The Honda Racing Driver Academy is set to launch in 2027 and applications are now open. I have the details in this week’s Driver Development Roundup. I also have details on how race driver talent is scouted, building a pathway for women in motorsport and more!
Overview
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
Scouting Driver Talent
Families imagine a scout in dark glasses at the fence, discovering their driver. The reality of how drivers get noticed in this sport is less romantic, more systematic, and far more useful to understand, because you can influence almost every part of it. Dan Wells of Drivers Lab explains how driving talent is discovered in his LinkedIn post here. “Nobody is discovered. Drivers surface, through channels that operate in plain sight.”
Talent Is Not Enough: How Backing Shapes a Driver’s Path to F1
This Instagram post from Dive Line examines the battle for Haas’s final 2027 F1 seat between Leonardo Fornaroli and Rafael Câmara, arguing that results and talent alone do not determine a young driver’s path to Formula 1. While Fornaroli has an exceptional junior record, Câmara has the backing of Ferrari, a key Haas technical partner. The post highlights how manufacturer relationships, team partnerships and political leverage can shape driver opportunities just as much as performance—an important lesson for aspiring drivers navigating the motorsport ladder. Make sure you read the comments for further context and debate.
Karin Fink: Building a Pathway for Women in Motorsport
In this interview on the Pirelli website, Karin Fink, F1 Academy’s head of commercial operations, discusses the barriers that have historically limited women’s participation in motorsport and the series’ efforts to create a stronger pathway for female drivers. She explains why increasing participation at the grassroots level is critical, while emphasizing that F1 Academy’s mission extends beyond producing a future female F1 driver to creating opportunities for women across the wider motorsport industry. Fink also discusses the importance of visibility, accessible racing, meaningful partnerships and encouraging more girls to see motorsport as a career they can pursue.
“We want to show that motorsport is really a place for everyone”
Jamie Chadwick’s Formula 1 Test
Jamie Chadwick’s first Formula 1 test with Williams was more than a significant career milestone—it was another step in the long, often frustrating history of women seeking a place at the highest level of single-seater racing. Completing 32 laps of the Williams FW47 at Portimão, Chadwick became only the second woman to drive an F1 car for Williams, following Susie Wolff in 2015, and joined a remarkably small group of women to have driven modern Formula 1 machinery.
The test also provides an opportunity to look beyond the headline. Chadwick’s journey from three-time W Series champion to competing in Indy NXT, sportscars and now contributing to Williams as an F1 Academy adviser illustrates both how far women’s opportunities in motorsport have come and how difficult the path to F1 remains. The three articles below examine the significance of her Williams test, put it into its historical context and consider what the milestone means for the continuing development of women in Formula 1.
- Chadwick completes landmark Williams F1 test SpeedCafe)
- Chadwick joins exclusive list after Williams F1 test (Autosport)
- Inside Jamie Chadwick’s Journey to a Formula 1 Car (It’s Race Week)
Jamie Chadwick Helps Abbi Pulling Chase an Indy NXT Opportunity
Jamie Chadwick is using her own experience in Indy NXT to help fellow female driver Abbi Pulling take the next step in her career. After Pulling tested an Indy NXT car, Chadwick revealed that she has been contacting former sponsors to help secure the funding needed for a race seat. The story highlights how sponsorship, networking and support from established drivers can be just as important as on-track ability when young drivers are trying to progress up the motorsport ladder.
What Happens to F1 Academy Drivers After They Graduate?
This AP article examines what happens to female drivers after they leave F1 Academy, using Maya Weug’s difficult 2026 season as a case study. Despite finishing runner-up in 2025 and having Ferrari backing, Weug struggled to secure a full-time seat after her planned move into GT racing fell through.
The article highlights a broader driver-development challenge: F1 Academy provides significant financial support and visibility, but its graduates still face escalating costs, limited seats and difficulty attracting sponsorship as they move into higher-level series. With no F1 Academy graduate yet reaching F2, the story raises important questions about whether the series is successfully bridging the gap between developing talent and sustaining careers in professional motorsport.
