Cebu’s William John Riley Go begins chasing Formula 1 dream

William John Riley Go (leftmost) along with the rest of Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) Scouting World Finals contestants. | Photo from the Ferrari Driver Academy Facebook page

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebuano karting sensation William John Riley Go takes a step closer in fulfilling his Formula 1 dream as the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) Scouting World Finals in Maranello, Italy gets underway. 

Also competing for the title are drivers from Taiwan, Colombia, Brazil, Italy, and the Netherlands who will vie for the top spot of the FDA Scouting World Finals and follow the footsteps of famous FDA alumni and Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc.  

All six finalists, including Go met Marco Matassa, the head of the FDA and other top brass at the Ferrari headquarters at the Via Enzo Ferrari 27 in Maranello, Italy. 

Go and the rest of the five contenders will undergo a series of intensive tests which evaluates their skills, attitude, and mental fortitude for five days. 

READ MORE: Cebuano karter Go advances to World Finals of Ferrari Driver Academy

Afterwards, they will experience for the first time track walking the famous Fiorano Circuit, Ferrari’s official development and testing racetrack before they drive a Formula 4 during simulation there.

Go on FDA camp: An honor

After the camp, FDA engineers will analyze each contenders’ overall performance to ultimately select the overall winner. 

The winning driver will join the Ferrari Driver Academy, where he will be trained under its Ferrari Formula 1 program. 

For Go, reaching this far is an honor and blessing for him, especially that he represents not just the Philippines, but Asia in this prestigious undertaking. 

Six young drivers battling for a place in the Ferrari Driver Academy: the FDA Scouting World Finals is underway in Maranello 💪 Good luck guys! #FDA #ScoutingWorldFinals @ACI_Italia @Motorsport_AUS @escuderiatelmex

— Ferrari Driver Academy (@insideFDA) October 25, 2023

“It is truly my honor and a blessing to be able to represent the Philippines and Asia on this global stage. While I acknowledge the challenges of competing against not only talented racers worldwide but also my own personal best. I am determined to pour my heart out and strive for the best. It’s a daunting task, but I embrace it with enthusiasm and a commitment to make the most of this extraordinary experience,” said Go in his Facebook post. 

Go earned his reputation in the international karting scene after becoming the first Filipino to rule the ROK SuperFinal in 2022 in Italy. 

He also racked up titles in other numerous races in the international karting scene that helped him get selected in the FDA along with 23 other hopefuls last August during the FDA Asia Pacific and Oceania program in Malaysia. 

/bmjo