It was another international weekend for DAG Management drivers, who competed in two prestigious events. At Le Mans, Mia Zanki took part in the Rotax Max Challenge International Trophy, going up against some of the world’s most talented karting drivers. Meanwhile, in Lithuania, Vanesa Silkunaite and Markas Silkunas starred in the Aurum 1006 km Race Powered by Hankook, securing an important class podium in one of the country’s most prestigious endurance races.

Mia Zanki – P24-Rotax Max Challenge International Trophy 2026, Le Mans-Junior Category
The iconic Le Mans circuit hosted the Rotax Max Challenge International Trophy, one of the most prestigious events on the Rotax calendar, bringing together some of the best karting talents from around the world. The competition represents a major international benchmark and a unique opportunity for drivers to measure themselves against the leading names in global karting.

Mia began the weekend with a strong qualifying performance, immediately demonstrating competitive pace in a category featuring an exceptionally high level of competition. Throughout the qualifying heats, she fought with determination against highly experienced rivals, earning her place in the Final on merit.

In the Final, she continued to give everything, battling throughout the race to finish in 24th place. Beyond the final result, it was a highly encouraging performance at one of the most important international karting events of the season. As the only female driver to qualify for the Final, Mia took another significant step forward in her development, gaining invaluable experience ahead of the upcoming championship rounds.

Determined – She approached every stage of the weekend with confidence and determination against top-level competition.
Competitive – She earned a well-deserved place in the Final at one of the most prestigious international karting events.
Fearless – She challenged some of the strongest drivers in the category, gaining valuable experience for the future.

Markas Silkunas & Vanesa Silkunaite – P12 Overall / P2 in Class | Aurum 1006 km Race Powered by Hankook | TC4
Vanesa Silkunaite and Markas Silkunas competed in the Aurum 1006 km Race Powered by Hankook, Lithuania’s premier endurance event. Held on the famous street circuit of Palanga, the race attracts leading national and international teams every year and is widely regarded as one of the flagship events of Baltic motorsport.

Competing in the TC4 class, the young duo immediately impressed by qualifying 13th overall while securing class pole position, highlighting the excellent work carried out together with the team.

During the race, Vanesa and Markas maintained a consistently competitive pace, managing the demanding endurance event with maturity and composure to secure an excellent second place in class. It was a prestigious result achieved at one of Lithuania’s most important motorsport events, confirming the crew’s competitiveness in endurance racing.

Competitive – They were among the standout performers from qualifying, securing class pole position.
Well-synchronised – They managed the race with excellent teamwork and consistency, delivering an outstanding collective performance.
Prestigious – Their class podium came at one of Lithuania’s most prestigious endurance racing events.

It was a busy weekend for DAG Management drivers, competing in both the Champions of the Future Academy Program and the Rotax Max Challenge India. Julia Angelard, Mia Zanki and Vanesa Silkunaite delivered strong performances, securing front-running finishes and impressive recoveries, while Rivaan Dev Preetham completely dominated the Indian championship.

Julia Angelard – Champions of the Future Academy Program Round 3, Viterbo, Cat. OK-N Junior
Race 1: P4
Race 2: P4
Round 3 of the Champions of the Future Academy Program proved to be another highly competitive weekend for Julia, who showed impressive pace from the very first sessions. She opened both race days by qualifying fifth, immediately establishing herself among the front-runners in the Junior category.
Throughout the heats, Julia consistently fought at the front of the field, maintaining excellent pace and securing an outstanding second-place finish, further confirming the speed she displayed all weekend long.
In both finals, she narrowly missed out on a podium finish, crossing the line in fourth place on each occasion. While there is a touch of disappointment at coming so close to the top three, the results once again confirm her ability to compete at the highest level in one of the most prestigious championships in international karting.
It was an encouraging weekend full of positive signs, highlighting Julia’s continuous development and her growing consistency among the category’s top contenders.

Competitive – Consistently running at the front, she proved she can challenge the best throughout the weekend.
Consistent – From two fifth-place qualifying performances to two fourth-place finishes in the finals, she maintained a high level of performance from start to finish.
Determined – She attacked every heat with confidence, claiming an excellent second-place finish and narrowly missing the podium in both finals.

