How F1 Driver Academies work is the focus of this week’s edition of the Driver Development Roundup. I have several articles for you to read that will give you valuable insight into how these academies work and what they are looking for in young drivers to support. All this and of course much more driver development news and resources.
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
The video above from Enzo Mucci explains how to stop procrastination.
To mark International Women’s Sports Day, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) was part of an incredible line up celebrating women in motorsport.
The event, attended by motor-sporting greats including Guest of Honour, World Rally Champion Michèle Mouton, also played host to 120 female students aged 14-22 who listened to an inspiring panel of speakers discussing avenues for women into motorsport, their own journeys, and their advice to the next generation.
You can find out more about the event here.
The winner of the 2025 Formula Regional Americas Championship will walk away with $100,000 if they can take home the title in the series in 2024, a considerable increase from $25,000 in 2024. Additionally, the champions of the two support series of FR Americas, the Formula 4 United States Championship and the entry-level Ligier JS F4 Series, will receive partial scholarships that will a majority of the costs to compete at the next level. US Open Weel Nation has more details.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
Last December I brought you details of the Formelaustria Young Driver Program. They have just released a great video that explains what the program is all about and you can watch it above..
With the ever-increasing competitiveness in Formula 1, the competition extends to the young drivers the teams sign to their driver academies.
“What does F1’s class of 2025 have in common? Other than bags of talent, the quintet has been carefully brought through the single-seater ladder with the support of a junior programme or young driver academy. The importance of these has not only grown for F1 hopefuls, but also for the teams that end up benefitting from them.”
Here are two articles that look into how F1 teams run their driver academies and what they are looking for in young drivers.
- Inside the arms race finding the next Antonelli and Bearman (Autosport)
- Racing to the Top: A Deep Dive into the F1 Driver Academies (Last Word on Sports)
Continuing the focus on F1 Driver Academies, Stephanie Carlin has taken an unusual route to reach her current role at McLaren, having started her motorsport journey on the PR side with A1GP. Now, she is tasked with molding the team’s future stars.
“It was amazing to be part of the story for so many drivers,” Carlin insisted when asked what separated good drivers from the great. But that’s a difficult question to answer because every racer is so different. Some drivers are very technical, others are naturally talented but don’t understand why. You get drivers who work hard and apply themselves. But I think one rule of thumb is that they work to bring a team around them and appear good-natured – until they put their helmet on. Then there is an edge that you don’t see at any other time.”
Read her complete profile on Motorsport.com here.
If you are not one of those who have been selected to attend an F1 Driver Academy, TJ13 gives an overview of the ever-increasing costs of the FIA single-seater driver development pyramid.
“Ten years ago, a writer form this site interview the organisers of the GP3/2 series in Abu Dhabi and at the time the likes of Daniil Kvyat were paying €500,000 for a season in GP3. Gasly now reveals the cost of the international FIA later to F1 has sky rocketed.”
Read the complete article here.
AF2 Motorsport has launched a ‘Support AF2 Junior Team 2025’ program which is aimed at young drivers aged between 16 and 18, with a karting or F4 background, who wish to develop and perfect their skills in the LMP3 category. The initiative is spearheaded by AF2 Motorsport, a Spanish-based team with over 30 years’ experience in motorsport.
The program includes coaching, participation in championships such as the Ultimate Cup Series and the Prototype Cup Germany, and test days supervised by experienced professionals. For further information, please contact secretariat.af2motorsport@gmail.com.
Karting
In karting news, the Jamie Chadwick Series will open its doors to girls as young as eight to help unearth new female talent and forge pathways into Formula 1. “Chadwick told Autosport: “There was so much pressure and focus on getting a female driver to Formula 1, I think we lost sight of what we want to do which is to create a diverse sport and get more women involved in the first place.”
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Max Verstappen draws parallels between sim racing and real-world racing in last week’s edition of the Sim Racing Roundup. You will also find out how realistic Assetto Corsa EVO is, learn why you should focus on driver confidence this year and much more!
Driver Development Pathways
Zach Robichon
In a profile on Sportscar365, Zach Robichon explains how racing is all about relationships. “I’ve been lucky enough the last few years to make a lot of good relationships with a lot of really great people,” Robichon said. You can read the complete profile here.
Sebastian Garzon
Last November, Colombian Sebastian Garzon put together one of the best single-day performances in 2024 in American karting when he won not one, but two national titles at Las Vegas’s SuperKarts! USA SuperNationals. Now, in 2025, Garzon is going to take the step directly into the pathway to IndyCar with DEForce Racing in a move announced this afternoon that will put Garzon in USF2000 as one of the most prominent signings in the offseason of the USF Pro Championships.
Read the complete analysis at US Open Wheel Nation.
Imogen Radburn
The latest edition of the Motorsport Coaching Podcast features race driver Imogen Radburn as she works to race in the F1 Academy, She shares her candid thoughts on the challenges faced by women in the industry and how she overcame them with persistence and a supportive network. You can listen to the episode 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.
