Raffaele Marciello

Raffaele "Lello" Marciello (Italian pronunciation: [raffaˈɛːle marˈtʃɛllo]; born 17 December 1994) is a Swiss-born Italian professional racing driver who currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup for BMW M Team WRT. A former member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, he was the 2013 European Formula Three Champion, a reserve and test driver for the Sauber Formula One team in 2015, and spent three seasons competing in the GP2 Series. He switched to GT racing in 2017 and became a works Mercedes-AMG driver ahead of the 2018 campaign, where he stayed until leaving in 2023 and subsequently signing with BMW. In 2022, Marciello earned his first major endurance race victory by winning the Spa 24 Hours.

Marciello debuted in karting in 2005 and raced in various European championships, working his way up from the junior ranks to progress through to the KF2 category by 2010.^{[citation needed]}

In 2010, Marciello graduated to single-seaters, racing in the newly launched Formula Abarth series in Italy for JD Motorsport. He won opening race at Misano and race at Varano and amassed another two podiums it brought him third place in standings. Also he and fellow Formula Abarth champion Brandon Maïsano became members of the Ferrari Driver Academy.

Marciello stepped up to Italian Formula Three Championship in 2011 and joined Prema Powerteam. He claimed wins at Misano and Adria and another four podiums, finishing third and losing rookie title to Michael Lewis, but overcoming Maïsano by seven points.

In 2012 Marciello continued his collaboration with Prema Powerteam into Formula 3 Euro Series. and the revived FIA European Formula Three Championship. In FIA F3, he finished second in the championship, with nine podiums including seven wins. In Euro Series, he finished third with ten podiums and six wins. In both championships, he scored more wins than anybody else.^{[citation needed]}

Marciello remained in F3 for 2013, and emerged as a pre-season favourite following his impressive results in the previous year and dominant performances in pre-season testing. He ended up winning 13 races and claimed the title with a race to spare.

During the 2012 off-season, Marciello competed in New Zealand-based Toyota Racing Series, taking ninth place in the championship with a win at Hampton Downs.

Marciello had been looking to be driving in the GP2 Series or World Series by Renault for 2014 after testing both cars in Catalunya in October 2013.