Mia Zanki – Champions of the Future Academy Program Round 3, Viterbo, Cat. OK-N Junior
Race 1: P14
Race 2: P20
Mia Zanki, the team’s second Junior driver, completed a weekend that showed significant signs of progress. She qualified fifteenth on the opening day before improving to an impressive tenth in qualifying on day two, demonstrating clear development throughout the event.
Over the course of the weekend, Mia benefited from a competitive technical package, allowing her to showcase promising pace in an exceptionally strong field. The foundations for achieving excellent results are clearly in place, and the speed she displayed provides plenty of optimism for the future.
The next step in her development will come through gaining more experience in the category and adopting an even more aggressive approach in wheel-to-wheel battles. As she continues to build experience, Mia will be able to convert her speed into increasingly stronger results.

Promising – She demonstrated excellent potential and continued progression throughout the event.
Receptive – She is rapidly gaining experience and adapting to an extremely competitive category.
Competitive – With a strong technical package, she showed she has the pace to fight closer to the front.

Vanesa Silkunaite – Champions of the Future Academy Program Round 3, Viterbo, Cat. OK-N Senior
Race 1: P8
Race 2: P14
Vanesa, the team’s only Senior driver, faced a particularly demanding weekend after an intense week and the challenge of adapting to a circuit she had not raced on at all this season. Despite these difficulties, she responded with determination and once again demonstrated her competitive spirit.
Starting twentieth in Race 1, she produced an impressive recovery drive to finish eighth. On the second day, she again showcased her fighting mentality by climbing through the field from nineteenth on the grid to secure fourteenth place at the finish.
Although she was unable to perform at the level of her very best weekends, Vanesa once again displayed strong pace and excellent racecraft during her recovery drives. Despite the challenges, the weekend further confirmed her competitiveness and marked another important step in her development.

Determined – She responded to adversity with impressive recovery drives in both races.
Resilient – Despite a demanding week and a completely new circuit, she found a way to remain competitive.
Consistent – She delivered two solid performances, maintaining a strong level even without everything going perfectly.

Rivaan Dev Preetham – Meco FMSCI Indian National Karting Championship / Rotax Max Challenge India Round 2, Chennai, Cat. Junior Max
Overall Result: P1
Rivaan Dev Preetham was the undisputed star of Round 2 of the Rotax Max Challenge India, delivering an almost flawless weekend. After finishing fifth in the free practice sessions, he quickly found the perfect rhythm and embarked on a remarkable run that saw him dominate every subsequent session.
From that point onward, he remained at the top of the timesheets throughout the entire weekend, demonstrating exceptional speed, consistency and race management to establish himself as the benchmark of the Indian championship.
It was a truly outstanding performance that reflects both his talent and the excellent work carried out together with the team. We are proud to have Rivaan as part of DAG Management and to support his international development, confident that achievements like this are only the beginning of a very promising future.

Dominant – He controlled every session of the weekend, consistently leading the field.
Lightning-fast – His pace was in a class of its own, establishing him as the benchmark of the Junior Max category.
Proud – A result that makes the entire team proud and highlights the successful journey we are building together.

The Silverstone weekend delivered one of the most intense, chaotic, and spectacular rounds of the season, dramatically shaking up the championship battle. The British weekend unfolded across two completely different storylines: Saturday crowned Kimi Antonelli with his first historic Sprint victory after a masterful duel with Lewis Hamilton, while Sunday saw Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc emerge victorious from a frantic Feature Race filled with technical drama, penalties, and a race that ultimately finished behind the Safety Car.

While the Sprint confirmed Mercedes as the benchmark team, Sunday’s race completely reshuffled the deck. Antonelli, who started from pole position and looked set to complete a remarkable double, was denied by a technical issue in the closing stages while chasing the Monegasque driver, paving the way for Leclerc’s victory. Behind him finished the two Mercedes drivers, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton (the latter securing a podium despite a five-second penalty). It was, however, a weekend to forget for Red Bull, who left Silverstone frustrated after Max Verstappen beached his car in the gravel at Stowe during the Feature Race, with the team’s only consolation coming from Isack Hadjar’s excellent fifth-place finish.

DAG MANAGEMENT DRIVER RATINGS

FERRARI – SPRINT: 8 | FEATURE RACE: 9

The Prancing Horse leaves Silverstone with a massive points haul and sky-high morale. While Saturday showed promising pace without quite being enough to fight for victory, Sunday saw Leclerc produce a strategic and driving masterclass to give Maranello a win that throws the championship battle wide open.

Charles Leclerc (Sprint: 5th | Feature: 1st – FEATURE RATING: 10)
Solid but unspectacular on Saturday; simply flawless on Sunday. A lightning-fast start handed him the lead, which he defended with relentless pace and composure. Antonelli’s technical retirement certainly helped, but this was a victory built on pure substance.

