A look at the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid in the UK is just one of the topics covered in this week’s Driver Development Roundup. I also have advice on taking care of your emotions, why Pato O’Ward says that you should be prepared to pivot to take advantage of new opportunities and 3 drivers and the diverse approaches they are taking to make their motorsport dreams a reality.
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
In the video above, Enzo Mucci explains why you need to take control of your motions.
In a recent discussion, Dale Earnhardt Jr. shed light on a significant issue within the NASCAR community, revealing a shocking barrier to entry that could deter aspiring racers. With a staggering $25,000 requirement, he critiques the gatekeeping system that seems to favor those with deep pockets over raw talent and passion for the sport. This revelation has sparked conversations about accessibility and fairness in racing. To delve deeper into Earnhardt’s insights and the implications of this barrier, read the full article here.
Car Magazine explains how to climb the Porsche Motorsport pyramid in the UK. ” It’s not just about the headline grabbing victories in big races, either. Porsche has always catered for drivers at every stage of their career. But there’s now a clear ladder to climb that can, in theory at least, take you from newly-licensed novice to a seat in a Le Mans Hypercar. That ladder is of particular interest to me as I’m in the process of getting a racing license, which started with a fitness assessment at Porsche’s Human Performance Centre. Not that I have designs on getting behind the wheel of a 963 at La Sarthe, but I’m fascinated by the paths that can be charted from the bottom to the top of motorsport. And what Porsche can provide may well inform the direction I decide to take.” Read the full article here.
In the video above, go behind the scenes with Sabré Cook for the second Porsche Carrera Cup NA weekend of 2025, this time as a support series on an F1 weekend!
So, how is sports journalism adapting in an age of social media, shrinking newsrooms, and changing audience habits? And what does that mean for motorsport reporting in particular?
Read Motorsport Media‘s full interview with Matthias Dubach, a seasoned journalist at Blick, Switzerland’s most widely read German-language news outlet, to understand what it’s really like behind the scenes and why good storytelling matters more than ever. You can read the interview here.
The Athletic profiles Pato O’Ward and how his fading F1 dreams led to IndyCar superstardom and has great advice on pivoting and taking advantage of opportunities. “If you go through life trying to plan it, you’re going to be very disappointed, because if I’ve learned something, life never goes to plan, and it works in very mysterious ways,” O’Ward told The Athletic in 2024. “And when you’re so focused on wanting to do one exact plan, you might miss some of the best opportunities that you have in front of you.”
Race for Diversity, the Motorsport UK initiative which aims to increase the participation and engagement of young people from underrepresented backgrounds, held its first volunteer Taster Day for some of its community members at Donington Park Circuit last month. Read more here.
Motorsport UK Academy’s graduates are producing impressive achievements in different disciplines around the world. Revolution Magazine learns about the evolving methods behind the success stories here.
From the moment you head into the paddock at a Jzilla event–the group currently hits Atlanta Motorsports Park, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Barber Motorsports Park and Virginia International Raceway–it’s clear this isn’t your average cutthroat HPDE scene. The energy is chill, the people are welcoming, and there’s a sense of community that makes it feel more like a car club cookout than a high-stakes race weekend–except, you know, with helmets on and apexes being clipped.
Read more about Jzilla Track Days at Grassroots Motorsports here.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
After winning the Motorsport New Zealand Elite Academy Camp last year it has just been announced that Jacob Douglas has also just been crowned the overall academy and Ian Snellgrove Trophy winner.
“I am really proud to have won the top scholar of the class of 2024. The academy is a great program and I believe it has helped me prepare extremely well for my 2025 USF Pro 2000 season here in America. I learnt so much on what it takes to be a professional racing driver, and what it takes to become one.”
In a move that blends motorsport tradition with cutting-edge technology, the Skip Barber Racing School has officially adopted SimCraft’s advanced racing simulators as part of its core driver development program. The integration marks a pivotal evolution in how new and seasoned racers alike will prepare for track time—by first logging translational seat time in a motion simulator that moves like a real car. Read more here.
From the Sim Racing Roundup
How sim racing is launching women’s racing careers is just some of what is covered in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup. I also look at Max Verstappen’s extensive work developing simulator software used by Formula 2 and Formula 3 teams, how Extended Reality and sim racing are transforming motorsports in the United States plus much more!
Driver Development Pathways
South African rising karting star Emma-Rose Dowling proudly represented the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission at the 2025 FIA Karting Academy Trophy opening round, held at Lucas Guerrero International Kart Circuit in Valencia, Spain recently. Competing against a fiercely talented, globally selected field of 52 drivers from 51 countries, Emma stood tall as the sole entrant nominated by the FIA Women in Motorsport program. Read more about her motorsport career path here.
Porsche Junior Theo Oeverhaus has won the opening round of the 2025 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Imola. After an action-packed race at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, where the first Supercup race in history was contested in 1993, the young German clinched victory ahead of Israeli Ariel Levi and Dutchman Kas Haverkort. A dramatic mass collision shortly after the start eliminated nine cars, including the 911 GT3 Cup of the second Porsche Junior, Alessandro Ghiretti. Read more about his journey here.
Ever since it was founded in 2014, the Lamborghini Young Driver Program has enabled the next generation of GT racing talent to prove what it takes to be a professional, all under the guidance of a dedicated team of experts within the Sant’Agata Bolognese firm. Running parallel to the one-make Super Trofeo category, the Young Driver Program is the ideal setup within the Lamborghini fold to identify, evaluate and, ultimate assess the most promising drivers under the age of 25 at the end of the season.
Frenchman Enzo Geraci – who is dovetailing a dual Super Trofeo program this season, with Oregon Team in Europe and Ansa Motorsports in North America – came out on top in the 2024 shootout held at Jerez de la Frontera. For 18-year-old Geraci, the impact of the YDP on his burgeoning career cannot be understated. Read about its impact here.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a 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.
