“Build the athlete before the driver” — it’s a simple concept, but one that can have a major impact on race driver development. In this week’s Driver Development Roundup, I explore what it means and why developing the complete athlete should come before focusing solely on driving performance. I also look at the Future Lap driver analytics program, why choosing the right driver management can make a difference, and more insights to help drivers take the next step in their careers.
Overview
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
Future Lap: How Analytics Identifies Driver Talent
Last week on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast I interviewed Liselott Lading of Future Lap who explains the importance of analytics in identifying driver talent and how Future Lap is democratizing this data.
Listen to the full episode here!
Jasraj Singh Sidhu on High-Performance Motorsport
Elite performance starts long before the lights go out. Jasraj Singh Sidhu explains to The Hairpin why habits, recovery and preparation shape successful racing careers. “Build the Athlete before the driver.” Read the full interview here.
Finding the Drivers the System Misses
Motorsport has become exceptionally good at measuring young drivers, but does it know how to recognize talent that does not fit its preferred development model? Robert G Reid argues that telemetry, coaching and structured junior programs can inadvertently reward drivers who respond quickly to conventional instruction while overlooking those who need a different path to unlock their potential. Using Lando Norris and the LN4 Legacy initiative as a starting point, he makes a compelling case for more individualized driver development—and for giving promising drivers the time and support needed for their abilities to become visible.
You can read his full article here.
The Ladder Already Exists: Why Universities Should Partner With Racing Academies
The Youth & Motorsports STEM Foundation explains why universities should partner with racing academies — and stop forcing young drivers to choose between college and a career on track.
“Universities could create collegiate driving programs through partnerships with the professional racing infrastructure already in place. They don’t need to buy race cars, hire mechanics or create new championships. They need to make higher education compatible with the development systems motorsport has already built.”
Read the full article here.
The Importance of the Right Management
Acct Management explains why having the right management changes everything. “Racing is only half the job. The rest happens off the track, and that’s where we come in. You focus on driving; we handle your career.” Read their full Instagram post here for the details.
Young Drivers Hoping to Reach F1 Have a New Final Test, as F2 Launches a New Car
The Formula 2 junior driver championship has unveiled a new, updated car for the 2027 season that features a series of aerodynamic changes in a bid to bring it closer to Formula 1.
“We wanted to have a car that is more in line with the aerodynamics of the F1 car,” Bruno Michel, the F2 CEO, told The Athletic. “But we didn’t want to change the full car because there’s a cost element to it. That is really important in everything we’re doing.”
Properly Preparing for Driver Shootouts
Every year, shootouts and scholarship programs hand out drives worth serious money, and every year most of the drivers who enter them prepare for the wrong test. Understanding how these selections actually work is worth more than an extra month of lap time practice. Dan Wells from Drivers Lab explains how here.
Beyond the Next Generation: What Happens After F1 Academy?
F1 Academy has succeeded in creating visibility, infrastructure and funded opportunities for young female drivers—but the harder question is what happens when those opportunities run out. This Mlle Racing analysis argues that funding a seat is not the same as funding a career, using the contrasting post-Academy paths of Marta García, Abbi Pulling and Doriane Pin to illustrate the challenges of non-linear development. The bigger issue is whether drivers can receive enough time, financial support and continuity to survive difficult seasons and category changes without being forced out of professional motorsport.
A Closer Look Into the World of F1 Academy
Malena Guerrero had the opportunity to attend the F1 Academy tests at Circuito de Navarra – Los Arcos, an experience that allowed her to get a closer look at the work, people and environment behind a professional racing program. Click the link here to get a closer look into the world of F1 Academy.
British GT Legend Andrew Howard Announces Retirement
British GT’s most successful Am driver, Andrew Howard, will retire from full-time modern motorsport at the end of 2026. A career spanning 27 years, 13 British GT wins across all classes and two overall GT3 drivers’ titles comes to a close at Brands Hatch on September 27 when he is due to start his 157th and final British GT race. That’s 43% of the championship’s 362 races (as it will be at that point).
The reason he is retiring? “In short, despite the competitive fires burning in me just as intensely as 10 or 15 years ago, I just don’t have the time and energy to commit myself 100 per cent to racing any more. The game has moved on over the past decade and it’s clear that younger Am drivers, who can race weekend after weekend in a variety of series, train in the gym every day and spend lots of time on the simulator, are at a big advantage. If you can’t do all that, your performance suffers, and when that happens, it’s harder to enjoy it.”
Read his full interview here.
Yacademy Fall Testing Schedule Released
Yacademy has announced their fall testing schedule for those looking to prepare for 2027. You can see the full schedule here.
Racing at Jeddah in Saudi F4?
Racing at Jeddah in Saudi F4? Drivers Lab is now offering Jeddah F4 race prep for drivers competing in the upcoming Saudi F4 season. Build circuit knowledge, work through the key sections with our expert coaches, review telemetry, and find the final tenths before you arrive at the track. Limited slots available. Book your slots today. Contact Drivers Lab here.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
Robin Räikkönen Joins Red Bull Junior Team
Robin Räikkönen has joined the Red Bull Junior Team. The young Finn will become part of the Red Bull driver development program from 2027, which has helped guide numerous drivers on their path to Formula One. More details can be found here.