Lewis Hamilton (Sprint: 2nd | Feature: 3rd)
Inspired in front of his home crowd. In the Sprint he defended pole position fiercely before eventually yielding to Antonelli’s superior pace. The Feature Race was far more dramatic: he battled throughout, served a five-second penalty, lost out strategically in the closing stages, yet still fought his way to a hard-earned third-place finish.

MERCEDES – SPRINT: 9.5 | FEATURE RACE: 7.5

A bittersweet weekend for Brackley. Mercedes once again proved to be the fastest technical package on the grid but came away with fewer rewards than deserved due to Sunday’s reliability issues.

Kimi Antonelli (Sprint: 1st | Feature: Out of the points – SPRINT RATING: 10)
Saturday was one for the history books. He claimed his maiden Sprint victory with remarkable maturity, carefully studying Hamilton before executing a clinical overtake. On Sunday he started from pole, made a poor getaway, but recovered brilliantly with exceptional pace before mechanical failure robbed him of what looked like a certain double.

George Russell (Sprint: 4th | Feature: 2nd)
Less convincing than his teammate on Saturday but exceptionally composed and opportunistic on Sunday. While lacking the outright pace of the leaders, he made no mistakes amid the late-race chaos to secure a crucial runner-up finish.

McLAREN – SPRINT: 7.5 | FEATURE RACE: 6.5

The Woking outfit played a defensive game at its home circuit. The MCL38 lacked the pace to challenge for victory, but the team maximized the package available.

Lando Norris (Sprint: 3rd | Feature: 4th)
Solid and combative. He claimed a valuable Sprint podium thanks to an aggressive opening lap before extracting everything possible from the car to finish just outside the podium on Sunday.

Oscar Piastri (Sprint: 7th | Feature: Out of the points)
A below-par weekend by his standards. Saturday was tidy but uneventful, while Sunday’s race was compromised almost immediately after contact on the opening laps, leaving him with an impossible recovery drive.

RED BULL – SPRINT: 5.5 | FEATURE RACE: 5

Alarm bells are ringing at Milton Keynes. The car appeared nervous and difficult to handle, resulting in a disappointing weekend from a championship perspective.

Max Verstappen (Sprint: 6th | Feature: Retired – FEATURE RATING: 4.5)
One of his toughest weekends in recent years. He spent Saturday defending and complaining about the car’s balance. On Sunday, frustrated by the power unit’s performance, he made an uncharacteristic mistake and ended up in the gravel at Stowe—a costly error.

Isack Hadjar (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: 5th)
After an anonymous Saturday spent learning at the back, Hadjar stepped up on Sunday with a mature, mistake-free drive, securing an outstanding fifth place during one of Red Bull’s darkest weekends.

RACING BULLS – SPRINT: 7 | FEATURE RACE: 8

A weekend to remember for the Faenza-based team, which once again established itself as the strongest midfield outfit by maximizing every opportunity.

Liam Lawson (Sprint: 8th | Feature: 6th)
An exceptionally mature performance throughout the weekend. He scored a valuable Sprint point before following it up with a superb Feature Race, staying out of trouble and managing every restart like a seasoned veteran.

Arvid Lindblad (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: 7th)
His development continues at an impressive rate. After using Saturday as a learning experience, he produced an outstanding Sunday performance, finishing just behind his teammate in seventh and confirming his enormous potential.

AUDI – SPRINT: 5.5 | FEATURE RACE: 7

Clear signs of progress for the team, which translated encouraging pace into results on Sunday thanks in part to excellent execution from the Brazilian side of the garage.

Gabriel Bortoleto (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: 8th)
Steady improvement throughout the weekend. Saturday focused on tire management, while Sunday’s flawless race earned him a valuable eighth-place finish and important championship points.

Nico Hülkenberg (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: Retired)
An unfortunate weekend. Saturday’s anonymous midfield Sprint was followed by a promising Sunday before reliability issues forced him to retire.

ALPINE – SPRINT: 5 | FEATURE RACE: 7

A disappointing Saturday was redeemed by a solid Sunday, with the team capitalizing on others’ misfortune to place both cars inside the top ten.

Franco Colapinto (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: 9th)
A steadily improving weekend. After a learning Sprint, he delivered a composed and disciplined race on Sunday to secure ninth place.

