The Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Talent Pool Program assessment tests have been announced for 2027, and I have the details in this week’s Driver Development Roundup. I also have details on two more driver development opportunities, details on this week’s podcast guest and much more!
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
UCS Formula Cup Leader Suslov on How Winfield Helped Him Move from GT4 to FR Cars
Stepan Suslov made quite the impression on the 2026 UCS Formula Cup grid, winning five out of six races in two rounds. The 17-year-old Swedish driver sat down with Feeder Series to discuss his transition from GT4 racing to Formula Regional cars and the help the Winfield Racing School has given him throughout his single-seater career.
“Winfield’s racing school is the oldest in France, dating back to 1964. The alumni section is a sight to behold: Alain Prost, Damon Hill, Jean Alesi, Isack Hadjar and Doriane Pin are some of the big names that have honed their craft with Winfield. To benefit from a good learning environment and follow a path like theirs, however, requires a driver to fulfill certain responsibilities.”
Read the full feature at Feeder Series here.
The Importance of Having a Plan
Dan Wells from Drivers Lab explains why having a career development plan is so important. “The identity is so tied to the single goal that when the goal goes, the person does not know what is left.”
Read the full post on LinkedIn here.
Five Radical Alumni Tackled the 2026 Edition of Le Mans
Five former Radical drivers contested the 94th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, many of whom learnt their craft behind the wheel of the British built sportscars. The Radical Motorsport chronicles them on their website here.
In the Wings: The Role of an F1 Reserve Driver
The two Red Bull teams’ test driver line-ups are among the strongest on the grid – a blend of experience, talent and hungry young prospects. But what is the role of a reserve driver? The Red Bull website explains here.
“A reserve driver is the team’s backup – the first to step up if a driver cannot race due to illness, injury or unforeseen circumstances. The reserve has to stay in peak condition and be fully prepared in case the call ever comes. But the reserve driver is also a vital part of the team, spending hours preparing the car for races and testing new designs for the future.”
How Lewis Hamilton Banished His Demons to Win with Ferrari
Hamilton achieved a lifelong dream by winning with Ferrari in Formula 1 last weekend. Because of painful journey to get there, his Barcelona victory meant even more. “Last year, there were definitely moments that I was like: “Sheesh, maybe it is true that when you get to a certain point, you lose it.”
Read the full article at Motorsport.com.
The Development of F2 Champion Leonardo Fornaroli
Reigning F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli got behind the wheel of McLaren’s MCL40 for the first time in Barcelona – and left Andrea Stella waxing lyrical about his approach.
“He is actually a very interesting character. He looks timid, but by far he is the most proactive driver in asking the engineers, he goes around with his notebook, takes several notes and as soon as he has an idea he shares it. So he’s a very interesting character and then when he gets in a car, being in the simulator, being it in the TPC testing car or here in a free practice one session, he is fast.”
Here are two articles discussing the development of the F2 driver that you may be able to learn from.
The Reality for Women in Motorsport
Women in motorsport continue to face unique challenges that extend far beyond what happens on track. In this insightful article, MLLE Racing examines the pressures of representation, the expectations placed on female drivers, and the realities of building a career in a sport where visibility can be both an opportunity and a burden. It’s a thoughtful look at the obstacles, perceptions, and progress shaping the experience of women in racing today.
Read the full article here: Pressure, Representation, and the Reality for Women in Motorsport.
How is Prodigy Heim Preparing for the Cup Series? Racing it Part Time
ESPN looks at how Corey Heim prepares for NASCAR Cup racing while racing part-time. “He is not running full-time this season. There was no use in running more Truck Series events after earning 21 wins over the three seasons he ran from 2023 to 2025. The change in pace doesn’t faze Heim, who has experienced this before in his racing career, with part-time schedules in ARCA and then Trucks before ever getting his full-time opportunity.”
Read the full article at ESPN here.
How a Racing Novice Crept Up to Speed in a Beetle-Engined Stalwart
Formula Vee may be relatively inexpensive, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to find your feet in the single-seater series, as Autosport writer Maciej Hamera found out. “While to most this will be a big sum of dough, Formula Vee – approaching its 60th birthday next year – remains one of the cheapest open-wheel categories you can get involved with. And it is therefore no wonder it continues to attract drivers both young and old.”
Read the article at Autosport to learn more about Formula Vee.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Talent Pool Program Announces 2027 Assessment Test In Sepang
The search for the next generation of racing talent begins now.
The newly rebranded Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Talent Pool will stage its annual assessment test from 7–9 September at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, welcoming aspiring drivers from across the region and beyond to take part.
The 2027 Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Talent Pool Assessment Test will take place on 7-9 September. The first day will feature a media skills assessment, brand knowledge as well as introducing the drivers to the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia teams at Porsche Malaysia. The following two days will see an on-track assessment in the Porsche 911 Cup (992.2) around the popular Sepang International Circuit.
All on site costs are covered by Porsche, with drivers only responsible for their flight costs and are liable to insurance excess up to €10,000 in case of accident damage. To be able to apply you must be born after 28 February 2001, with a minimum of a year in car racing and eligible for an international C license in 2007.
