Mazda Motorsport has selected their nominees for the Mazda MX-5 Cup and SMX Shootout, and I have the details in this week’s Driver Development Roundup. I also have details on why all connections you make matter, how race teams fill seats and more!
Overview
Becoming a Professional Race Driver
Why All Connections Matter
Last week on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast I chatted with Tyler Cooke who explained the importance of networking and why all the connections you make matter. Tyler is a professional GT3 driver competing at the highest levels of endurance and sprint racing, with starts in GT World Challenge Europe and IMSA.
In this episode we discussed:
- Why winning is not the only thing. You need to be a really good businessperson.
- Why you need to be more in control of your destiny.
- The importance of getting out of your comfort zone.
- How LinkedIn helps you with building a network and much more.
Listen to the full episode here!
Why One F1 Test Day Decided a 2027 Driver Choice
Haas would have likely made a different choice for its 2027 Formula 1 driver line-up if it hadn’t started its own Testing of Previous Cars program last year. Ferrari junior Rafael Camara was picked to replace incumbent Esteban Ocon at Haas on a multi-year deal despite facing stiff competition.
He became the “crystal clear” choice with his strong performance in an old-school ‘F1 shootout’ at Portimao, as part of that TPC run in a 2025 Haas, having fended off that competition.
Read more about how Hass chose Camara at The Race here.
How Race Teams Fill Seats
Every racing family needs to understand one structural truth about this sport. Teams need to fill seats. It is not a criticism, it is their business model, and seeing it clearly explains a great deal of what happens around your driver. Dan Wells from Drivers Lab explains how race teams fill seats.
McLaren Retains Fornaroli as F1 Reserve and Hands Him WEC Program for 2027
Leonardo Fornaroli will continue as McLaren’s F1 reserve and third driver in 2027, while also taking on the World Endurance Championship with the squad’s new Hypercar. In an exclusive interview with Autosport, he discusses his first impressions behind the wheel, his desire to return to racing and his dream of competing at Le Mans
The First Vietnamese Athlete to Participate in the FIA F4 World Cup
Nguyen Hoai Nam Anh (Ben Anh Nguyen) is the first Vietnamese driver to participate in the 2026 FIA F4 World Cup, which will take place in Macau from November 19-22. You can read more about who is up against here.
LN4 Fusion Signs Gowda for 2027 FIA Formula 3 Season
LN4 Fusion has announced that Dion Gowda will join the team for the 2027 FIA Formula 3 Championship. The Indian driver made his single-seater debut in 2023, contesting a mix of Formula 4 series and taking four wins and six podiums on his way to fourth in the British F4 Championship. In 2024 he moved to the highly competitive Italian F4 Championship, claiming two podium finishes, before stepping up to the Formula Regional European Championship in 2025.
Porsche Junior Flynt Schuring “Lost for Words” After Winning 2026 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup
A year on from winning the Rookie title, Flynt Schuring claimed the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in front of his home crowd at Zandvoort – a “dream scenario” for the Porsche Junior.
“Of course, you feel pressure, but there are different kinds of pressure. So sometimes you just feel pressure to perform, sometimes you feel it really from yourself or from the outside. But I felt good in the moment, and that really helped also, so a good environment as well.”
Two Drivers Highlight Participation in the 2026 Porsche Junior Shootout
Two drivers from different ends of the world will be taking place in the 2026 Porsche Junior Shootout at Circuit Portimão in Portugal in November, with a scholarship towards a season in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship on offer. Macéo Capietto will represent France, a first for a rookie while Clay Osborne has been selected by Porsche Motorsport Australia to contest the shootout.
SRO GT Academy Winner Hartling Earns GetSpeed Drive
SRO GT Academy winner Jay Mo Hartling will contest the 2027 GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 run by GetSpeed. The German squad has been selected to oversee the young driver’s prize entry, which he earned for his performances in the GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli.
Hartling – who turns 24 on Wednesday – was the outstanding candidate for this coveted seat. Piloting a Mercedes-AMG GT2 for SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm, he beat seven rivals across the five-round campaign, finishing well clear of runner-up Ethan Gialdini.
