What it takes to be a World Class Racing Driver is just some of the advice you will get in this week’s Driver Development Roundup. I also have advice for those chasing the F1 dream, details on the Ford Racing Junior Team and much more!
Overview
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
For Those Chasing the F1 Dream
The video above is a quick word from Enzo Mucci to those of you who are dreaming of F1. Approach it in a way that makes sense and build from there.
Neurodiversity Behind the Wheel: Rethinking Talent in Motorsport
Motorsport has always been associated with speed, precision and adrenaline. Yet the real difference between winning and losing always starts in the human mind, not in the engine. More and more teams are discovering that neurodiversity, the variety of ways people think and process information, can be their most valuable asset.
Minds on Track explains the importance of seeing potential where others see limits.
Professional Driver Coach Explains What it Takes to be a World Class Racing Driver | John Pratt
This episode of BackSeat Drivers features professional driver coach John Pratt. John pursued the dream of Formula 1, starting in Formula Ford Racing and then onto the equivalent of F2/F3 where he was a paid works driver. He set the lap record at every track he raced and clearly had an amazing natural ability in a Race Car. However it didn’t work out for reasons John explains in the Podcast. You can watch the episode above.
Formula 2’s $250M Ecosystem: How Data-Driven Talent Scouting Is Powering 100% Growth by 2033
Formula 2’s racing team market reached an estimated $250 million valuation in 2025, underscoring the series’ role as a pivotal talent pipeline in motorsports. This figure highlights how data analytics in scouting and development creates robust investment ecosystems. As stakeholders seek sustainable revenue, these models emphasize measurable returns from driver programs and sponsorships. Read more here.
Daytona Exploring Possible National Karting Event at Roar
Daytona International Speedway is evaluating a potential nationally sanctioned karting event to join the Roar Before the Rolex 24 event by as early as 2027 according to track president Frank Kelleher.
BMW M Racing Academy: “Class of 2025” Completes Extensive Customer Racing Development Program.
After an intensive year, the “Class of 2025” has completed the BMW M Racing Academy – BMW M Motorsport’s dedicated support program for talented young drivers from customer racing. Under the close guidance of a team led by three BMW M works drivers, Berkay Besler (TUR), Nerea Martí (ESP), Matt Million (USA), and Niels Tröger (GER) have received comprehensive training and support from BMW M Motorsport over the past months. Following the successful launch of the program, anticipation is already high for the “Class of 2026.”
To conclude their BMW M Racing Academy year, the four members of the “Class of 2025” spent a full week immersed in the world of BMW M Motorsport. At BMW’s headquarters in Munich (GER), Besler, Martí, Million, and Tröger enjoyed a guided tour of BMW Welt and the BMW Museum. They then participated in workshops on social media and brand building – and immediately put their new skills to the test: the group documented their joint road trip to Viareggio (ITA) in a BMW M5 for BMW M Motorsport’s official Instagram channel.
Read more about the program here.
Managing McLaren’s Future Stars Through F1 Academy and Beyond
From studying politics at university, to taking up a leading role inside McLaren as its Business Operations Director, it has been quite the journey for Stephanie Carlin.
It is fair to suggest that Carlin is a multi-skilled operator, given the diverse nature of her roles over the years, from working as an assistant press officer for the Society of Motor Manufacturers, to becoming PR and communications officer for the now defunct A1GP, and then joining husband Trevor’s renowned junior single-seater organisation.
Read the complete interview here.
Introducing the Ford Racing Junior Team
Ford’s new sports car driver development initiative is designed to mentor select drivers all the way up to the highest level of sports car racing. Chosen participants will receive: Mentoring from factory Mustang GT3 racing drivers Coaching during selected race weekends Simulator sessions with Ford Racing engineers Guidance on the physical and mental demands of professional racing Training in sponsorship, social media, and participation in Ford-sponsored experiences. Get the full details on the program here.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
Skip Barber Racing School and Route 66 Join Forces
The Skip Barber Racing School and the Route 66 Sprint Series are pleased to unveil a multi-year partnership that will provide exciting opportunities to up and coming karters who are competing in the Route 66 Sprint Series.
Each year, two drivers will be selected by instructors from the Skip Barber Racing School and the staff of the Route 66 Sprint Series to receive the Skip Barber Racing School Sportsmanship Award which includes a One Day Formula Racing School.
Read more here.
Rudokas Joins Formelaustria Race Academy for 2026
Lithuania’s Tomas Rudokas has signed with the Formelaustria Race Academy (FARA) for the 2026 racing season. Austria’s first official junior driver academy will support the teenager in competing with its Renauer Motorsport Team in both the Formula Winter Series and the F4 Central European Zone Championship.
