Developing an independent driver is just one of the topics covered in this week’s Driver Development Roundup. Can a doctor become a pro race driver? Find out this week. I also have advice from the Skip Barber Racing School and much more!
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
Learn Your Racecraft
Ernesto Rivera on his Recovery from Injury and Road Back to Racing
Campos Racing impressed on the opening weekend of the F3 season in Melbourne, but one of the team’s full-time drivers had to witness their strong start from the sidelines.
Ernesto Rivera sustained a back injury racing during the pre-season build-up and was forced to miss Round 1. It was a tough setback for the rookie, but he has kept himself busy getting ready for his comeback.
In this feature on the F3 website, Ernesto explains how he came back from his injuries and what he did while he couldn’t race.
American F2 Prison: How the FIA’s Points System Is Still Locking Out U.S. Talent
In his article on LinkedIn, Michael May argues that the way the FIA points system works is undervaluing North American racing thus making it harder for racers that race in those series from graduating to Formula 1.
“The reality of this barrier becomes clear when comparing the careers of American standouts Colton Herta and Connor Zilisch with rising Italian prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Their stories highlight how the FIA Super Licence system structurally favors European ladder series while undervaluing top-tier American racing.”
Why Elite Drivers Can’t Always Bridge Pro Racing’s Resource Gap
J.G. Pasterjak of Grassroots Motorsports explains why elite drivers can’t always bridge pro racing’s resource gap. “I had a thought while watching the Rolex 24 this year–and maybe it was because I took an Ambien and didn’t go to bed immediately–but anyway, see if you can follow along with my reasoning here: Big-time sports car racing is not as much of a true sport as the big stick-and-ball sports because there’s no way for it to economically support itself.”
Read his reasoning in his column here.
How Motorsport Gave Mentally Broken Teen a New Lease on Life
SpeedCafe explains how Caleb Paterson says he can thank motorsport for digging him out of a mental pit after injuries curtailed his football aspirations as a teenager. As an advocate for mental health, Paterson’s goal for the team is to give people opportunities “You never know what someone’s thinking. They might be going through a hard time.”
Read the complete article here.
Thompson Eager to Showcase Adaptability With WRT Move
Parker Thompson says a desire to prove his adaptability was behind his decision to depart Lexus and embark on an ambitious dual program this year that includes a first FIA World Endurance Championship campaign with Team WRT.
“A lot of people know me in IMSA, but not a lot of people know me in Europe. I thought if I’m really going to push to become a professional racing driver, I have to get a WEC season under my belt and show the teams over there what I can do. It’s a big shift — I left a pretty comfortable job! And now I’m in the position where I have to prove myself this year, because nothing is guaranteed beyond that.”
I was Recently Interviewed On The Pits Are Open
I was honored to be interviewed on a recent episode of The Pits Are Open with Will Marotti. On my segment, which begins after Erica Sietsma’s excellent segment on sponsorship data begins at approximately 31:09.
During my segment (which you can watch above), I explain the mission of Motorsport Prospects and announce the launch date for the new Verified by Motorsport Prospects program!
Ex Ferrari Engineer: Hamilton Secrets, Massa’s Post-Crash COMA & Driver-Engineer Partnerships
Rob Smedley is one of Formula 1’s most respected engineers, known for his work with drivers like Felipe Massa and his time at Ferrari. In this episode, Rob sits down with Jake to share what it really takes to perform at the highest level, from the intense pressure of F1 to the human connections that make success possible.
Rob reflects on his first meeting with Felipe Massa, explaining how belief, structure, and brutal honesty helped Felipe find his first podium. He shares why driver and engineer relationships thrive on trust and transparency, and how tough conversations, done right, can transform performance.
He also opens up about the emotional side of F1, from the heartbreak of Felipe’s 2009 Hungary crash to personal losses that gave him perspective on life and sport. These moments show the human cost of high performance and why managing emotion is as important as managing the car.
Beyond the track, Rob talks about giving back through the FAT Karting League, making motorsport more accessible for thousands of young drivers. This episode is a rare look at leadership, resilience, and the balance between pressure and care at the very top of sport. Find out more about Fat Karting League:
Racing Women Announces their Inaugural Winners
Racing Women has announced the winners of their Global Finals and you can read all about them here.
From Doctor to Pro Race Car Driver?