Racing America To Launch the NA Formula Ladder in 2027
The formerly FIA-affliated USF4 Championship and Formula Regional Americas have been rebranded as the NA Formula Ladder. The series will launch in 2027 and will comprise the NAJr Championship, NA4 Championship and NA3 Championship, with each step bringing drivers closer to their dreams and to the biggest stages of motorsport.
“We are thrilled to offer young racers another driver development avenue in North America through the NA Formula Ladder,” said Lee Giannone, CEO of Racing America. “One of our core values at Racing America is to be a magnet for professional talent, innovation and competitors—and the NA Formula Ladder will be just that. The dedication that our staff puts into helping young drivers develop and build successful careers is second to none in the industry.
The Hamilton Spectator spoke with former IndyCar driver Scott Goodyear about the development pathway, which is designed to help aspiring racers progress through increasingly powerful single-seater categories while building their skills and experience.
With this move, thes series will no longer offer FIA Superlicense points. More details are to come.
You can listen to my chat with Scott Goodyear about his approach to driver development on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast here.
Pepe Martí on Joining Formula E: ‘I Couldn’t Have Made a Better Decision’
One year ago today, Pepe Martí departed Formula 2 to embark on his maiden campaign as a professional racing driver with Cupra Kiro in Formula E. Feeder Series caught up with the Spanish driver at the season-ending London E-Prix to reflect on the journey that led him to compete in the all-electric world championship.
2027 NASCAR International Driver Development Start with Official Recruitment Tests in France
Official entries are now open for the first 2027 NASCAR Recruitment Tests, taking place December 10-11, 2026, at the NASCAR Euro Series test track in France – Both emerging and experienced drivers will have the unique opportunity to test the pure racing V8 beasts with the opportunity to win financial scholarships to participate in the 2027 season.
- Date & Venue: December 10-11, 2026, at Circuits de Vendee, France
- The EuroNASCAR Machine: Pure 400-hp V8 touring cars with zero electronic aids
- To win: Financial scholarships and 2027 full-season career pathways
More details can be found here.
Could You Be the Next BTCC Star?
As part of the series’ ongoing driver evaluation and development program, Speedworks Motorsport is offering a limited number of semi-exclusive BTCC test opportunities in our Toyota Corolla GR Sport.
“We’re particularly interested in hearing from promising junior graduates, Silver-rated drivers and emerging talent looking to take the next step in their motorsport careers.”
More details can be found here.
New F1 Academy Documentary to Launch on Disney+
A new motorsports documentary on F1 Academy, the all-women racing series, will stream on Disney+ in November. The Pursuit: F1 Academy will debut globally on the streaming platform on Nov. 19, ahead of the season finale in Las Vegas. It gives a behind-the-scenes look at the 2025 season, which saw the championship battle between Mercedes’ Doriane Pin and then-Ferrari driver Maya Weug go down to the final race. Pin won, by 15 points.
Mercedes Spent $10 Million to Turn an 11-Year-Old Prodigy Into an F1 Champion
What does it take to turn a talented young kart racer into a Formula 1 star? Mercedes invested approximately $10 million over seven years in Kimi Antonelli’s development, beginning when the Italian was just 11 years old. In this Wall Street Journal feature, Joshua Robinson explores how the team supported Antonelli’s progression through junior racing, funding everything from coaching, fitness and nutrition to simulator training and media preparation.
His journey highlights the scale of investment required to develop an elite driver — and the importance of patience, comprehensive preparation and long-term commitment when nurturing young motorsport talent.
Billy Monger and Toyota Launch Disability Sport YouTube Series
Toyota has partnered with former racing driver Billy Monger to launch What Moves Us, a five-part YouTube series highlighting how sport and physical activity can help young disabled people build confidence and independence. You can watch the first episode above.
Driver Development Program News & Resources
Mazda Motorsports Selects Mazda MX-5 Cup and SMX Shootout Nominees
Mazda Motorsports has determined the list of nominees eligible for the 2026 Mazda Shootout, an annual competition that awards multiple scholarships in two categories: Spec MX-5 (SMX) and MX-5 Cup. At the end, Mazda will give away more than $300,000 to help promising drivers achieve their racing dreams.
