Rob Smedley has a plan to revolutionize driver development and in this week’s Driver Development Roundup you will find out what it is. You will also get details on the cost to reach F1, inspiration from drivers climbing the driver development ladder and much more!
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
How Rob Smedley Wants to Revolutionize Race Driver Development
Motorsport is expensive. Just read the following two articles to understand how expensive getting to Formula 1 can be. But that does not mean that it is (a) impossible, and (b) that there aren’t programs attempting to level the playing field.
One such program is former F1 veteran Rob Smedley’s FAT Karting League and their FAT Racing Shootout. The shootout winner gets a fully-funded season in British F4, a reward worth approaching £500,000. But there is more to the program than that. Smedley wants to go global and produce a grassroots program that focuses on merit and not bank accounts and the exciting part of it is that he is almost there.
“Then I started to think about how could I help. Maybe I could bring that F1 experience and ways of thinking down. And I rapidly came to the conclusion that the only way to fix it is to start with a blank sheet of paper. And that’s why we started FAT Karting League. I put some money behind it, got some guys together and said, ‘This is what I think it should look like. If it’s £100k to do national karting, we want to do national karting with a discount of 95%.’
Read more about his program and plans in his interview on Autosport.
How Expensive is it to Get to Formula 1?
The path to Formula 1 is expensive, there is no denying that. In order to understand how expensive, here are two articles that get into the details of progressing from the junior ranks to Formula 1.
How F2 and F3 are Providing the Tools for F1 Success
The likes of Kimi Antonelli, Ollie Bearman, Isack Hadjar and Gabriel Bortoleto stepped from F2 and performed so well as rookies in 2025, with Antonelli already a race-winner and championship leader just three rounds into his second season.
Those recent strong performances from F2 graduates are proving the feeder series is providing the tools for drivers to succeed, according to the category’s technical director Pierre-Alain Michot.
“So it’s a good learning curve for them step by step. And when they reach F1, they are quite well prepared. When we see all the rookies that went there last year and how they performed, we’re quite happy to see them there.”
Read more about how both series prepare driver on RACER here.
Still Waiting to be Discovered?
Most families are waiting to be discovered. That’s a mistake. PURE Performance Group explais why on their Instagram post here.
Triple Eight Co-Owner Backs Formula Ford Rising Star
Toyota GR Cup champion and rising Formula Ford star Oli Wickham will be on the grid at the inaugural ITM Christchurch Super440 competing in the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship.
The 16-year-old will compete in a four-car squad owned by former Paul Morris Motorsport team manager Nigel Barclay.
Wickham will be backed for the one-off start by Triple Eight co-owner Earl Evans via his business Shaw and Partners Financial Services.
How a BTCC Support Series Demonstrates British Single-Seaters’ Turnaround in Fortunes
There was a time, not so long ago, when top-level single-seater racing in the UK was in the doldrums. Drivers were flocking to Europe and series were struggling to survive. It is fair to say those dismal days are over.
Autosport explains how a packed Formula 4 grid looks guaranteed to deliver action and entertainment , featuring rising stars setting out to make a name for themselves as well as those drivers in Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Caymans and JCW Minis.
Clean Air | The Story of Sage Karam
Here is a presentation on mental health, overcoming adversity and Sage Karam’s career journey. “My accident at pocono changed my life. Back in 2015 mental health wasn’t publicly talked about like it is today. I lost my ride in Indycar, my career, my identity all because people looked at mental health as a weakness. I was offered zero help from the series, I was fired. I was essentially kicked to the curb to figure it out on my own as a 20 year old. Every time I opened my phone I had messages on social media from random people calling me a “murderer” and “it should’ve been you”.”
“I went through the darkest times any human could go through, but I went out and got the help I needed thanks to family and the people closest to me. I’m proud I didn’t quit on racing and life through all those dark days. Today I’m the best version of myself with a beautiful wife and 2 amazing boys, and I’m super thankful for all the people that didn’t quit on me and didn’t let me quit on myself. Going forward I plan to tell my story more and help others get through those dark days.”
The Rising Stars of the Ligier European Series Ladder
Many drivers who started in the Ligier European Series are now competing in the Michelin Le Mans Cup and the European Le Mans Series this season. Read who some of these drivers are here.
Vinci Details ‘Insane’ Torque Boost from GB3’s Upgraded Car for 2026
Dante Vinci jumped from karting to Italian F4 in 2024, and after a successful 2025, he now makes the move up the ladder to Hillspeed for the 2026 GB3 season. The 17-year-old Sydneysider sat down with Feeder Series to discuss his racing background and his insights on the faster machinery he’s now driving.
