The F4 Saudi Arabian Championship has built a series that involves more than on-track racing and in this week’s Driver Development Roundup you will find out why. I also have Haas F1 boss Ayao Komatsu’s opinion on driver development and much more!
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
Haas F1 Boss Ayao Komatsu on Driver Development
Ayao Komatsu is the Team Principal of Haas F1 Team, and one of the most quietly influential leaders in modern Formula 1. Known for his calm authority and clarity under pressure, Ayao has built his career on trust, accountability, and the belief that how you respond to failure matters more than the failure itself.
In this episode of the High Performance Podcast (see above), Ayao reflects on witnessing Romain Grosjean’s Bahrain crash, and what it taught him about survival, perspective, and living fully in the present. He shares his philosophy on developing drivers, handling conflict, and why tough conversations only work when trust comes first.
Dangerous Traits That Kill Racing Careers
Think talent is enough? Think again. The Pure Performance Group explains why ego is the number one career killer. Click here to find out why.
Why the Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship Made a Difference Beyond the Track
December was a month full of dramatic conclusions for motorsport championships and series around the globe, including a number of regional Formula 4 series. One of those was the 2025 Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship. Raceteq takes a closer look at this series and shows that its benefits stretch well beyond racing itself.
“What F4 does is create that kind of friendly, welcoming platform where we give everyone the opportunity so that they can then follow their ambitions and dreams, and ultimately then cover this global portfolio we have in Saudi Arabia, of WRC, Dakar, F1, Extreme H, and more.”
Your Son Is Fast, Nobody Cares
The most dangerous lie in Motorsport is that “Talent is enough.” Drive Line explains why nobody care that your son is fast.
Doriane Pin Adds Endurance Racing to 2026 Program
Doriane Pin will join up with Duqueine Team for the 2026 European Le Mans Series campaign, competing in the LMP2 Pro/AM Class. The French racer will balance the role alongside her position as development driver with Mercedes F1.
Payton Westcott to Drive for Mercedes in 2026 F1 Academy Campaign
Payton Westcott has become the latest driver locked in for the 2026 F1 ACADEMY season, with Mercedes recruiting the American racer for the upcoming campaign. The 16-year-old will take on her rookie season in the Mercedes operated by PREMA Racing car, alongside contesting a dual program in Italian F4.
Who is Racing Women Really For?
Racing Women has a number of membership plans for drivers and aspiring drivers. If you are wondering who Racing Women is really for, Racing Women Elite driver Léna shares her perspective.
Mclaren Racing Unveil Their 2026 McLaren F1 Academy Liveries
McLaren Racing have unveiled the liveries for their 2026 F1 Academy challengers, driven by McLaren Driver Development Program members Ella Lloyd and Ella Stevens.
Lowering the Barrier, Widening the Track with Just Hands Foundation
Just Hands Foundation board member Cagan Sean Yuksel explains how important the foundation is. “For those unfamiliar, Just Hands was founded by Torsten Gross with a simple but powerful belief: driving, performance, and competition should not disappear from someone’s life because of a physical disability. After a life-altering accident as a teenager, Torsten did not walk away from motorsports. Instead, he reimagined how it could work. Hand controls were not treated as a limitation, but as a different interface to the same passion.”
You can get more information on the Just Hands Foundation at:
The Ultimate Guide to F1 Academy
As the 4th season of F1 Academy kicks off in just under 1 month, it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at the series before the new season begins. This guide from Mlle Racing will cover everything you need to know: the schedule, points system, cars, teams, drivers, and sponsors!
Driver Development Program News & Resources
AE Victory Racing Selects Brenna Schubert as Development Driver Following Successful 2026 Female Driver Shootout
AE Victory Racing is proud to announce that Brenna Schubert has been selected as one of the team’s Development Drivers for the 2026 season following the conclusion of its highly successful 2026 Female Driver Shootout at Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, Arizona.
The two-day Shootout took place January 29th and 30th and brought together five standout finalists —Reagan Thomas, Siena Ashby, Emy Kissick, Flame Airikkala, and Brenna Schubert — for an intensive evaluation program designed to assess on-track performance, coachability, mindset, and team fit.
Paul and Michelotto Promoted to Factory Drivers as Lamborghini Announces 2025 Young Driver Programs Winners
Maximilian Paul and Mattia Michelotto have been unveiled as the two latest additions to the Lamborghini Squadra Corse factory driver roster. The pair have been promoted from the Lamborghini Young Professional Driver ranks following an impressive 2025 campaign and will race the new Lamborghini Temerario GT3 across national and international championships.
On the Podcast This Week
The Importance of Long-Term Planning
On this week’s Motorsport Prospects Podcast I speak with human performance consultant Simon Hayes from Performance Physixx. Simon explains the importance of long-term planning to any driver planning their motorsport career. The episode drops Wednesday, February 18 at 10:00 AM ET on all your favourite podcast platforms. Full details on how to listen and subscribe can be found here: https://motorsport-prospects-podcast-1.castos.com/.
Karting
The Karting Guru Who Helped Norris and Other F1 Stars
Mick Barrett has worked with – and assisted – some of the biggest names during a lifetime in motorsport. Tim Wright from Autosport highlights an unsung hero. “Mick Barrett Racing has probably the smallest number of karts – there are three or four in the awning, whereas other outfits have anything up to 10. When asked about this, Mick replies that he prefers quality over quantity and to use his favourite saying, “We like to think we’re Harrods, not Lidl!”
Last Week on The Business of Being a Race Driver
Why Brands Invest in Sponsoring Race Drivers
Why brands invest in sponsoring race drivers is just some of what you will learn in last week’s Business of Being a Race Driver. I also have advice on preparing for media interviews, why faking social media stats is a bad idea and more.
From the Sim Racing Roundup
How Chris Lulham Went From Sim Racing to the Real Thing
How Chris Lulham went from sim racing to the real thing, with Max Verstappen of all people, is one of the sim to real-world success stories in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup. I also have news on how a sim manufacturer teamed up with a track day organizer and more.
Driver Journeys
Alexandre Munoz: The French F4 champion Handed a Career Lifeline by an Increased Prize Payout
Alexandre Munoz has attracted significant attention following his title-winning campaign in French Formula 4 last year. The 16-year-old explains to Feeder Series how the title battle unfolded and what comes next after some promising tests with ART Grand Prix in FRegional machinery.
How Formula 4 US Champion Cooper Shipman is Taking the Next Big Step
Cooper Shipman earned a scholarship package worth nearly $300,000 for winning the 2025 Formula 4 United States title – and he’s putting it to good use. Feeder Series caught up with the American driver during the FRegional Oceania Championship round in Teretonga to learn more about how Shipman charged to a F4 title, how he plans to use his scholarship package, and his plans for the future.
The Rise of Connor Zilisch, NASCAR’s Next Superstar
Connor Zilisch, NASCAR’s rising star, joins the Gypsy Tales Podcast for Chapter 384 (watch above). His journey didn’t follow the traditional American racing path. It started in go-karts, where he became a world champion and beat drivers who now compete in Formula 1. Many believed his future was overseas chasing the F1 dream, but Connor’s road led him back home.
Instead of Europe, he chose to build his career racing NASCAR here in America. Ten victories in his rookie Xfinity Series season later, he’s now making the jump to the Cup Series, stepping into the arena with the very best in the sport. This is the story of a young driver who took a different path and might just change NASCAR because of it.