The nominee list is a combination of automatic and at-large selections. Automatic selections go to drivers who have won a club racing national championship (NASA or SCCA) in a Mazda-powered vehicle. At-large nominees are drivers who haven’t won a national championship, but have shown exceptional racing talent, not necessarily in a Mazda-powered car, or even in sports cars.
To be considered for a spot in the Shootout, nominees must submit a racing resume, driver bio and video. Through these items, drivers must include why they should be selected, how they financially plan to continue their career beyond Mazda MX-5 Cup and what work they have done away from the track to further their goals. Additionally, they must explain why they would be a good brand ambassador for Mazda.
“Mazda’s support for emerging talent has become a benchmark across the racing industry in North America,” Mazda Motorsports Senior Manager Jonathan Applegate said. “Time and time again our scholarship programs have helped push a driver to the next level of their professional career and in many cases, successful drivers have credited Mazda with keeping their racing dream alive.”
The Mazda MX-5 Cup Shootout is two days of on and off-track evaluation by a panel of judges selected by Mazda. The winner receives a $150,000 scholarship to compete in the 2027 Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin. A runner-up scholarship valued at $100,000 is also up for grabs.
Mazda Motorsports has shifted its approach to the Women in Motorsport Initiative. Instead of selecting one female driver to support for a season, several different female drivers will be chosen throughout 2027 to participate in select Mazda MX-5 Cup races. These drivers will have the opportunity to showcase their skills to the MX-5 Cup and IMSA paddock, gain experience in the car, and potentially earn an invite to next year’s Shootout.
Run in conjunction with the MX-5 Cup Shootout is the Spec MX-5 (SMX) Shootout. This program follows the same format, but with younger, less experienced drivers trying to get their sports car racing careers started. In the end two drivers will be selected to be “Mazda Factory Drivers” in the 2027 SMX season and receive financial support throughout.
Many drivers who win the Spec MX-5 Shootout go on to compete for and win the MX-5 Cup Shootout. For example, Westin Workman started his foray into sports car racing by winning the Spec MX-5 Shootout, then the MX-5 Cup Shootout, the 2024 MX-5 Cup Rookie of the Year title and this year was named the recipient of the IMSA Diverse Driver Development Scholarship.
Nominees have been contacted via email and have until October 23 to submit their materials. The finalists selected to participate in the Shootout will be revealed on November 6.
Applications Are Now Open for the 2027 BRDC Driver Academy Powered by Motorsport UK
Bringing together the expertise of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) and Motorsport UK, the Academy is designed to support the next generation of motorsport talent, helping promising young drivers and co-drivers develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to progress in the sport.
Applications are currently open for two programs:
Kart Academy | Drivers aged 12–16
Rally Academy | Drivers and co-drivers aged 15–28
Through specialist workshops, expert guidance and one-to-one support, both programs provide opportunities for young competitors to develop on and off the track, supporting their progression in motorsport.
- Applications close Wednesday 25th November 2026 at 5pm.
- Find out more about the programs and apply here: https://britishdriveracademy.co.uk/
More than Equal Drivers Gianna Pascoal and Julia Angelard Set for GB4 and Ginetta Junior Winter Campaigns
More than Equal development drivers Gianna Pascoal (South Africa) and Julia Angelard (Poland) will compete at Snetterton, United Kingdom on 24-25 October, contesting the GB4 Winter Series with Pace Performance and the Ginetta Junior Winter Series with Elite Motorsport respectively.
More than Equal, the global high-performance motorsport programme dedicated to identifying and developing elite female racing talent, is funding the majority of both campaigns.
The investment marks an expansion of More than Equal’s support, adding direct funding for race competition to the technical and tactical coaching, physical preparation and personal development delivered through its Driver Development Programme. The backing also covers testing programmes for both drivers ahead of the event.
The two campaigns have been selected around each driver’s development needs, providing competitive mileage and opportunities to build racecraft ahead of the 2027 season.
More details on the drivers and the program can be found here.
