Among the young talents expected on the grid of the 2026 Italian Sport Prototypes Championship is Francesco Dattolo, a Palermo-born driver from the class of 2010, who is preparing to tackle his rookie season in the series at the wheel of the Wolf GB08 Raiden as part of the Wolf Academy driver development program.
Born in Palermo on April 13, 2010, Dattolo approached motorsport at a very young age, climbing into a kart for the first time when he was just four years old. His early experiences on track quickly translated into significant results: between the ages of four and six he claimed victory in the regional Entry Level city championship in Sicily, immediately showcasing natural talent and great enthusiasm behind the wheel.
After a break from competitive racing, Francesco returned to competition in 2023, contesting the OKN Senior karting championship. Throughout the season he demonstrated competitiveness and determination, securing several promising finishes despite facing a number of challenges, particularly during qualifying sessions that were often affected by unfortunate incidents and technical issues.
One of the distinctive aspects of his sporting pathway has been the decision, taken very early together with his entourage, not to pursue a long-term career in competitive karting. Instead, the focus was placed from the outset on transitioning to car racing, a strategic choice aimed at accelerating his learning curve and allowing him to engage as soon as possible with the technical and professional dynamics of circuit racing.
The key step in this transition came through his participation in the Wolf Steering Wheel Award, the international talent selection contest promoted by Wolf Racing Cars to identify emerging drivers. Following the selection process, Dattolo was deemed suitable and officially joined the Wolf Academy, the manufacturer’s development program dedicated to nurturing young motorsport talents.
Preparations for the season have already begun with the first official test sessions held at the Binetto circuit, four intense days of work during which the Academy drivers started to familiarize themselves with the Wolf GB08 Raiden, focusing on understanding the car, working on set-up and refining different phases of driving.
The program then continued at the Varano de’ Melegari circuit, where the young Wolf talents completed two additional days of testing split into groups, working on race simulations, start procedures and technical debriefing with the engineers. A structured program that represents a key stage in the sporting development of the selected drivers.
“Joining the Wolf Academy and preparing for my debut in the Italian Sport Prototypes Championship is a great opportunity for my career,” commented Francesco Dattolo. “I’m aware that I’m at the beginning of a very demanding journey, but that’s exactly why I’m working with great determination to learn as much as possible in every session on track. Moving into car racing is an important challenge and I can’t wait to continue this development path.”
Giovanni Bellarosa, Founder and CEO of Wolf Racing Cars, also expressed his satisfaction: “Francesco is one of the youngest drivers in the program, but he has already shown strong motivation and a very serious approach to the work on track. The Wolf Academy was created precisely to guide drivers like him through a structured technical and sporting development path. We’re pleased to support him in this first step into the Italian Sport Prototypes Championship.”
The 2026 season will therefore represent a key milestone in Dattolo’s motorsport journey, with the primary goal of building experience, mileage and technical knowledge in one of the most formative categories on the Italian racing scene.
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