track and finding areas where improvement can be made.

“He supports the drivers to perform and to do their best,” added Binotto. “He looks at their lines, the way they brake through corners, accelerate and manage tires.

“They are there to support the race engineers, performance engineers and drivers and to ensure that the driver develops well.”

Schumacher rises to Haas in the next season after his title campaign in F2. He joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in early 2019.