“We have been following Tomas in karting and were convinced that he was ready to move up to F4. Therefore, we are happy that he is now a member of our academy, and our experts can support him in becoming a thoroughbred single-seater driver,” programme director Harry Miltner said.
Read more here.
More Than Equal Partners with Teamworks to Power Driver Development
More than Equal, the global not-for-profit high-performance program on a mission to find and develop the first female Formula 1 World Champion, has partnered with Teamworks to bring cutting-edge performance and operations management to its pioneering Driver Development Program.
More than Equal’s Driver Development Program will now use Teamworks AMS as their central performance platform. It’s a decision that marks an exciting step forward in their mission, helping drive more connected, data-informed development environments for the athletes in the program.
Applications Now Open for the 2026 Elite MotorSport Academy of New Zealand
MotorSport New Zealand announces that applications are now open for the 2026 Elite MotorSport Academy of New Zealand, a world-renowned motorsport development programme for emerging talent.
Each year, the Academy helps New Zealand’s most promising young competitors gain the skills and mindset needed to succeed on both national and international stages. Aspiring drivers and competitors from across all disciplines, including Race, Rally, ClubSport, and KartSport, are invited to apply.
Since its inception, the Academy has produced more than 160 graduates, many of whom have gone on to achieve global success.
For full details and applications, visit motorsport.org.nz/elite-motorsport-academy.
Mazda Names 2025 MX-5 Cup Shootout Finalists
As one of the longest running and most prestigious driver talent searches in North American motorsports, the Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout offers aspiring racers a chance to win a fully-funded ride in the professional Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup series.
The Shootout was established by Mazda’s motorsports development program to identify and support promising racing talent. It’s part of Mazda’s broader commitment to grassroots motorsports, with the brand having supported driver development for decades through various programs.
The Shootout typically brings together top drivers from various regional and club racing series who compete in a multi-day evaluation, with the candidates having been selected based on their performance in a range of categories throughout the season.
From a list of 32 nominees, Mazda Motorsports has selected 12 drivers to participate in the 2025 MX-5 Cup Shootout. These 12 up-and-coming racers will spend two days chasing scholarships valued at $350,000 to participate in the 2026 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup season.
Full details of who made the cut can be found here.
Julia Angelard Joins ORLEN Motorsport Academy for 2026 season
13-year-old Polish karting talent Julia Angelard has been announced as one of the new members of the ORLEN Motorsport Academy for the 2026 season, a joint initiative between ORLEN and the Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (PZM) that supports the country’s most promising young racing drivers.
Full details can be found here.
Last Week on The Business of Being a Race Driver
Asking for Motorsport Sponsorship the Right Way
Asking for motorsport sponsorship the right way is just some of the advice you will get in last week’s Business of Being a Race Driver. I also have details on a free motorsport sponsorship webinar you can attend, advice for those chasing their F1 dreams and more!
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Esports Is Reshaping the Future of Racing
Esports are reshaping the future of motorsport and in last week’s edition of the Sim Racing Roundup you will find out how. I also have the latest sim racing news, tech developments and much more!
Driver Journeys
Why an Autosport BRDC Award Winner Turned His Back on Single-Seaters
Just a few months after testing F1 machinery as a prize for winning the 2023 Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award, Joseph Loake left the single-seater world to chase a career in sports cars. Earlier this year, Feeder Series caught up with Loake in the GT World Challenge Europe paddock at Monza to find out why.
“I think I did the best I could and I learned so much. Now, I can go into my professional career having learned all of that and already be one step ahead of a lot of the other guys jumping to GTs in a couple of years’ time.”
Read about his journey so far here.
Ella & Mika Häkkinen: From Father to Daughter – A Racing Journey
“I love racing because I just love the speed. I know I can win.” When Ella Häkkinen first stepped into a go-kart at 11, she instantly fell in love with the thrill. But growing up as the daughter of a two-time Formula 1 World Champion means your every turn is being watched and compared. “I have the speed, and I’m pretty fierce and brave. I really know what I can do – so I put a lot of pressure on myself,” Ella says.
Discover how Ella is carving her own path in racing – and how her father, Mika Häkkinen, has learned to simply be “just dad” in the video above.
The British F1 Hopeful Reborn in Super Formula
Zak O’Sullivan came within touching distance of a place in Formula 1, only to lose out in the intensely competitive feeder structure. But a surprise Super Formula test has seen the British driver transform his career in Japan.
“It all came together super last-minute and I wasn’t expecting it at all. I didn’t think I would be racing anything this year, maybe just some sim work for F1 teams if I could get it. I had no budget at all left after F2. I might have had some opportunities in GT3 racing, but it was unlikely I would get a drive for free. So Super Formula was a complete lifesaver.”
Autosport has the details.
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.