Applications are now open until 2 August. Click the link below, complete and submit your application form to alex.imperatori@porschemotorsport-ap.com before 2 August, and take your first step towards becoming part of Porsche Motorsport’s future on the grid.
Prototype Cup Europe is the Platform for the Duqueine Junior Academy
The Duqueine Automotive Academy by Debard Automobiles is a unique opportunity for junior drivers ready to take the next step in their career. The program winner receives €150,000 to compete with a Duqueine team in 2027. The Prototype Cup Europe series is officially part of this program, meaning that all drivers under 25 competing in a Duqueine are automatically eligible.
More details can be found here (in French).
Steering Wheel Award 2027 Applications are Now Open
Wolf Racing Cars has launched the third edition of their Steering Wheel Award, the program designed to turn karting talent into a real opportunity in professional motorsport.
Up until 20 July, candidates can express their interest by completing the application form at the link below.
Selected drivers will attend a preparation day at the Wolf Racing Cars headquarters, focused on theory sessions and cockpit fitting. Then, from 9 to 12 November 2026, the Binetto circuit will host four evaluation days, where young drivers will be assessed at 360° behind the wheel of the Wolf GB08 Raiden.
What’s at stake:
- A full season in the 2027 Italian Sport Prototype Championship
- €150,000 in financial support for the top four drivers
- Access to the Wolf Academy for the top eight talents
A selective, practical, and highly educational program by Wolf Racing Cars. Applications are now open.
Full details and the application form can be found here.
On the Podcast This Week
On this week’s podcast, motorsport industry veteran Jim Bowie explains why drivers need a fundamental mindset shift when it comes to securing sponsorship. From the power of B2B partnerships to identifying the right prospects and leveraging AI-driven research, Jim shares practical insights that can help drivers build more effective sponsorship programs.
The episode drops on Wednesday, June 24th and you can subscribe, download and listen to it here.
On the Podcast Last Week
The Importance of Mental Performance Coaching Featuring Caroli Remmlinger
Last week’s edition of the Motorsport Prospects Podcast features Mental Performance Coaching professional Caroli Remmlinger. In this episode Caroli and I talked about:
- Why mental performance coaching is so important for a race driver.
- The difference between mental performance and mental fitness.
- How all our limitations come from our mental state.
- All this and much more!
Listen to the full episode here!
Karting
Motorsport UK Expands the Recognized Karting Pathway with Daytona Motorsport
Motorsport UK has announced the expansion of the Motorsport UK Recognized Karting Pathway with Daytona Motorsport, becoming the most recent addition to the Pathway by recognizing a vital new entry point into competitive outdoor karting at an arrive-drive level, through the recognition of Daytona’s SuperChamps, InKart and Jamie Chadwick Series.
The collaboration provides an opportunity for drivers to compete in recognised karting events outside of the traditional license and permit structure, helping to bridge the gap between entry-level participation and higher-level arrive-and-drive competition. This aligns with Motorsport UK’s aim of streamlining the pathway into the sport, making progression simpler and more accessible for competitors.
Full details can be found here.
Last Week on The Business of Being a Race Driver
Why a cold sponsorship deck fails and what you can do to change that is just some of the advice found in last week’s Business of Being a Race Driver. I also have details on why you need to build a community, 10 career defining lessons from the podcast and much more!
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Sim Racing vs Real Racing: 3 Lessons the Track Teaches That Sims Can’t
Sim Racing is an invaluable tool for developing driving skills, but it can’t teach you everything. In last week’s edition of the Sim Racing Roundup, you’ll learn three key lessons that only real-life racing can provide, plus how the Skip Barber Racing School uses simulation for driver development and much more.
Driver Journeys
Invicta, Mercedes, and New F2 tracks: Joshua Duerksen on His Unconventional Path
Paraguay’s trailblazer Joshua Duerksen tells Raceteq how a 600-metre kart track, a Mercedes deal and two brand-new circuits are shaping a career unlike any other in Formula 2. “When I started go-karting, we only had one go-kart track in the whole of Paraguay – 600 metres long, very bumpy, not in a great state,” he says. “The first year I started, we only had two layouts: the original and then backwards. That was it, nothing else. And the lap was only 30 seconds long.”
Jamie Chadwick: A Career Defined by Firsts
Over the past decade, Jamie Chadwick has established herself as one of the standout names in modern motorsport, building a career defined by adaptability, consistency, and success across a wide range of machinery. She is a three-time W Series champion and a former MRF Challenge title winner, and she made history as the first female driver in British Formula 3 to win a race, as well as the first female driver in Indy NXT to achieve both a pole position and a race victory on a road course.
Mlle Racing takes a look at her career so far here.
Ben Keating’s Drive to Thrive – In and Out of the Car
Motorsport Prospects is not just about young, aspiring race drivers. We are also concerned with those self-funded independent drivers who race for the passion as opposed to a career. No one better exemplifies the modern, independent race driver as does Ben Keating.
“Ben Keating might be by definition an amateur racer, but he is, in his own words, ‘one of the top Bronze drivers’ in the FIA World Endurance Championship in terms of performance and results – with the Texas native driven by the quest to be the best, both on and off-track.”
Read the full profile of the veteran sportscar racer on the WEC website here.