The practicalities and costs of becoming a race driver is just one of the topics covered in this week’s Driver Development Roundup. I also have news on how driving school can help a newbie, the future of Formula 1600 in the United States and gender parity in drag racing. All this and much more.
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
In the video above, Enzo Mucci explains how the “90 Second Rule” will help speed up your emotional reaction to life, both on and off the track.
Car Magazine in the UK looks at the practicalities and costs of becoming a race driver. “Navigating through all these considerations can be a massive palaver, but there are well-trodden paths to take. You just need to ask the right questions of the right people to find your way. But where to begin?” Read the full article here.
Grassroots Motorsports looks at how a driving school can help a newbie. “When you go into a learning environment, don’t be afraid to say you don’t understand how something is explained. After all, everyone learns differently. Finding a style that works for you is the only way to ensure the information you’re taking in will stick.” You can read the full article here.
Formula 1600, or Formula Ford as it is often known, is still an excellent way to train young racers in racecraft and the category is featured in a recenet edition of the Inside the SCCA podcast.
“On episode 211 of Inside the SCCA presented by RaceSchool.com, we connect Ted Burns. Ted is a Formula F driver and he is among a group of people working to grow the class. Back in the day Formula Ford was crazy popular. Over the years that popularity has diminished in the U.S. That was reflected in SCCA’s decision to change the way the small open-wheel classes qualified for the Runoffs. It was a wake-up call — and a call to action — for drivers in those classes. Now there’s a renewed urgency to bring it back to the popularity it once had. We’ll talk with Ted about the work that’s underway and the plans for this year and beyond.”
You can watch the podcast video above.
GB3 squad Hillspeed will provide test opportunities for the leading two drivers in the 2025 AU3 Championship. The race-winning squad will offer a multi-day test package in the brand new Tatuus MSV GB3-025 car for the inaugural AU3 champion, while the runner-up will receive a subsidised test package. More details can be found here.
A private seller on Racing Junk is offering a 2025 US F4 Championship arrive and drive deal for sale. According to the ad:
Join the excitement of the 2025 US F4 Championship with our exclusive ‘Arrive and Drive’ opportunity! We’re seeking talented and motivated drivers to compete in one of the most thrilling junior racing series in North America.
Our program offers everything you need to succeed on the track: a state-of-the-art F4 race car, experienced coaching staff, and a comprehensive support system, ensuring you can focus solely on your performance.
As a driver, you’ll benefit from our extensive technical resources, including data analysis and car setup guidance, allowing you to maximize your potential in each race. Ideal candidates will possess a passion for motorsport, a minimum of karting or formula experience, and the competitive spirit to excel.
A new documentary produced by Formula 1 dubbed ‘Rookies’ has allowed viewers to gain extra insight into the series’ newest drivers and Motorsport Week shares what they learnt about F1’s 2025 newcomers. The young men in question are Haas’ Oliver Bearman, Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Alpine’s Jack Doohan, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls‘ Isack Hadjar. You can read their thoughts here.
Kellymoss has announced an expanded lineup of female drivers that will take part in Porsche single-make competition in North America this year. The Madison, Wis.-based team will run at least one female driver in each series it competes in.
Kellymoss co-owner and CFO Victoria Thomas said: “It’s so rewarding to go from running the first female driver in Carrera Cup in 2023 to partnering with female drivers in all our 2025 Porsche racing endeavors in just a couple short years. It’s clear that motorsports is ready for talented women to excel in all areas of our sport, behind the wheel and beyond. We’re privileged at Kellymoss to be part of their story.”
Sportscar365 has all the details.
Racing driver Jamie Chadwick tells ABC News that the sport ‘is secretly trying to find the next female superstar’. Chadwick argued female drivers are increasingly in demand by team owners: “Everyone is secretly trying to find the next female superstar.”
The BBC showcases the work of More Than Equal and the girls pushing to become future F1 stars. A study by More Than Equal found a lack of female-specific training was just one of the obstacles women face when trying to find a place in Formula 1. Read the complete story here.
Another study by More Than Equal looks at the lessons to be found on gender parity from drag racing. “Drag Racing is the most gender-equal motorsport in the world, with female drivers regularly competing – and winning – at the highest levels alongside their male counterparts.” Read the full report here.
750 Motor Club and Maximum Motorsport are proud to announce an end-of-year TCR Test Prize for the overall 2025 champions in both the 750MC’s Clio Sport Championship and Hot Hatch Championship, putting one of the biggest prizes on offer in UK motorsport for Club Racing champions.
