Shift Up Now sponsorship grant applications are now open for 2026 and in this week’s Driver Development Roundup you will find out how to apply. I also have details on career changing opportunities that are up for grabs with the expanded SRO GT Academy and much more!
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
It’s OK to Be the Underdog
Freddie Slater Confirmed as Audi F1 Development Driver
I mentioned last week that Audi has launched a driver development program. Not long after I posted this, Audi has confirmed that their first signed development driver is Brit Freddie Slater.
“It’s an incredible honor to be the first driver selected for the Audi Driver Development Programme. Audi is a brand with a legendary motorsport history, and to have their trust and support at this crucial stage of my career is a dream come true.”
Career-Changing Opportunities Up For Grabs With Expanded SRO GT Academy
SRO GT Academy will take talent development to a new level this season by providing six drivers from as many different series with career-changing opportunities for 2027.
The innovative concept creates a pathway for young hopefuls to reach the top of global GT racing through skill, dedication and professionalism. SRO GT Academy will not only identify the stars of tomorrow: it will put them in a position to successfully demonstrate their potential on the world stage.
Open to FIA Silver-graded drivers under the age of 30, the Academy will take a holistic approach to unearthing new talent. This year’s program consists of three distinct elements, each awarding a specific prize for 2027. In all three, points will be awarded based on criteria such as speed, race craft, and behavior on and off the track.
More details can be found here.
Checking In On Nicholas Latifi
Tiggy Valen has a conversation with the former F1 driver on life after racing and building a business.
The Importance of Character When Under Pressure
Character is most clearly seen when a driver or athlete is under pressure, and it is what often separates the good from the truly great. In motorsport, pressure comes in many forms—close races, big events, important tests, high expectations, or personal setbacks. It is in these moments that character becomes more important than skill alone. Drivers with strong character remain calm, focused, and respectful even when emotions are running high. They make good decisions, avoid blaming others, and continue to perform with integrity. This kind of behavior demonstrates true sportsmanship and earns the respect of teammates, competitors, the press and teams.
Read more about the importance of character when under pressure at iZone here.
Fittipaldi Jr On His Jump to F2
In July 2025, AIX Racing made an unseasonably early driver announcement. The German-Emirati team revealed that Emerson Fittipaldi Jr would be their first Formula 2 driver for 2026, stepping up from his 2025 campaign in Eurocup-3 with MP Motorsport. Feeder Series spoke with the Brazilian driver at the Eurocup-3 season finale in Barcelona to find out why he elected to make the unorthodox jump to F2.
“We start from the beginning, and it’s always going to be difficult. It’s always going to be a challenge. But I’d rather take the challenge than do something easy.”
Understanding F1 Academy: Progress, Challenges, and Misconceptions
The roar of engines, the adrenaline of a race, and the chance to watch passionate drivers chase their dreams is what motorsport is all about. It’s why we wake up at 8 a.m., why we sit through free practice sessions, and why we become invested long before the lights go out. Yet somehow, when it comes to F1 Academy, critics seem to forget why it exists in the first place. Rather than acknowledging the doors it opens for women or the visibility it brings to a sport that has long excluded them, the conversation is flooded with dismissive complaints: the cars are too slow, the drivers are too old, and the competition isn’t “real” enough.
Mlle Racing looks at the progress, challenges and misconceptions of the F1 Academy.
The Talent Trap: A Forensic Audit of Motorsport Economics (2020-2025)
Drive Line aggregated financial data from teams, FIA participation statistics, and economic reports over the last 5 years. The myth of meritocracy collapses when faced with the mathematics. You can read their findings here.
Opportunity for Female Race Drivers
Two endurance racing seats are currently available for female drivers through the Racing for Women initiative, in partnership with L’Écurie Française. This project is designed to create genuine career pathways toward the highest levels of motorsport.
Get more details here.
Gaming Giant SportPesa Pumps 40M into Kenyan Motorsport, Relaunches Racing Team & Rising Stars
Leading online gaming platform SportPesa has continued to cement its position as a cornerstone of Kenya’s sporting ecosystem following the announcement of the return of SportPesa Racing through a groundbreaking sponsorship deal.