This season Daniel Morad is racing in the Porsche Endurance Challenge North America, coaching and sharing the car with his friend and teammate Roberto Tutino. He thought it would be interesting to document the process from the inside.
My friend Roberto Tutino is a surgeon who caught the racing bug a few years ago. He’s run a few partial seasons in Porsche Sprint Challenge and Porsche Carrera Cup North America, but this year he asked me something different… he asked if I would race with him.
So we decided to enter the Porsche Endurance Challenge North America, a four-race Pro-Am championship, and take on the season together.
But before we ever got to the race track, we spent a lot of time preparing. We worked through simulator sessions, racecraft coaching, and building confidence behind the wheel. One of the coolest parts of this project was bringing our Moradness Squad simulator livery into the real world. The same car we’ve been driving online is now wrapped on the real Porsche race car.
In this first episode I break down how this whole program came together, the preparation behind the scenes, and the journey leading up to the first race weekend at Sebring International Raceway.
It’s the start of a four-race championship… and things don’t exactly go as planned.
Watch episode 1 above.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
Shift Up Now Foundation Awards $300,000 in Grants to Female Racers for 2026 Season
The Shift Up Now Foundation is proud to announce that it is celebrating Women’s History Month by awarding just over $300,000 in grants this season to more than 15 talented female drivers who are making history across 10 different racing series.
Several of the highlighted grant recipients include:
- Ashley Freiberg, Loni Unser and Erika Hoffmann driving for Kellymoss in Pirelli SRO GT4 America, with Unser and Freiberg in the Silver class piloting the “Be Your Own Hero” entry, and Hoffmann teaming up with Jack Parriott in a separate entry
- Laura Hayes, driving the No. 37 Mercedes AMG GT4 for Dome Motorsport in Pirelli SRO GT4 America with teammate Eddie Killeen
- Sabré Cook returning to JDX Racing in Porsche Carrera Cup North America and debuting the the Type 992.2 Porsche 911 Cup car, with the introduction of Pirelli as the official series tire supplier
- Charlotte Traynor and Ellie Gosset in Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin, with Traynor driving the No. 43 entry for Parker DeLong Racing, and Gossett driving the No. 77 for BSI Racing
- Melanie Johnson—Shift Up Now’s first drag racer to receive a grant—competing in Top Alcohol Dragster for McPhillips Racing
- Madelyn Tabor—Shift Up Now’s first rally racer to receive a grant—competing in the American Rally Association for Tabor Racing Team in the Limited 4 Wheel Drive (L4) class, driving a Ford Fiesta Rally 3 car
In addition, the Shift Up Now Foundation collectively decided to add both a winner and runner up for the Loni Unser Karting Scholarship. This will be the foundation’s first time awarding funds to kart racers, with Ashlyn Taylor chosen as the winner, and Maddie Grace in the runner-up spot.
The Shift Up Now Foundation was launched in December 2022 and lives alongside the Shift Up Now for-profit business. The foundation continues to strive for gender equality for female athletes in motorsport, and contributes to furthering the mission by accepting tax-deducible gifts, donations and grants.
This year marks the foundation’s fourth round of grants, and the funds distributed for 2026 will take the total number to more than $750,000 since the Shift Up Now Foundation was launched.
“Women’s History Month is a powerful reminder that progress for women in sport happens when opportunity meets investment,” said Ariel Ream, CEO of the Shift Up Now Foundation. “With this year’s grants, the Shift Up Now Foundation will have distributed more than three-quarters of a million dollars since our launch in 2022—an important milestone that reflects our deep commitment to opening doors for talented female drivers. We’re proud to support athletes competing across an expanding range of racing disciplines, from sports cars to rally and drag racing, and to continue building a stronger, more equitable future for women in motorsport.”
The 2026 racing season is already underway. Fans and supporters can follow along by checking out the Shift Up Now racing calendar to find out when the various Athletes will be on track.
Want to join the movement and help the foundation continue providing opportunities to talented female racers? Donations can be made to the Shift Up Now Foundation at ShiftUpNow.org.
On the Podcast
How Great Students Win in Motorsport – with Skip Barber Racing School
On last week’s edition of the Motorsport Prospects Podcast, I speak to Dan Demonte of the Skip Barber Racing School who explains the importance of being a good student if you want to flourish in motorsport.
Key topics we cover:
- Why drivers need to be good students to succeed in motorsport.