Pierre Gasly (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: 10th)
Experience made the difference. With little to fight for on Saturday, he stayed focused amid Sunday’s chaos and claimed the final championship point.

HAAS – SPRINT: 5.5 | FEATURE RACE: 5.5

A transitional weekend for the American outfit. The car proved reliable but lacked the outright speed required to challenge for points in either race.

Esteban Ocon (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: Out of the points)
Two clean and consistent races, maximizing everything available but never possessing the pace to threaten the top ten.

Oliver Bearman (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: Out of the points)
Continues to gain valuable experience at one of Formula One’s most demanding circuits. He enjoyed several midfield battles, though without any realistic opportunity to score points.

WILLIAMS – SPRINT: 5 | FEATURE RACE: 5

A weekend to forget for Williams, hampered by a chronic lack of pace and unfortunate incidents that ruined Sunday’s race.

Carlos Sainz (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: Out of the points)
An anonymous weekend well below expectations. He struggled to find confidence in the car and remained well outside the top ten throughout.

Alexander Albon (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: Out of the points)
Lacked race pace on Saturday. On Sunday he attempted to recover, but an early collision earned him a penalty that ended any hopes of a comeback.

CADILLAC – SPRINT: 5 | FEATURE RACE: 5

Development of the new project continues slowly. Silverstone confirmed that there is still a long road ahead, with the car consistently running at the back.

Sergio Pérez (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: Out of the points)
Used his experience to gather valuable development data, although the outright performance remains limited.

Valtteri Bottas (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: Out of the points)
Two similar races spent at the rear of the field with little opportunity to move forward. The technical package urgently requires upgrades.

ASTON MARTIN – SPRINT: 5 | FEATURE RACE: 5

The team’s technical struggles continue, with neither competitiveness nor reliability on display at one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar.

Fernando Alonso (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: Out of the points)
Fought with his trademark determination, even starting Sunday’s race from the pit lane, but the car simply offered no opportunity to make an impact.

Lance Stroll (Sprint: Out of the points | Feature: Out of the points)
A heavily compromised weekend. Saturday’s lack of pace was followed by an engine change on Sunday, forcing him into a difficult race from the back of the grid.

WEEKEND VERDICT

TOP PERFORMERS: Kimi Antonelli & Charles Leclerc (10/10)
The weekend belonged to two outstanding stars. Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli dazzled on Saturday with a sensational overtake and veteran-like race management, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc dominated Sunday with a drive full of determination, delivering a hugely significant victory for the Scuderia.

FLOP: Red Bull (5/10)
The car struggled, tensions within the team were evident, and Verstappen’s trip into the gravel perfectly summed up a weekend the reigning champions will want to forget as quickly as possible.

Next Stop: Belgium

The Formula One circus now heads to the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Ferrari arrives full of confidence after its victory, Mercedes knowing it has an exceptionally fast car that simply needs greater reliability, while Red Bull faces an immediate test of character if it hopes to prevent its championship rivals from pulling away.

The number of drivers and countries involved in the motorsport ecosystem continues to grow every year. Over the past five years, around twenty new countries have established a consistent presence in top-level FIA karting, while competitive national championships now exist across every continent. How does a driver’s country of origin influence the decisions that will shape their path toward becoming a professional?

One of the most fascinating aspects of any race weekend—and of the paddock in general—is seeing young drivers from all over the world brought together, not only for the traditional group photographs. Walking through the paddocks of the FIA European Championship, the World Championship, or the WSK Series often feels like attending an Olympic event: all six continents are represented through the faces, cultures, languages, and traditions of the young competitors and the people surrounding them.

Talent scouts—and, above all, those responsible for supporting these often very young drivers in achieving their ambitions—must carefully consider the different starting points that each driver brings depending on their country of origin and the opportunities available to them at the beginning of their careers. For the vast majority of young drivers, relocating thousands of kilometres from home at such an early age is simply not an option. At the same time, exceptional talent can emerge in regions of the world with little or no motorsport tradition, spending the first years of their careers competing exclusively in local championships. During this delicate stage, especially for drivers pursuing a medium- to long-term development plan, it is essential to balance available resources carefully while setting realistic and progressive objectives.

