Self-Belief plays a crucial role in the development of race drivers and in this edition of the Driver Development Roundup you will learn why.
I also have news on driver development programs from Hyundai and Lamborghini Squadra Corse, how Legends cars build NASCAR champions and the youth-oriented Rally of the Ages.
All this and more in this week’s Driver Development Roundup on Motorsport Prospects. Its news aspiring race drivers can use.
In the video above, Enzo Mucci explains how chasing your racing dreams isn’t easy. “It is a very lonely road when you are dreaming of becoming a Formula 1 or professional race driver. In this video I not only want to say “Never give up!” but I also want to keep you on track with a few tips. It’s nobody else’s job to believe in you, you need to believe in you.“
Hyundai team has announced the relaunch of their Hyundai Motorsport Driver development Programme (HMDP), which aims to provide young drivers with an environment and dedicated resources to become the next generation of Rally1 driver candidates.
“We already have drivers with experience in Thierry, Esapekka and Dani, but now the direction is to look into the younger generation and help them to fulfil their potential,” said our President Sean Kim. “Supporting rising talent with this programme we can honour the memory of Craig Breen, who, as a passionate rally fan, always put a lot of effort into nurturing juniors, and also strongly reinforces our commitment to the WRC.”
“The HMDP is not here to fill a gap, instead it is a strategic platform to ensure that Hyundai has multiple choices and options among the young drivers out there,” added our Team Principal, Cyril Abiteboul.
With the W Series entering administration, The Race explains how the W Series failed on track but its legacy is bigger than it seems. “W Series restarted the careers of many lost female junior drivers. The likes of Alice Powell, Marta Garcia and Emma Kimilainen (pictured above) were all given another chance to showcase their talent. Now ex-Renault F1 junior Garcia is leading F1’s own all-female series and Powell has become a staple of both Alpine’s driver academy as a coach and of Channel 4’s F1 broadcast team.”
Motorsport UK reports the successful launch of the first event of the youth-focused Rally for the Ages. “Unlike stage rallying, regularities don’t involve driving flat-out through special stages: instead, they take place mainly on public roads and come with the objective of testing the driver and co-driver’s skills at maintaining a precise average speed over a defined route. As such, virtually any road car can be used, provided it meets the specific entry requirements of the event – making them a popular and cost-effective form of motorsport. In addition, the only license required for taking part is the free Motorsport UK RS Clubman License.“
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF) Scholarship and Mentoring Program has returned and is accepting applications for 2024.
Now in its 18th year, the Scholarship and Mentoring Program was developed with the help of the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport to help young athletes excel in their respective sports.
Click here to apply for the program.
In 2018, Cameron Shields, was one of the six to receive a mentorship and has since gone on to compete in the United States.
Lamborghini Squadra Corse has announced the 26 Super Trofeo Junior Drivers and 19 GT3 Juniors that have been selected for a season-long assessment program that will lead to a shootout to gain manufacturer support.
The 45 drivers, who all compete in Lamborghini machinery, will be assessed and evaluated on performance (both single lap pace and average speed), weekend consistency, experience, professionalism, technical feedback and attitude both at and away from the circuit.
Program Supervisor Raffaele Giammaria will then select the best drivers to take part in an end-of-year shootout at Vallelunga, which takes place following the conclusion of the Lamborghini Grand Finals.
Autoweek has a great article on the Legends Series and specifically the Charlotte Motor Speedway Summer Shootout where NASCAR legends are born. “The list of Summer Shootout alumni is long and impressive. Among them: two-time Cup Series champions Joey Logano and Kyle Busch; one-time Cup champions Kurt Busch and Chase Elliott; Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Xfinity Series champions Elliott, Daniel Hemric, William Byron, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, and Chris Buescher; and Craftsman Series champions Dillon, Zane Smith, and Ben Rhodes.”
The GP Blog explains how Red Bull prepare young drivers like Verstappen and Vettel for F1. “At the start, it was okay to support young drivers. It’s like a sponsorship. If you sponsor, you want something back. When we had the two Formula One teams, the approach changed completely. It was now just supporting to find a driver who should be in the position to at least win a Grand Prix. A championship is a different story.”
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.