This provides all of the qualifying drivers with an insight into what the next step on the UK motorsport ladder looks like, with this being the first time that the prize has been offered to the overall 750 Motor Club Clio Sport and Hot Hatch champions. This incentive offers drivers the chance to test out the latest TCR machinery, with previous winners of the prize via Civic Cup – such as two-time former 750MC Hot Hatch Class A Champion Alistair Camp – having progressed to TCR UK and taken race wins.
More details can be found here.
Neurodiversity in motorsport is a topic rarely spoken about, but it is an important topic that demands more coverage. Motorsport Prospects contributor Maja Czarzasty-Zybert investigates whether it is an overlooked advantage or a potential challenge for the race driver. You can read here thoughts on the topic here.
A life coach and former nurse Christina Russell has shared her top ten strategies for overcoming self-doubt, including adopting a “power pose,” which is proven to help boost confidence. Read what they are over at the Good News Network.
Lena Ferle of Fastest Formula News writes about mental health in Formula 1. While this is about F1, the lessons learned and insight gained can be applied to all types of racing. You can read the article here. Above is a video with Lando Norris discussing mental health.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
In a constantly evolving landscape, the FIA motorsport ladder is strengthening the connection between grassroots categories and the highest levels of competition. The Champions of the Future Academy Program, now entering its second full season, fits into this scenario with an innovative model based on inclusion, cost efficiency, and equal competition opportunities. Vroom has a look at how the program works.
The United States Pro Kart Series (USPKS) has partnered with the Skip Barber Racing School. The new partnership will provide a number of USPKS competitors with the opportunity to train at the Skip Barber Racing School and benefit from the decades of experience their instructors bring to the motorsport’s training landscape.
This partnership will see multiple USPKS competitors awarded a One Day Skip Barber Formula Car Racing School credit. In addition, several of other drivers will be awarded professional coaching sessions on Skip Barber’s high-end simulators, with other drivers receiving remote coaching and spectator tickets to Skip Barber Racing School events.
More details can be found here.
Claire Schonborn has claimed a fully funded drive in the Junior World Rally Championship after winning the Beyond Rally Women’s Driver Development Programme shootout at Rally Sweden. The WRC conducted a global search to unearth the next female rally star last year with the program reaching its culmination in Sweden. Autosport has more details.
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Max Verstappen inspires sim racers with hope with his real-world success which is a theme that runs throughout last week’s Sim Racing Roundup. From inspiring sim racer turned F2 racer Max Esterson to his insights on motion rigs and his use of a simulator to prepare for an Acura prototype, Verstappen has made sim racing an essential component of his success. And you can too.
Driver Development Pathways
Meet James Lodge and delve into his journey through the world of motorsports on the January 30, 2025 episode of the Motorsport Coaching Podcast. From a serendipitous introduction to karting at a young age to racing in the Toyota 86 series, James shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career. He offers an insider’s view of the physically and mentally demanding world of professional racing, discussing how he balances a rigorous fitness regime with the complexities of obtaining sponsorships.
You can listen to the full episode here.
The SCCA website profiles Central Carolinas Region SCCA member Connor Zilisch. Why? Because the motorsports world can’t stop talking about him.
“When it comes to spotting raw talent, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Justin Marks of Trackhouse Racing are as sharp as they come. Their latest discovery? An 18-year-old sensation named Connor Zilisch,” EssentiallySports recently reported in a profile on the young phenom. “This young driver isn’t just breaking records – he’s smashing expectations of what’s possible at his age. From dominating go-karts to shining in endurance races and delivering a stunning NASCAR Xfinity debut, Zilisch is quickly becoming the name on everyone’s lips in racing circles.”
Reigning GT Masters champion Tom Kalender will become the youngest-ever DTM driver when he lines up on the grid for the 2025 season opener at Oschersleben. The 16-year-old has been signed by Mercedes to represent the returning Landgraf team in the DTM after he broke the age record in GT Masters last year, when he won the overall title with Finnish racer Elias Seppanen.
JDX Racing has confirmed that 17-year-old Paul Bocuse will make his Porsche Carrera Cup North America debut with the team. Bocuse won the 2023 Porsche Sprint Challenge North America Cayman Pro-Am champion and was runner-up in the championship’s Type-992 Pro-Am class last year.
His past success, which included multiple karting championships before the move to cars, has him eyeing both an overall title and the EBOOST Porsche Motorsport North America Porsche Junior crown.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. 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.