How much progress have you seen in recent years among young drivers coming from countries with little motorsport tradition?
In recent years, we have witnessed remarkable growth in both the number and the quality of young drivers emerging from countries that were once considered peripheral to the traditional centres of European motorsport.
Whereas the route to professional racing once almost exclusively passed through nations with a deeply rooted racing culture—such as Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany—we are now seeing talented drivers emerge from Asia, the Middle East, North America, South America, and even from markets that until only a few years ago had very limited representation in international competition.
Several factors have contributed to this evolution: greater access to information, the widespread availability of professional simulators, the development of local driver academies, increased investment by national federations and private sponsors, and, above all, the globalisation of motorsport. Today, a young driver can begin their journey in a competitive national championship before progressing to European competition without necessarily relocating abroad from the very beginning of their career.
Naturally, geographical background still influences the opportunities available during the early stages. A driver growing up in Italy has the advantage of competing immediately against some of the world’s strongest teams and competitors, while those from emerging markets often need a more structured development path to reach the same level of experience. Nevertheless, this gap is narrowing rapidly.
From our perspective, talent can emerge anywhere. The role of modern driver management is to identify potential regardless of geographical origin, building a programme that takes into account the characteristics of the local market, the resources available, and the driver’s medium- and long- term objectives. Increasingly, we are seeing young drivers from countries with little motorsport history arrive in Europe already well prepared and capable of competing at the highest level from their very first international seasons.
This makes modern motorsport more competitive, more global and, above all, richer in opportunities than ever before.

Given that competitive opportunities are naturally more limited in certain parts of the world, what do you believe is the best way to develop a young talent without leaving their home country—at least initially?
When a young driver comes from a country where competitive opportunities are limited, the primary objective should not necessarily be to race abroad immediately, but rather to build solid technical, mental and professional foundations within the opportunities that are available locally.
During the early stages of a driver’s career, it is far more important to develop talent correctly than simply to accumulate mileage in prestigious championships without being truly prepared. A well- structured training programme, experienced coaching, data analysis, physical and mental preparation, and consistent participation in the national championship can provide an exceptionally strong foundation.
Technology has also introduced valuable tools that were unavailable only a few years ago. Professional simulators have become an essential part of driver development, allowing young racers to learn international circuits, improve their technical understanding and refine their analytical skills without having to be physically based in the world’s major motorsport hubs.
Another key factor is identifying the right moment to make the transition to international competition. Moving too early is not always the best strategy. In many cases, it is more beneficial to dominate—or at least distinguish oneself—within the national environment, gaining confidence and experience before gradually entering carefully selected international programmes, such as individual races, FIA events or benchmark competitions within European karting.
From our perspective, talent should be developed through a sustainable and progressive pathway. Remaining in one’s home country during the early years should not be viewed as a limitation, but rather as an opportunity to grow within a more controlled environment while making the most efficient use of available resources. Once solid foundations have been established, entering international championships becomes far more effective and allows the driver to fully express their potential.

In recent years, several international championships using the Arrive & Drive format have been introduced, providing identical equipment for every competitor and allowing drivers to compete purely on the basis of their driving ability and racecraft. In your opinion, what are the benefits of this type of competition?
We believe that Arrive & Drive championships represent one of the most significant developments in modern motorsport, particularly within junior categories and international driver development programmes.
Their greatest advantage is the ability to evaluate a driver’s talent far more directly. When every competitor has access to identical equipment, much of the performance difference depends on driving ability, learning speed, pressure management, mental preparation and race intelligence. This makes it possible to identify with much greater accuracy those drivers who possess natural ability and genuine professional potential.
Another important benefit is accessibility. For many families and for drivers coming from countries far removed from the traditional motorsport centres, participating in an Arrive & Drive championship is considerably more sustainable, both financially and logistically, than running a complete programme involving their own team, equipment and dedicated personnel. This contributes to making motorsport more inclusive and genuinely global.

From a developmental perspective, these competitions also teach one of the most valuable qualities in professional racing: adaptability. Drivers must quickly understand unfamiliar machinery, work effectively with engineers and mechanics they may be meeting for the first time, and maximise performance within a very limited timeframe. These are precisely the skills that will be required throughout their professional careers.
Naturally, traditional championships continue to play a central role, since professional motorsport also demands the ability to develop the car, collaborate closely with engineers and contribute to the team’s technical progress. Nevertheless, Arrive & Drive formats represent an outstanding tool for both talent identification and driver development, placing the driver firmly at the centre of the performance equation while rewarding sporting merit in an especially transparent way.
For this reason, we believe these championships will continue to grow in importance over the coming years, becoming an increasingly significant platform for identifying and developing talented drivers from every corner of the world.

