The Team USA Scholarship has pivoted this year to supporting two drivers in the USF2000 season finale last weekend and this week in the Driver Development Roundup you will learn why. I also have details on the career paths of Sabre Cook and Ollie Berman, a new collaboration with the F1 Academy and how you can become part of the next ARDC Race Academy – Formula Pathways event.

The Team USA Scholarship enabled a pair of promising young American drivers, Ayrton Houk and Thomas Schrage, to contest last weekend’s USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire tripleheader season finale at Portland International Raceway. The pair remained with their current teams, Houk at DC Autosport and Schrage at VRD Racing. Both have previously represented the Team USA Scholarship in England.

“This represents a switch in emphasis for our program, which has proudly been supporting deserving young American drivers since 1990,” said Team USA Scholarship founder and president Jeremy Shaw. “Traditionally, we have provided an opportunity for some drivers to compete overseas, often for the first time. We have entered at least two drivers in the Formula Ford Festival and the Walter Hayes Trophy in England each year since 2008.”

“Even though I remain firm in my belief that Formula Ford continues to provide a magnificent first step for young drivers, the reality is that the most efficacious way forward for drivers who are seeking a future in the NTT IndyCar Series is via the USF Pro Championships ladder, and after consultation with all our partners and constituents, I am delighted to be able to ensure that Ayrton and Thomas will be able to finish their seasons and build toward full championship challenges in 2025.”

Read more at the Team USA Scholarship website here.

Sabre Cook explains to Motorsport Week her journey from karting to the Porsche Carrera Cup. “I always loved school,” she explained. “I was into maths and science so it made sense for me to go to school for engineering. It’s something I’m really passionate about and it reflects in my racing. Being a driver is definitely my main passion and focus, but I always tend to look at things from a more technical and analytical perspective.”

Read the full feature at Motorsport Week here.

Wise words from Enzo Mucci in the video above has he explains why you should focus on the now and next.

F1 Academy has announced a landmark collaboration with The Female Quotient (The FQ), an experiential, media, and transformation advisory company that aims to advance gender equality in the workplace. To mark the start of the partnership, The FQ branded the Wild Card entry for Round 4 of the F1 Academy season in Zandvoort, which saw Dutch racer Nina Gademan make her F1 Academy debut.

Founded on a shared mission to ignite change and drive meaningful conversations about equality, the first-of-its-kind sports partnership for The Female Quotient will see curated events take place within the cities that F1 Academy races, during race week.

The inaugural event, EQUALITY LOUNGE IN COLLABORATION WITH F1 ACADEMY @ SINGAPORE, is set to take place in Singapore in September. The programme of events at the Equality Lounges will include expert panels, and dedicated spaces for content creation and connection, all designed to ignite conversations around parity and empowerment.

You can read more about the collaboration on the Formula 1 website.

Team USA Scholarship Pivots to Supporting Two Drivers in USF2000

Ollie Bearman is a rising star in the world of motorsport, known for his impressive performances and determination to make it to the top. As a young and talented driver, Ollie has been making waves with his exceptional skills on the track and inspiring journey towards becoming a Formula 1 driver.

In the episode of the High Performance Podcast featured above, Jake Humphrey sits down with Ollie to discuss his path to Formula 1, and the extreme mental and physical demands that come with being a racing driver.

Ollie candidly shares the moment he knew he was destined for Formula 1, his techniques for managing the immense pressure, and his interactions with notable figures like Frederick Vasseur and Charles Leclerc. He also reflects on what it was like to race alongside his hero, Lewis Hamilton and the sacrifices he made growing up.

This episode offers an exclusive look into the mindset and determination of a future Formula 1 star.

Twenty-five years ago, Bruno Junqueira was a finalist for a Formula 1 drive with BMW Williams Racing, but the seat never materialized, not even after he won the F3000 title the next season. The Brazilian driver sat down with Feeder Series to discuss the success he eventually found in American open-wheel racing and what could have been in F1.

“In the world of modern junior single-seaters, it is not uncommon for drivers to spend three years in F2 – the second-tier series – to prove their worth. Both its 2022 and 2023 champions, Felipe Drugovich and Théo Pourchaire, benefitted from that extra year won the respective titles on their third attempt, but neither has made it to F1. Pourchaire appears less likely to ascend to F1 after his title than he did after his first two seasons. Such scenarios are not new. Back in 2000, Bruno Junqueira won the International F3000 title after having narrowly missed out on an F1 drive with BMW Williams Racing for the 2000 F1 season. Yet even with a title in hand, he was overlooked for F1 drives and had to turn elsewhere to launch his professional career.”

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.