Joining with the similarly styled scholarships of Team USA and Team Canada, a new Team Brazil scholarship has been announced for 2021. To get more details I talked to Luke Cooper of Swift Cooper racing to get some details on the program.
What are the eligibility requirements?
The driver must be of Brazilian nationality, aged between 16 and 25 years old and have been racing cars in 2021.
What kind of driver is this aimed at? Karters moving into cars? Drivers in cars already who have a potential?
The Scholarship is aimed at drivers racing in cars who have shown potential and are career minded.
What is the selection criteria being used?
The judges will pick drivers based on their results, the potential they have shown and drivers who are performing at the front of their selected championships are more likely to draw attention to the Scholarship and judges and be asked to be put forward for the Scholarship.
Why the Formula Ford Festival?
Formula Ford has always been a brilliant training ground for young drivers and over the years has been a vital part of countless drivers’ careers. The festival has an incredible pedigree and has always been the event to win. 14 winners of the event have progressed into Formula 1 and the festival itself has a strong link with Brazil, with many Brazilians fighting at the sharp end of the festival and the event being won 3 times by Brazilian drivers.
What team will be running the cars at the Festival?
The works Swift Cooper team will be running their latest model of cars for the Scholarship. Swift have been in contention to win the Festival many times, but have only actually won the festival once.
What are the hopes that this Scholarship will provide the winner?
The hopes are that the Scholarship will provide an invaluable experience that the driver will learn from and be able to implement in their future career, while also giving the opportunity for drivers to showcase their talents in arguably the most competitive event in junior formulas.
How do drivers apply?
Drivers will be assessed over the next couple of months and will be contacted if they are chosen as one of the six finalists. If there are any drivers who wish to be put forward for the Scholarship they can contact the scholarship through email: teambrazilscholarship@gmail.com. More details about the scholarship program 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.