“It’s very nice, very fast compared to last year. That was my initial thought,” Vinci said. “Obviously now I’ve kind of gotten used to it after four days in the car. But last year, comparing that car, it was like the torque increase was insane! And also the increased top speed down the straights – with more speed comes more downforce.”
You can read the full feature here.
Robert Wickens on Overcoming Disability and Targeting Winning
Robert Wickens’ inspiring return to top-level racing after suffering paralyzing injuries in a 2018 IndyCar crash continues with a second campaign in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship’s ultra-competitive GTD class. He’ll get behind the wheel of DXDT Racing’s specially-modified Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R for five races in 2026, sharing with friend and long-time teammate Mason Filippi.
Robert joined RACER Weekly’s David Malsher-Lopez to explain the tech behind his Bosch-built hand controls and how the system has been developed for maximum feel and effectiveness. And as fast, confident and motivated as ever, he outlines his goals for 2026 and beyond. It starts with podiums and race wins, and then, bigger picture, the Canadian ace is targeting championships.
Last Week On the Podcast
Why Authenticity is Key with Silvia Schweiger
Last week on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast featured industry veteran and motorsport sponsorship strategist Silvia Schweiger. We dive into the importance of authenticity, why what you do off-track matters just as much as your performance on it, and much more. Her insights are essential listening, offering a clear perspective on how brands truly evaluate drivers.
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
SKUSA Confirms Three-Year Agreement With Las Vegas Motor Speedway For SuperNationals 29 And Beyond
Superkarts! USA has officially confirmed that the SKUSA SuperNationals will remain at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) as part of a new three-year agreement, beginning with the 29th running of the event this November. Widely regarded as the flagship karting event in North America, the SKUSA SuperNationals continues to cement its place on the global motorsports calendar with its return to LVMS.
“Las Vegas Motor Speedway has proven to be an ideal home for the SuperNationals, and we’re proud to secure our future here for the next three years,” said Tom Kutscher, CEO of Superkarts! USA. “This event continues to grow in both size and stature and having a venue that can match that momentum is critical. We’re already working on new ideas and enhancements for SuperNationals 29 that will elevate the experience for racers, teams, and fans alike. November in Las Vegas has become a destination for karting, and we’re excited to build on that.”
“Karting Has Not Lost its Potential, it Has Lost a Certain Level of Ambition”
The younger generation in karting may not yet know him, but for many long-standing figures in the discipline, his name remains associated with a time when karting knew how to think very big.
Thierry Germanovitch is one of those who have left a lasting mark on karting for more than 35 years. The organizer in 1991 of a Karting World Championship that has remained historic, he is also behind the mythical indoor race at Paris Bercy, where legends such as Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher went head-to-head.
Kart.Com talks to Thierry who gives his opinion on the state of karting today.
Last Week on The Business of Being a Race Driver
Unlocking ROI in Motorsport
Unlocking ROI (Return On Investment) in motorsport is just one of the topics covered in last week’s Business of Being a Race Driver. I also cover why you need to own your audience and much more!
From the Sim Racing Roundup
How Professional Race Drivers Use Simulators
How professional race drivers use simulators is the focus of last week’s Sim Racing Roundup. You will hear from professional race drivers in F1, IndyCar, sports cars and NASCAR as they take simulator knowledge to the real world.
Driver Journeys
F1 and NASCAR Aspirations and Wanting to be in Drive to Survive: Meet Ava Lawrence
The Aston Martin F1 team website introduces you to Ava Lawrence, the youngest member of the Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy who’s moved from the other side of the world in pursuit of her dream.
“If you stay focused, there’s no real advantage or disadvantage to being a girl or a boy. It’s all about who’s quickest. When I put my helmet on, it doesn’t matter if I’m a girl or a boy – it just matters how fast I am.”
Read the full profile on Ava here.
Caitlyn McDaniel: ‘I Race for Me; I Don’t Race for Anybody Else’
Caitlyn McDaniel will return to the GB4 Championship in 2026 for her second full season in racing. Speaking to Feeder Series, the 18-year-old American opened up about her battle with mental health and how it has influenced her perspective on racing, on and off track.
“From being towards the back to being towards the midfield – or being in the midfield with a bigger grid of cars – has been such an improvement. It’s shown me that the work I have put in, when things do go right on test days, does make a difference.”
From Warrington to the Grid: Daniella Sutton and the Real Cost of Chasing a Dream
Pitlane News profiles Daniella Sutton, a driver in the 2026 FIA British F4 Championship and how Daniella and her family, who come from a working class background, has risen through the motorsport development ladder.
“Motorsport is a cure for my arthritis,” she told ITV News earlier this year. “You release natural corticosteroids and your adrenaline and all sorts. The adrenaline that comes with motorsport is what cures my arthritis in a way over the weekend.”
Read the full profile here.