- Why everybody needs a coach.
- How you can learn to become a race car driver.
- All this plus much more!
Additional Resources Mentioned:
The episode webpage can be found here:
You can subscribe to the podcast through all the popular podcast apps as well as on its own dedicated website here. And don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter so you can stay up to date on everything Motorsport Prospects!
Karting
The Biggest Mistake Parents Make When Their Child Moves From Karting to Cars
Many successful karting careers are built with parents managing every part of their child’s program. But the approach that works in karting can sometimes become a limitation when drivers move into car racing. Mick Gomme of Go Motorsport Management explains why.
In the early stages of a racing career it is very common for parents to take on the role of manager. Motorsport is an expensive and complex sport, and families naturally want to stay closely involved in decisions that affect both their child’s development and the financial investment being made.
At karting level this can often work well. Parents organize testing, travel to race meetings and help guide their child through the early steps of the sport. However, when drivers begin the transition from karting into car racing, the environment becomes far more complex and the role of management becomes significantly more demanding.
Car racing involves working with professional teams, negotiating contracts, managing sponsorship relationships, planning testing programs and making decisions that affect long-term career progression. Navigating these areas successfully often requires both experience and industry connections.
One of the biggest challenges when parents manage their own child’s career is separating the emotional side from the professional decisions that need to be made. Motorsport is a highly competitive environment where difficult choices sometimes have to be made about teams, championships and development paths.
Another key factor is access. Experienced driver managers spend years building relationships with teams, engineers, sponsors and championship organizers. These relationships can often open doors that are difficult for families to access on their own. Professional management can help structure a driver’s program, negotiate with teams, manage budgets and support the commercial side of a racing career. Parents will always play an essential role in supporting young drivers, but experienced guidance can help ensure the right decisions are made at the right time.
Motorsport is incredibly competitive, and the most successful drivers rarely navigate the sport alone. With the right structure and guidance around them, young drivers are far better placed to develop their talent and progress through the sport.
From Karting to Cars: One of the Biggest Steps in a Driver’s Career
Mick Gomme also explains of the importance of selecting the right car championship for drivers looking to graduate from karting. “Choosing the right championship and the right team for that first season in cars is therefore a critical decision. The goal should not only be to compete, but to enter an environment where the driver can learn, develop and build confidence.”
Last Week on The Business of Being a Race Driver
The importance of B2B in sponsorship is one of the topics covered in last week’s edition of the Business of Being a Race Driver. I also have details on overlooked expenses in your budget and much more!
From the Sim Racing Roundup
How Gabriel Bortoleto Uses Sim Racing as a Tool
Gabriel Bortoleto uses sim racing as a tool to prepare him for F1 races and in last week’s edition of the Sim Racing Roundup you will find out how. I also have details on a hybrid sim racing and real-world team, sim racing tech news and more!
Driver Journeys
15-Year-Old Beats National Champions
On the above episode of Inside the SCCA, podcast host Brian Bielanski sits down with rising racing talent Asad Nikadambaev, who stunned the field during the 2026 Hoosier Racing Tire SCCA Super Tour at Buttonwillow Raceway Park by taking victory in Spec Racer® Ford Gen3 against multiple SCCA National Champions. This 15-year-old Northwest Region member’s journey began the way it does for many modern drivers (karting and relentless practice on the sim), but his rise through the SCCA ranks has been incredibly fast.
If you want to understand how young drivers climb the motorsports ladder, this episode offers a look inside the mindset, preparation, and family support behind a rising racing career.
Avery Towns Joins Topp Racing for Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America
Topp Racing has announced that rising American driver Avery Towns will join the team for the upcoming Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America season, marking an exciting new chapter for both the young driver and the growing program.
“We’re very pleased to welcome Avery to Topp Racing,” added TJ Renyolds, Team Manager for Topp Racing. “He’s a motivated young driver who has already shown strong potential through his experience in the USF ladder system and his early sports car starts. We’re excited to work together and help him continue progressing in GT racing.”
Arvid Lindblad Overcame Celiac Disease on Road to F1
Arvid Lindblad, the only rookie in this year’s Formula 1 field, scored points on his debut in Melbourne despite battling celiac disease as a teenager that stunted his growth for two years. The illness affected his growth entirely – he remains 1.73 metres tall, which is not a disadvantage in single-seater racing. “Everything happens for a reason, right?” he smiled.