Round 3 Racing Junior Driver Program has openings for the 2027 Season
The Round 3 Racing Junior Driver Program has openings for the 2027 Zenith Racing Series season. They’re looking for funded drivers who are working their way up the racing ladder. The opportunity is in the team’s Sebeco NP01 EVO prototype race cars.
The R3R Junior program offers coaching for both race craft and the intangibles that are so important to race teams, manufacturers, and sponsors. If you’re interested, have the proper funding, and your racing experience is appropriate for this level of competition, you can DM them on their socials or email them though their website here. Include your racing experience and contact info.
CLX Academy’s Path from Single-Seaters to Endurance Racing
CLX Academy is all about identifying young talent and supporting them on their journey to the top of endurance racing. Get more details on the program here.
On the Podcast This Week
Why You Need to Have a Plan with Mick Gomme
This week on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast features Mick Gomme of Go Motorsport Management. Mick explains how crucial it has to have a plan so you don’t wast time or money.
The episode drops this Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM EST. You can listen to the episode and subscribe to the podcast here.
Karting
Toyota Wants to Make Racing a Family Affair with the GR Kart
GAZOO Racing (GR) has launched the “GR KART”―an entry-level racing kart developed to broaden hands-on access to motorsports for children and families―nationwide today in Japan at kart tracks and GR Garage locations*.
Features:
- Developed as an entry-level racing kart for children and families to broaden the gateway to motorsports
- Transportable in a Toyota Noah or Toyota Voxy minivan and compliant with space-saving upright storage, reducing the burden of kart ownership
- Driving position adjustment mechanisms that allow everyone from children to adults to share the same kart
- Designed to minimize maintenance requirements, allowing beginners to focus on driving
- Priority on safety and durability for creating a product that is easy to use for the long term
- Dedicated app for support to ensure a safe and secure experience―from pre-purchase learning to post-purchase driving
Full details can be found here.
How Young Does a Child Need to Start Karting?
Dan Wells of Drivers Lab discusses how young a child needs to start karting. “The question I am asked most by parents outside the sport is also the one with the most misleading folklore around it. How young does a child need to start karting? The honest answer is later than the paddock will tell you, and the panic around starting age costs families money and children their enjoyment.”
Read his full LinkedIn post here.
FIA Karting Has Confirmed the 2027 Calendar
FIA Karting has confirmed the 2027 calendar following approval from the World Motor Sport Council. The schedule combines the arrival of new circuits with the return of iconic tracks, culminating in the Mondokart.com FIA Karting World Championships in Ugento, Italy, and Sakhir, Bahrain. Full details can be found here.
Season 2 of the Champions of the Future Racing Academy is Officially Open
New enrollments for Season 2 of the Champions of the Future Racing Academy are open. But spots are extremely limited. Apply by sending an email to info@motorsportperformanceacademy.com
From IAME Series Benelux to Formula 4
Just a quick reminder: thanks to a partnership with Thibaut Racing — the team founded by Thibaut Courtois — the X30 Senior class champion will win no fewer than two Formula 4 test days.
Last Week on The Business of Being a Race Driver
Motorsport Sponsorship Is a Partnership, Not a Transaction
Why a successful motorsport sponsorship is a partnership is just one of the topics covered in last week’s Business of Being a Race Driver. I also had more video on what sponsors are looking for from drivers and more!
From the Sim Racing Roundup
How Simulators Prepare Trans Am Drivers
How simulators prepare Trans Am drivers is just some of what you will learn in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup. I also have the answer to whether sim racing can actually prepare you for real racing and much more!
Driver Journeys
Evan Giltaire’s Successful Sacrifice and How Super Formula Lights Reignited His Career
Evan Giltaire switched to Super Formula Lights in 2026 after missing out on the expected step up to Formula 3 because of budget. Speaking to Feeder Series, the Frenchman revealed the differences between racing in Japan and Europe and his team’s surprise that turned out to be the highlight of his career so far.
Indy NXT’s Rowe: ‘It’s Really Cool Finding this Equilibrium of Experience and Perspective’
A season filled with historic highs and unexpected lows has left Myles Rowe looking to continue his growth as both a driver and team leader. Feeder Series sat down with Rowe at Nashville last month to discuss his unparalleled victory at Gateway, his unusual trip through the IndyCar ladder and how he hopes his third season will end.
Mattia Colnaghi – A Rising Force
Mattia Colnaghi’s rapid rise through the junior single-seater ranks illustrates what a modern driver-development pathway can look like. The 18-year-old Italian-Argentine joined the Red Bull Junior Team after winning the 2025 Eurocup-3 championship and stepped up to FIA Formula 3 with MP Motorsport for 2026. Red Bull’s profile offers a closer look at the young driver’s background, approach and ambitions as he takes another important step toward Formula 1.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects and the host of the Motorsport Prospects Podcast. 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.
