The clear-out comes just a few months after Formula 2 driver Alex Dunne decided not to continue with McLaren.
“With multiple wins and podiums across their time with the team, we thank them for their contribution to McLaren and wish them the best for the future,” McLaren said of the trio.
The departures were confirmed with the announcement McLaren has added Matteo De Palo to its academy.
De Palo joins IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward, Formula 4 driver Dries Van Langendonck, and Ella Lloyd of F1 Academy fame in the development driver pool.
Ugochukwu was the longest-tenured of the trio, having signed with McLaren in 2021 at just 13 years old.
The young American was touted as a Formula 1 star of the future after early success in karts.
He was a title winner in Formula 4 in 2023, a race winner in Formula Regional in 2024, and won the Macau Grand Prix.
His first season in the FIA Formula 3 Championship was luckless, only twice standing on the podium with Prema in 2025. In 2026, he will join Campos.
Stenshorne lasted just two seasons with McLaren. The Norwegian was signed in 2024 the year after finishing second to Kimi Antonelli in the 2023 Formula Regional European Championship.
He graduated to the FIA Formula 3 Championship and in 2024 won one race on his way to 18th in the championship. In 2025, he finished fifth with two race wins.
Stenshorne will graduate to the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2026 with Rodin Motorsport.
Brando Badoer, the son of ex-Formula 1 driver Luca Badoer, only joined the McLaren driver development roster this year.
The Italian has worked his way up the Formula 1 feeder series ladder with some success, finishing on the podium in Formula 4 and Formula Regional.
Badoer’s graduation to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Prema this year saw him struggle to crack the top 20, but by the end of the year he had three top 10 finishes in the final five races.
McLaren’s latest signing, De Palo, finished second to Freddie Slater in this year’s Formula Regional European Championship.
De Palo will step up to the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2026 with Trident.
“Joining the McLaren Driver Development Programme is a great honour,” said De Palo.
“The team have a fantastic track record for developing talent, so I am excited to grow across all elements of being a racing driver.
“Thank you to Zak (Brown), Alessandro (Alunni Bravi) and the entire McLaren team. I am excited to get out on track in papaya.”
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, McLaren Racing’s chief business affairs officer, labelled De Palo an “exciting young talent”
“We look forward to supporting his development across driving, as well as the wider aspects of being a professional driver, within our programme pathway.
“We also thank Ugo, Martinius and Brando for their contribution to McLaren and wish them the best for the future.”
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