The game-changing partnership for motorsport in Kenya was unveiled during the SportPesa Multi-Sponsorship event held on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
The prominent firm announced the revival of its racing program, backed by a substantial investment of 40 million Kenyan shillings. Read more about the program here.
How ‘Junior Racing Hardship’ is Key for Barnard’s Formula E Success
Not every racing driver in this world can be Max Verstappen, the four-time Formula 1 world champion who was clearly destined for greatness from a very young age. There are some who have to work harder for it, perhaps going under the radar through the junior categories before realising their true potential once in a destination championship.
Taylor Bernard is a perfect example as Autosport explains.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
Are you a female racer competing at a professional or semi professional level in the US or Canada in 2026? Have you shown you’ve got what it takes on the race track with results on your resume and you just need a little more funding to take your program to the next level in 2026?
The Shift Up Now Foundation can help you with a Sponsorship Grant towards your race season. And this year they also have the Loni Unser karting scholarship offering a $1,000 Grant to a karter.
Interested in learning more? Click here.
From FAT Karting League to FAT Racing: Picking the Drivers for the F4 Shootout
Rob Smedley of the FAT Karting League explains how they picked their drivers for their global F4 Shootout. “When I started FAT Karting League, the goal was simple: build a grassroots motorsport ecosystem that finds the next world-class drivers using rigorous, data driven methods. The same methods that are used in F1 to analyse both car and driver performance. Democratising motorsport, not romanticising it. If you can drive, we want a system that can prove it and then open a real pathway.”
Read more from Rob here.
On the Podcast
Why You Need To Stand Out
This week on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast I interview Ken Ungar of the Charge Sponsorship agency. He highlights why it’s essential to stand out when developing your personal brand. The episode drops Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 at 10:00 AM EST. It is available on all your favourite podcasting platforms. You don’t want to miss this episode!
Last Week on The Business of Being a Race Driver
Getting that first motorsport sponsor is key and last week on The Business of Being a Race Driver you will get advice from pros that have been there. You will also learn why legal advice is important before signing a contract plus more motorsport sponsorship advice!
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Max Verstappen Says Sim Racing Shapes Future Talent
Max Verstappen says that sim racing will shape future racing talent, and David Cook from Racing Prodigy agrees. Find out why in last week’s edition of the Sim Racing Roundup. I also have advice on setting up a sim rig in a small room with a small budget and much more!
Driver Journeys
Getting to Know Marco Mapelli
To say that Marco Mapelli has played an important role in the success of Lamborghini Squadra Corse since his arrival in 2017 would be an understatement, even if the man himself will not readily admit it.
An indispensable member of the Factory Driver roster, Mapelli has contributed to some of the most significant victories in Lamborghini’s GT3 history, most notably winning all three GT World Challenge Europe (Overall, Endurance Cup and Sprint Cup) titles alongside Andrea Caldarelli in 2019. The Lamborghini website interviews Marco to understand what makes him tick.
A Short-Track Star Steps Onto NASCAR’s Biggest Stage
You can add another name to the ever-growing list of NASCAR’s next generation that’s worth paying attention to according to Forbes, and this one comes with receipts. Luke Fenhaus, a 21-year-old from Wisconsin, is set to take the next step up NASCAR’s famously unforgiving ladder when he makes his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut on the sport’s biggest possible stage: Daytona International Speedway in a few short weeks.
“Fenhaus isn’t just another Midwestern hopeful armed with a dream, a pickup truck, and a stack of racing hero cards. He’s a short track phenom who has earned a reputation dominating short tracks in late models earning wins at the prestigious Slinger Nationals and a CARS Pro Late Model Tour championship along the way. Those sorts of accomplishments tend to get noticed in racing circles where results matter more than hype.”
Portrait of a Gentleman Driver: Dr. David Fabi
Black Sheep Racing is proud to announce that Dr. David Fabi will join the team for the 2026 Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West season, competing in the Pro-Am class. Dr. Fabi brings a proven record of success in high-level amateur Porsche competition, strengthening Black Sheep Racing’s efforts as the team pursues wins and podiums in Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West.
Dr. Fabi balances his racing career with his work as a leading orthopedic surgeon in San Diego, California. His professional background demands precision, preparation, and consistency at the highest level, qualities that translate directly to his approach behind the wheel and have helped shape his steady rise through Porsche competition.
Read more about Dr. Fabi’s journey here.