The BMW M Racing Academy is just one of the race driver development programs featured in this week’s Driver Development Roundup. I also bring you details on driver development in Bangladesh, the Goodwood ProDriver Experience and how to focus on what is important for your success.
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
Focus on what is important for your success.
In a recent interview, former NASCAR owner Chip Ganassi shared invaluable insights into the challenges and strategies involved in climbing the open-wheel racing ladder. He emphasized the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and the right support system for aspiring drivers. Ganassi’s experience in the racing industry provides a unique perspective on what it truly takes to succeed in this competitive field. For a deeper understanding of his insights and experiences, I invite you to read the full article here.
After each round of the Ligier European Series, Romain Boeckler shares with you his experiences, emotions and lessons learned. This time, he is off to the Circuit Paul Ricard, in Le Castellet, for a second round full of twists and turns. Read his impressions here.
If you are curious about the Ligier Junior Programme, here is a summary of the first three races. Launched in 2024 as part of the Ligier JS Cup France, the Ligier Junior Programme is a true springboard for young talent. The driver crowned Junior Champion receives a prize to compete the following season in the Ligier European Series, in the Ligier JS P4 category, behind the wheel of a real sports prototype. Read more here.
Following on from “Drive To Survive,” which sparked a boom in F1’s audience through its mix of on-track action and behind-the-scenes insight, “F1: The Academy” debuts on Netflix on Wednesday. It’s set to bring unprecedented attention to a women’s-only racing series. Watch a trailer for the series above.
Here are more details about the documentary:
- A new Netflix docuseries shows how F1 ACADEMY™ is breaking barriers for women in motorsports (American Express)
- Susie Wolff’s behind the scenes documentary to encourage women to take up race driving (Daily Mail)
Fernando Alonso has been named as an ambassador for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as it fights to save its F1 future. Alonso has taken up the new ambassadorship with his aims being to help raise awareness of the circuit worldwide, and also to aid in the development of young drivers. Read more about his role here.
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, showcased its leadership at the Dirtfish Women in Motorsport Summit in Seattle recently. 350 attendees gathered at Le May, America’s Car Museum, for the event – with almost 400,000 dialling into the live steam. Road Sport Director Emilia Abel, Rally Category Manager Marina Duñach, United Against Online Abuse Programme Lead Erin Bourke, and FIA WRC Commission President Pernilla Solberg represented the FIA at the industry-leading conference focused on widening opportunities for women in motor sport. You can read more about the event here.
The best way to improve as a driver on track is to practice, but it’s incredibly difficult to make actual progress, no matter how many laps you complete, without the input of an extra pair of eyes.
Every time I head out onto the Goodwood Motor Circuit I learn something new about how to drive fast, but rarely have I got more out of a morning on track than I did when I got behind the wheel of a stripped out and race-ready BMW M2 CS for Goodwood’s new ProDriver Experience.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
The motorsports scene in Bangladesh has long been constrained by limited infrastructure and a lack of formal driver development initiatives. While interest in competitive racing has increased in recent years, the country has historically lacked dedicated racing facilities, standardised coaching systems, and clear progression pathways for aspiring racers.
In an effort to address these gaps, the Automobile Association of Bangladesh (AAB) has recently launched the Motorsport Academy, offering structured training programmes designed to develop professional racing talent. The academy currently runs three sequential courses – beginner, intermediate and advanced – each requiring successful completion of exams to progress. Read more about the initiative here.
Motorsport UK’s Race for Diversity is heading back to Manchester to host their first community event! On Sunday 8th of June, they are inviting young people ages 14-24 to attend an afternoon to explore careers and opportunities in esports – motorsport and they would love to see more young women in this space.
Location – Simply Race, Trafford, Manchester
Attendees will get the opportunity to meet with Esport professionals, network and even have a chance on the simulators. If you know of any young person interested, please do share this invite onto them and link to register below. Under 18s to attend with parent or guardian.
At the beginning of the year, BMW M Motorsport launched the BMW M Racing Academy, a new customer sport support program for four drivers from the GT4-category. The “Class of 2025,” consisting of Berkay Besler (TUR), Nerea Martí (ESP), Matt Million (USA), and Niels Tröger (GER), has experienced an eventful first half of the year. The participants completed many valuable test kilometres in the BMW M2 Racing, trained at Formula Medicine, and received exclusive and detailed insights during BMW M Motorsport works engagements. Read more about the program here.
Calling all Racing Women and past Formula Woman drivers, competitors, supporters and fans – from 2004 to now…
Racing Women is putting together a reunion at Donington Park on Sunday, September 21st, 2025, during Round 6 of the Fine Cut Radical Championship – and they would really love to see you there.
Over the years, so many amazing women (and supporters!) have been part of this journey – whether you were on the grid, joined us for a track day, trained at bootcamp, or supported the mission from afar. This is a chance to bring everyone together in one place.
They will be at Donington with some of their best drivers competing in the Radical championship so it’s the perfect time to come together and support their drivers.
“Let’s catch up, share some memories, and talk about what’s next for Racing Women. We’ve come a long way – and I’ve got a good feeling there’s still a lot ahead.”
More details can be found here.
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Lamborghini goes sim racing in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup and I have the details. You will also learn how one driver has parlayed iRacing success into real-world motorsport, find out how a major racing school is using sim racing for driver development and much more!
Driver Development Pathways
In his first full season of racing cars in 2024, Justin Adakonis made an immediate impression. On the back of five straight victories in the latter half of the season, he ended up with the SCCA Hoosier Super Tour points championships in Spec MX-5. Adakonis sealed the deal with a third-place finish in the first SCCA National Championship race for the class. RACER charts his journey so far.
At just 13 years old, Eli Van Patten has dominated the Shenandoah Speedway, winning every race this season, including a recent sweep in the Bandoleros. He values the track’s focus on driver skill and aspires to become a NASCAR driver like his idol, Alex Bowman. The recent race event also saw Gary Smith and Shawn Otey achieve their first wins at the track, with Smith expressing relief after multiple near misses and Otey celebrating a family racing legacy. Daniel Silvestri won in the Legends race, emphasizing the importance of seizing racing opportunities. The event showcased the strong community spirit among local racers.
For more information, read the full article here.
Building on her single-seater success in F1 Academy, Nerea Martí has clear goals and ambitions for her future in the sport – and is laying the foundations for her promising next steps in GT racing with the support of the BMW M Racing Academy. We caught up with the young Spaniard as she visited the FIA WEC paddock, ahead of the second round of the Iberian Supercars. Read more about her motorsport journey 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.