On the Podcast This Week
The Importance of Trust Featuring Dr. Harold Ian Miltner
This week on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast features Dr. Harold Ian Miltner. Harry is the Founder & Managing Director HM Sports an international sports consultant and the founder of the Formelaustria Race Academy. We talk about a wide range of topics including motorsport sponsorship, the differences between sim racing and real-world racing and why you need to trust the professionals working to help build your career.
The episode drops this Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM EST. You can listen to the episode and subscribe to the podcast here.
Karting
Biggest Mistake Parents Make When Moving their Child from Karts to Cars
Being fast is only part of what it takes to succeed in motorsport. After appearing on the Motorsport Prospects Podcast, Mick Gomme was inspired to turn his years of experience into a book that helps young racing drivers and their parents understand what lies beyond raw speed.
BEING FAST IS JUST THE START: What Every Young Racing Driver and Parent Needs to Know distills Mick’s hard-earned knowledge into a practical resource for families navigating the challenges and opportunities of a racing career.
The book is available on Amazon in the following regions:
- United States: Buy on Amazon.com
- Canada: Buy on Amazon.ca
- United Kingdom: Buy on Amazon.co.uk
- Europe: Find it on Amazon Germany
- Australia: Buy on Amazon.com.au
If you are not a subscriber to the Motorsport Prospects Podcast, you can listen and subscribe here.
FAT Karting League Aims to Prove that Motorsport Talent Can Come from Anywhere
Motorsport talent can come from anywhere. The opportunity to prove it should too. FAT Karting League founder Rob Smedley explains their approach in this video interview here.
Meanwhile, FAT Karting League Northern and Southern California entries are now open.
- Southern California: https://fat-kartingleague.com/hubs/socal-usa?country=usa
- Northern California: https://fat-kartingleague.com/hubs/norcal-usa?country=usa
Zimbabwean Youngsters Join Africa’s Motorsport Revolution
Zimbabwean karting has taken another significant step onto the continental motorsport stage, with young drivers Seth Rukato and Kufara Chimuti representing the country at the recent Karting Africa Show Run in Angola — an initiative that could help shape the future of African racing.
The event brought together young competitors from across Africa, showcasing emerging talent while laying the foundations for an ambitious plan to develop future African racing stars
Last Week on The Business of Being a Race Driver
F2 and F3 Sponsorship Costs for 2027
F2 and F3 sponsorship costs for 2027 are just some of what is covered in last week’s Business of Being a Race Driver. You also get advice on how to treat your sponsors, valuing content, successful sponsorships for women in motorsport and more!
From the Sim Racing Roundup
Sim Racing for Real-World Drivers
Discover how sim racing helps real-world drivers improve racecraft, learn new tracks and develop their skills, plus the FIA and Track Titan collaboration and sim-to-real racing pathways. All this and more in last week’s Sim Racing Roundup.
Driver Journeys
Sabre Cook
Sabre Cook races in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America and has deep roots in open wheel racing including starting off in karts. Race School.com caught up with her at the 2026 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach where she tells them about the various race cars and series she’s driven in and also about her engineering background. She’s totally focused on her craft yet also is quick to credit those who’ve helped her along the way. She’s experienced worldwide motorsport from both an engineering side as well as being a driver. You can listen to the interview here.
FREC’s Nakamura-Berta: ‘This Year Has Shown Me Just How Important Collecting Points Can Be’
Heading into the 2026 Formula Regional European Championship season, reigning Italian F4 champion and Williams junior Kean Nakamura-Berta was the driver to beat. He was one of four title protagonists in a battle that was fought until the bitter end – but he ultimately came up 17 points short, finishing third overall. Nakamura-Berta opened up to Feeder Series on how he experienced his hardest-fought championship to date and what he learned from it heading into his 2027 F3 campaign.
How Andrew Jordan Realized his Teenage Rallycross Dream
As a youngster, he wanted to follow in Kenneth Hansen’s footsteps. Now, the family’s decision to buy an old Citroen rallycross machine for some fun has now brought him much closer to his idol than expected. Autosport details the motorsport journey of Andrew Jordan.
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.
