Training the next generation of racing drivers is one of the topics covered in this week’s Driver Development Roundup. You will hear from a Red Bull motorsport professional who works with young drivers as part of the Red Bull Driver Academy. This and much more!
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
Sarah Harrington has enjoyed quite the journey to become the Red Bull Academy program manager. Harrington is now in her eighth season with the Formula 1 team, working initially with the race team on pit-stop performance, playing a part in the sub two-second tire changes the team became renowned for.
She also worked with the junior driver program, as well as privately with the W Series before being asked to take on her current role when Red Bull joined forces with F1 Academy.
“I very much bring that skill set to the table, but as a programme manager, I see it as ‘What can we do to maximise a driver’s performance?’. That could be liaising with the sim team, making sure there’s a fluid line of communication between Red Bull and Campos in terms of the development pathway, or goal setting with the drivers to ensure that we’ve got performance markers in place.”
Read more here about what it takes to train the next generation of racing drivers.
F1 Academy has continued to establish itself as a major motorsport platform since its inaugural season in 2023, and has become an unmatched marketing platform for its drivers. However, is a solo campaign in the series providing drivers with the necessary on-track development to further their careers? Behind the Helmet analyzes the case studies of drivers competing in both F1 Academy and regional F4 championships and how it translated into performance.
“F1 Academy is currently providing drivers with an unprecedented platform in which to showcase their off-track skills, highlighted by the recent Netflix series, however competitive track time continues to fall below that of regional F4 championships. Therefore, F1 Academy drivers are less-well prepared when climbing the single seater ladder compared to those who have raced in mixed-gender series.”
A group of University of Toronto engineering students and Quebec teenagers who created ASAP Racing got a special tour of the IndyCar paddock during the recent Indy Toronto weekend. CMHF inductee Anne Roy, who led the paddock tour, spoke with Inside Track about the special event, women in racing and what she hopes to see in the future.
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Le Mans Ultimate has been released and in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup I have some feedback. I also have the answer to the question of whether driving a racing simulator makes you a faster driver, the latest tech news and much more!
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.