Why Motorsport Needs to Remember the Women Who Came Before
This Open Track Consultants post argues that the next generation of women in motorsport should not have to start from scratch. Using Finnish motorcycle racer Taru Rinne as an example, it explores how the achievements of women who came before are often forgotten, forcing each new generation to repeatedly prove that women belong in motorsport. The post argues that preserving and celebrating this history can provide young female drivers with greater visibility, confidence and evidence that they are part of an established legacy—not exceptions breaking new ground.
Why Sim Racers Need to be Fit with Lewis Paris
This week on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast I chat with performance coach Lewis Paris who explains why sim racers need to be fit to maximize their performance on track. It will be an eye opener for those of you who spend hours in a sim but never think about the physical toll it takes on your body.
Listen to the full episode here!
Driver Development Program News & Resources
Racing Driver Development School Revamped with New Curriculum as the “Honda Racing Driver Academy”
Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) will rename the Formula class of the Honda Racing School Suzuka (HRS) as the Honda Racing Driver Academy from the 2027 academic year, introducing a new curriculum as part of the programme’s relaunch.
Under the previous HRS Formula class structure, the Advanced Course was held from spring through summer, with selected participants then invited to a scholarship selection program in the autumn, where scholarship recipients were chosen.
Under the new Honda Racing Driver Academy structure, the curriculum will be completed by the summer while maintaining the same overall amount of track time as before, with scholarship drivers selected at that stage. The newly introduced “Race-Ready Program” will then be provided for the selected scholarship drivers.
The Race-Ready Program is designed to help drivers make an impact from the early stages of competition in the following season. HRC will personalize each driver’s training programme according to their individual challenges and objectives, with the aim of developing racing drivers who are ready to perform effectively in real competition.
In recent years, there has also been an increase in applications from overseas. Completing the main curriculum by the summer will mitigate the need for extended stays in Japan and make the program even more accessible. In addition, the introduction of the Race-Ready Program will provide a development environment tailored to each individual driver, regardless of whether they are based in Japan or overseas, further supporting the development of racing drivers capable of competing successfully on the global stage.
Applications for admission for the 2027 academic year opened at 10:00 a.m. JST on 2 October 2026.
Workman Wins IMSA’s 2027/28 Diverse Driver Development Scholarship
VP Racing SportsCar Challenge GSX champion-elect Westin Workman will be the recipient of IMSA’s 2027/28 Diverse Driver Development (3D) Scholarship. Workman, a champion of the Toyota GR Cup North America series, and race winner in Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup and Pirelli GT4 America series, will receive benefits worth up to $300,000 to compete in one of four IMSA-sanctioned championships next season.
“I think this is my third or fourth year going for this scholarship and all the benefits IMSA provide have been great, even if you don’t win. There’s a ton of value they give throughout the process with all the modules we do… it helps you build for the next year. It’s great being a part of this program for the past few years and to finally be a recipient and have everything line up means so much to me, because the past few years, nothing quite lined up perfectly and finally this year it has.”
Feed Racing Finals 2026: Meet the 6 Drivers Vying for a Paid-for 2027 French F4 Seat
For the past six years, French F4’s grids have included one winner of a full scholarship from Feed Racing to cover competition costs. Last week, a fresh crop of six finalists battled to secure the coveted prize to jump-start their single-seater careers. Get to know the drivers and their backgrounds. Feeder Series has a look at the six finalists.
British GT’s Waberski First To Seal SRO GT Academy Win
The first SRO GT Academy champion was crowned at the British GT’s Brands Hatch season finale where Jarrod Waberski secured his place on next year’s 24 Hours of Spa grid. Just two points ultimately separated the Anglo-South African from Charles Clark who began the day 12 adrift.
He will now join his fellow winners – all of whom must be FIA Silver-rated and under 30 years old – from the American, Asian and Australian GT World Challenge powered by AWS series in a fully funded Mercedes-AMG entry run by Team Motopark at the world’s biggest GT3 race on June 24-27.
