2025 Feed Racing Scholarship registrations are now open and this week in the Driver Development Roundup I have the details on how you can register. I also have great advice on how to develop a winning mindset, a new young driver development program for New Zealand racers and why you are not too old to start racing! All this and plenty more.
In the video above, Enzo Mucci interviews about both driver psychology and sponsorship. “We have a fantastic interview here with Oran O’Kelly. Here is a guy (a sports psychologist) who is walking the talk. Oran compete in the Paris Dakar race whilst on his pursuit to both mental and business success. Today, I pick his brains.”
Malo Bolliet has won a French Formula 4 seat for 2025 after coming out victorious in the final of this year’s FEED Racing France shootout.
Launched in 2019, FEED Racing France is a scheme and racing school founded and fronted by 1997 Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve and former CART driver Patrick Lemarie that provides annual scholarships for drivers to race in FFSA Academy’s centrally-run French F4 championship.
The 2024 edition of the shootout began in July with a long list of 51 drivers from 17 countries, and three five-day courses at Magny-Cours to help them (in groups of 17) learn about and adapt to an F4 car. Each one concluded with a qualifying day which determined which eight drivers would progress to the quarter-finals stage.
If you would like to participate in the 2025 edition of the Feed Racing France Shootout, 2025 registrations are now open!
Rodin Cars and MotorSport New Zealand have joined forces to create an exciting new pathway to Formula 1 for aspiring Kiwi drivers through the well-established NZ Formula Ford Championship.
The upcoming NZ Formula Ford Championship winner will be awarded a fully funded, career-defining opportunity courtesy of Rodin Cars, providing a launchpad for their journey to Formula 1. Titled “Formula Ford to Formula 1, powered by Rodin Cars,” this unique initiative includes an all-expenses-paid, three-day testing and evaluation program with Rodin Cars in New Zealand.
If the driver exhibits exceptional talent during this program, Rodin Cars will further back their career by funding an extended testing program with Rodin Motorsport in the United Kingdom. Outstanding performance during this phase could secure the driver a seat in one of Rodin Motorsport’s Formula 4 teams in either the British or Spanish Championships.
More details can be found at the Motorsport New Zealand page here.
Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) and Ligier JS F4 Series (JS F4) have announced their 2025 race schedules as well as details on their scholarships.
In 2025, the Ligier JS F4 Series driver champion will once again win a scholarship to compete in F4 U.S. the following season. Valued at $186,700, the prize includes the lease of an F4 U.S. chassis and Ligier Storm engine from Ligier Automotive, two sets of tires per event from Hankook Motorsports and race entry fees from Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH).
The 2025 F4 U.S. driver champion will also receive a scholarship to step up to the next level — FR Americas — the following season. The winner will be provided the use of a JS F3 chassis from Ligier Automotive, an F3 engine developed, engineered and provided by Mountune, three sets of tires per event from Hankook Motorsports, and race entry fees from PMH, for a package valued at $264,900. Both scholarship prizes cover the full cost of the season, excluding testing, prep and travel costs.
Details for the revamped FR Americas driver champion prize will be announced in the coming weeks. RACER has all the details.
Think you’re too old to start racing? Check out this profile at Grassroots Motorsports on Justin Slaughter. “Between work, being a good husband and father, plus balancing the numerous scholastic and extracurricular activities of four kids, 50-year-old Justin Slaughter never seriously considered getting into motorsports–until his wife suggested he get a hobby.” Read the whole article here.
Are you ready to jump into the fast-paced world of circuit racing? Whether you’re an experienced driver seeking a new challenge or a complete beginner with a need for speed, this comprehensive guide has got you covered. Get ready for your first race with all the essential information you need to make it a success.
In the video above, Charlie Lower takes you through the step-by-step process of preparing for your racing debut. From finding out where and when you can race to sorting out the logistics, we’ve got everything you need to know. Join us as we provide the tips and insights to help you on your journey to racing success. Ready to start your circuit racing adventure? Watch this video now and take the first step toward becoming a racing pro.
For more info, head to: https://getstarted.motorsportuk.org/circuit-racing/
Rising stars from the Motorsport UK Academy initiative once again feature strongly in the four finalists selected for this year’s highly esteemed Silverstone Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award.
The quartet of standout young British talents shortlisted for what’s the biggest prize in junior circuit racing are (in alphabetical order) Deagen Fairclough, Arvid Lindblad, Louis Sharp and Freddie Slater. They will now face fitness tests conducted by Porsche Human Performance and simulator elements before a two-day test on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit in MotorSport Vision F2, Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and Ligier LMP3 race cars with the ultimate victor announced at the Autosport Awards in January.
Motorsport UK has all the details.
More than Equal announced an exciting new partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University to pioneer female racing athlete research. Through Manchester Met’s Institute of Sport, the new partnership set with More than Equal is unique, seeking to understand female racing drivers’ physiological and endocrinological demands.
“This partnership will not only support More than Equal’s mission to develop the first female F1 world champion, but will progress the knowledge and research in female health and performance for girls and women across all sports,” said Kirsty Elliott-Sale, Professor of Female Endocrinology and Exercise Physiology at Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport.
Ali Donnelly, CEO at More than Equal added, “One of the myths we often hear is that women and girls are not physically or psychologically capable of competing at the highest levels of motorsport. We are delighted to partner with an esteemed research university to dispel these myths with scientific evidence. By understanding and optimising female physiology, we can tailor our development approach to meet the unique needs of our young drivers.”
“This partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University will provide us with the insights and tools necessary to ensure our cohort is fully prepared to compete at the top of the sport.”
More details can be found here.
It’s not just the 2024 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin Champion who will be crowned at the season finale, this year’s Rookie of the Year will be determined as well. The Rookie of the Year takes home an $80,000 check from Mazda, and maybe equally as important is the knowledge that many MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year winners go on to become series champion.
Check out The 2024 Mazda MX-5 Cup Season is a Baptism by Fire for Rookies for a look at how this year’s rookies are doing.
A new hand-control braking system developed by Bosch Motorsport debuts on Robert Wickens’ Bryan Herta Autosport Hyundai Elantra N TCR this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Canadian driver, a race-winner in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge competition, utilizes hand controls in the TCR class entry after being paralyzed following an NTT IndyCar Series accident in 2018.
The new system, developed using Bosch’s existing electronic brake system module from the LMDh platform, along with a controls platform and display, provides a more “robust” solution according to the company.
Read more in the two articles at Sportscar365 below:
- Bosch Hand-Control Braking System Debuts With Wickens
- Bosch System Gives Wickens a “Chance” at LMDh Drive
Register now for the FIA Grils on Track event in Valencia, held during the FIA Motorsport Games 2024! Click this link to join the program.
Continuing to win races and championships and build for the future, Nitro Motorsports has added Paityn MaryJane Feyen to its program. Set to endure a comprehensive effort that will see the young female compete in several forms of motorsports, Paityn has entered into a multi-year agreement with Nitro Motorsports with her eye on the future.
“We have built a program for Paityn that will develop her skill set as a driver both on and off the track,” explained Nitro Motorsports’ Nick Tucker. “While she will define her focus more in the future, Paityn will see action in Legend Cars, Late Models, Toyota GR Cup, and Trans Am machinery.”
More details can be found here.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.
