So last week I talked a bit about what has been going on at Motorsport Prospects in the first half of the year with a focus on the Motorsport Prospects Blog and all the great motorsport content that has been available since January. If you missed the post you can read it here. For this week I wanted to focus on two things. The first is the Directory and the second is the site refresh that is in the works.
The Directory
The plan has always been to provide users in the motorsport community, and particular race car drivers, with the most globally comprehensive source of independent information on teams, race series and ancillary services available anywhere. Currently the directory contains 74 team listings, 61 series listings and listings for 22 services. While that may seem like a lot I currently have 320 teams, 205 race series and 620 motorsport-related services (not suppliers) sitting in my internal database waiting to be added to the directory. As I was sifting through the listings I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t offering the kind of information I felt important for users who are doing their motorsport research. Originally I had decided to do a wholesale update of both the information and the format of each listing before adding more. After talking to some users and doing some research I realized that this was not what needed to be done. Instead the very core of Motorsport Prospects had to be rebuilt so it would be better placed for the future. And so I am full on in development of Motorsport Prospects Version 2.
Why? When discussing Motorsport Prospects with team owners, drivers, parents of drivers, coaches and others within motorsport almost everyone agreed that it was a service that was needed, but they were not clear on what it was Motorsport Prospects was offering them and how it could be useful to their needs. With that in mind I am in the process of rebuilding the site and clarifying its purpose.
What is Motorsport Prospects for?
Motorsport Prospects is for those in the motorsport community but primarily drivers and their families and advisors to access independently validated information on racing teams, race series and motorsport-related services to assist them in making important decisions while avoiding potentially costly mistakes. The information is free to access to all registered users of the site and there are tools that allow users to save information to their accounts, build lists and contact the listing owners directly. The directory is and will continue to be continuously updated and expanded to be the most comprehensive motorsport resource in the world.
The Future
In order to achieve this admittedly lofty goal the website is being completely re-written to offer both an easier way to access information and to lay the groundwork for future services. The first phase is a complete overhaul of the directory as part of the website update to make it easier to navigate and more comprehensive. The second phase is to offer a suite of bespoke consulting services for those who do not have the time or expertise to conduct their own research. Using my background in legal research and motorsport industry knowledge, the consulting services will go above and beyond the information found in the directory listings and are perfect for those looking for comprehensive due diligence in relation to career guidance, team and series research and service vetting. The consulting services will be launching this fall.
In addition to an updated and enhanced directory and the new consulting services plus the comprehensive weekly blog posts there will be a regular newsletter for all users and a number of new services and premium features that will be announced in due course.
All of this is being done for the simple goal of offering users and clients of Motorsport Prospects unparalleled access and guidance to the world of motorsport whether it be for career reasons, employment opportunities or advice on building a team of advisors and professionals around a driver. I look forward to working with you all in the months and years to come.
I am excited for the future and looking forward to the second half of 2019 and beyond.
Mark Boudreau
Motorsport Prospects
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.