The new McLaren Trophy Academy has been introduced which is “designed to source and develop McLaren champions of the future” and I have all the details this week. I also have tips on avoiding burnout, how Porsche gives young racers a boost and keeping female participants in the sport. All this and more in this week’s Driver Development Roundup.
McLaren Motorsport has revealed the new Artura Trophy EVO, which is set to increase levels of performance and excitement in the McLaren Trophy from 2025 with additional levels of power, grip, and driver engagement, while a new Pro category and McLaren Trophy Academy Program will bring additional energy to the championships.
Designed to source and develop McLaren champions of the future, the McLaren Trophy Academy is a development program that will host workshops during race weekends. These will be aimed at developing young drivers, sharing expertise from McLaren Motorsport to focus on driving skills, motorsport engineering and media training.
You can find more information here.
In the video above, Enzo Mucci explains how you can avoid burnout. The key is to do what you love. “For those who are worrying about or dealing with some form of burnout whilst working on their career.”
Richard S. James at Racer explains how Porsche gives young racers a boost with their Driver Development Workshop.
“The Porsche Driver Development Workshop has evolved since the launch of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America, and the curriculum changes each year. But the focus doesn’t waver: offer Porsche one-make drivers the knowledge to maximize their careers. Drivers received a behind-the-scenes look into the operations at Team Penske and the Yokohama Development Center, both in Mooresville, N.C. Elements of the workshop included nutritional advice, media and social media instruction, physical advice with PitFit Training, as well as the opportunity to train with the Porsche Penske Motorsport race team that competes in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTP category as well as as the World Endurance Championship.”
A current challenge that the motorsport industry faces isn’t just getting more female participants, it’s keeping them and More Than Equal has the data to back up this claim.
Our research found that women are twice as likely to retire within the first five years of their career than men. Although the reason why females are dropping out needs to be further investigated, we discovered that the discrepancy in backing, particularly financially, is a contributing reason in why more females are choosing to leave their early careers in Motorsports.
We need better and earlier support for young drivers which is why we are dedicated to connecting young talent with the right opportunities. One of the ways we will do this is through our data driven driver development program, which is currently in progress. This will provide more females with the same support, research and backing that many of their male counterparts already receive.
You can get more information and read their study at the More Than Equal website.
MSVT Mazda MX5 Miata Trophy competitor Connor Clifford has been named Motorsport UK Academy 2024 Young Driver of the Year, having impressed against tough competition at the iZone Driver Performance shootout finale.
Five drivers made the cut this year, with Seb Hopkins, Loui Hounsell, Ronnie Smithand Sid Smith competing against winner Clifford on the day.
The shootout involved a series of physical fitness tests to check muscular endurance and max VO2 levels, driving skill assessments on Silverstone-based iZone’s three state-of-the art GT and single-seater simulators to test race runs and vision on both known and unknown tracks, in addition to undergoing panel interviews and presenting on their own experiences gained during the Motorsport UK Academy Enhanced DiSE Programme, drawing on their own career goals and aspirations.
Full details can be found at the Motorsport UK website here.
(Press Release) Autobahn Country Club has announced its strategic partnership with Exclusive Autosport (EA), marking a significant milestone in the world of driver development. This collaboration will see EA joining Autobahn’s esteemed Driver Academy and becoming the exclusive provider of open-wheel racing instruction at Autobahn’s premier racing facility.
As part of this exciting partnership, EA will play a pivotal role in nurturing and developing the next generation of open-wheel racing talent. By integrating their extensive expertise with Autobahn’s world-class infrastructure, EA is set to provide an unparalleled platform for young drivers transitioning from karting to open-wheel racing.
More details 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.