From Inspiration to Opportunity: Motorsport UK Puts Inclusion at the Heart of Growth
Motorsport has rarely enjoyed greater visibility, but turning that attention into participation remains a very different challenge. Motorsport UK’s new Inclusion Impact Report provides evidence that targeted programs can begin to close that gap – while its new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy signals a shift from individual initiatives towards changing the wider system.
Read more about the report at Global Sustainable Sport here.
On the Podcast This Week
Treating Your Career as a Start-Up Featuring Mac Clark
This week on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast I chat with Canadian race driver Mac Clark who delves into the business side of racing and explains why you should be treating your racing career as a start-up. explains why sim racers need to be fit to maximize their performance on track.
The episode drops this Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 10:00 AM EST. You can listen to the episode and subscribe to the podcast here.
Karting
World’s First Formula E Karting Experience in Abha Fuels Saudi Arabia’s Motorsport Future
Three weeks from opening, the pioneering indoor attraction at SEVEN Abha has already seen thousands of guests as Saudi residents and visitors experience the world’s only Formula E-branded karting destination.
More details can be found here.
FIA Karting Arrive & Drive South America Championship Postponed to 2027
A setback for the launch of the FIA Karting Arrive & Drive South America Championship. While the inaugural event was scheduled to take place last weekend in Brazil, the FIA and the Confederação Brasileira de Automobilismo (CBA) have ultimately decided to push the event back to April 2027.
The main reason comes as little surprise: a lack of entries made it impossible to assemble a grid worthy of this new international fixture. Faced with this low turnout, the governing body and the Brazilian ASN chose to bide their time and rethink their plans, aiming to build a stronger foundation for the competition and give genuine momentum to this turnkey concept across the South American continent.
The few drivers who had already finalised their entries will be contacted directly by the organisers regarding practical arrangements.
Subject to standard approval by the World Motor Sport Council, the event is now set for 16-18 April 2027 at the Kartódromo de Imperatriz. Further details regarding entries and the final format will be announced in due course.
Last Week on The Business of Being a Race Driver
Make Your Racing Program Financially Viable
Learn how to make your racing program financially viable by managing costs, planning your budget and maximizing your motorsport investment in last week’s Business of Being a Race Driver. I also have more sponsorship tips and why you need to be always asking questions!
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Sim Training for Real-World Track Drivers
Sim training for real-world track drivers is just one of the topics covered in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup. I also have details on another sim to real-world racing transition, why you need to be fit for sim racing and more!
Driver Journeys
A Family Affair: Natalia Granada’s Road to F1 Academy
Natalia Granada’s road to F1 Academy began with her twin brother, a karting track six minutes from home and a family that backed her every step of the way. It’s Race Week highlights Natalia’s journey to F1 Academy here.
Ella White Is Proof It’s Never Too Late to Start Racing
This Mlle Racing profile tells the story of Ella White, who began racing at 17 without the traditional karting background and quickly progressed from racing school to a seat in the 2026 Ligier Junior Formula Championship. Now a first-generation racer balancing competition with university studies, White’s journey demonstrates that there is no single route into motorsport. Her experience also highlights the challenges women can face in the paddock, while her message to aspiring drivers is to focus on progression, find supportive people and not let a late start—or sexism—define their story.
South African Teen has Formula 1 Seat in Her Sights
This profile in The Daily Maverick follows 16-year-old South African driver Gianna Pascoal, who entered karting relatively late at age 11 but rapidly closed the experience gap through intensive training and competition. After becoming a leading young karting talent, representing South Africa internationally and joining the More than Equal Driver Development Program, Pascoal is now moving into Formula 4 with ambitions of reaching F1. Her story highlights the importance of coaching, family support, seat time and structured driver-development programs—and shows how new pathways such as More than Equal and F1 Academy are helping female drivers progress toward the top levels of the sport.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects and the host of the Motorsport Prospects Podcast. As a lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.