What is the ideal development environment for a driver aged around 12–13 who wants to start testing themselves internationally in competitions of this kind?
For a driver aspiring to a professional career, the age of 12 or 13 is often the point at which they need to begin measuring themselves against genuine international competition.
National championships remain important for building experience and consistency, but there comes a stage when they are no longer sufficient to fully assess a young driver’s true potential. Professional motorsport is a global arena, and the technical and sporting benchmarks must be the best drivers of the same generation, regardless of nationality.
For this reason, we believe that, around this age, the ideal environment is one that allows the driver to compete regularly in international events, particularly Arrive & Drive series or championships where the overall standard of competition is exceptionally high. The objective is not simply to evaluate outright pace over a single lap, but also to assess the driver’s ability to adapt to unfamiliar circuits, different cultures, new working methods and a significantly higher level of competitive pressure.
Very often, the final result itself is less important than the information gathered throughout the experience. Understanding where a driver stands compared to the world’s best young talents is fundamental when planning the next steps of their career.
Naturally, the transition must be sustainable and carefully planned, but we believe that any young driver with professional ambitions should seek international competition as early as reasonably possible. It is in these environments that the skills, habits and mindset required to compete at the highest levels of modern motorsport are truly developed.

It is possible that, for various reasons—such as a lack of circuits or a relatively low level of competition in certain national championships—a driver coming from a distant country may initially struggle to be competitive. Why shouldn’t this discourage them, and which qualities do you believe are most important during this first period of adaptation?
Absolutely—it is a situation that occurs far more frequently than many people realise.
When a young driver from an emerging motorsport nation competes internationally for the first time, they often face opponents who have spent years racing on Europe’s finest circuits, accumulating an amount of experience, data and technical knowledge that is simply impossible to replicate in many local championships. For this reason, it is not uncommon to see highly talented drivers struggle during their first appearances on the international stage.
The greatest mistake would be to judge their potential solely by those initial results. In our work, when evaluating a driver, we look far beyond their finishing position. We assess how quickly they learn, how they respond to adversity, how much they reduce the gap to the front-runners over the course of a race weekend, and how effectively they translate feedback into measurable improvements.
Raw speed is important, but during the adaptation phase other qualities often matter even more. The ability to learn quickly, the humility to recognise that there is a higher level to reach, discipline in daily preparation and mental resilience are frequently the characteristics that separate those who continue to progress from those whose development stalls at the first obstacle.
Many of the drivers who now compete at the highest levels of motorsport were not immediately at the front when they first entered international competition. What distinguished them was their ability to treat every race as a learning opportunity rather than allowing short-term results to define their confidence or ambitions.
As an agency focused on developing professional drivers, we believe the most important question is not, “How fast is this driver today?” but rather, “How quickly are they improving?” Motorsport is a marathon, not a sprint. A driver who demonstrates a steep learning curve, a professional mindset and the ability to adapt to increasingly competitive environments can recover, within a matter of months, experience gaps that have taken others years to accumulate.
For this reason, during a driver’s first international experiences, our focus is often directed far more towards their development potential than towards immediate results. Tomorrow’s professionals are very often recognised by the quality of their progression rather than by the outcome of their first international championship.

When you take a young driver to compete in Italy, at FIA events or in series such as the Champions of the Future Academy Program, you are, in a sense, throwing them into the deep end. How do you determine when a driver who performs well locally is truly ready to make that step?
This is probably one of the most delicate decisions we have to make during a driver’s development.
The real risk is not introducing a driver to international competition too early; the risk is doing so before they are capable of transforming that experience into genuine progress. For this reason, we evaluate far more than simply the results they achieve at national level. What matters most is how those results are achieved.
A driver who is ready for the next step is not necessarily the one who wins every race in their domestic championship. Rather, it is the one who has developed qualities that are transferable to a far more competitive environment: adaptability, technical understanding of the machinery, the ability to perform under pressure, mature decision-making on track and, above all, a strong willingness to learn.
When assessing a young talent, we ask ourselves a simple question: Are they dominating because the level of competition around them is relatively weak, or because they genuinely possess exceptional qualities? The distinction is crucial. A driver who continues winning comfortably without being truly challenged may actually slow down their own development.
This is why we often introduce gradual international benchmarks. Tests on unfamiliar circuits, selected one-off races, events featuring international competitors or championships such as the Champions of the Future Academy Program provide us with information that is far more valuable than another straightforward victory at national level.
One of the indicators we value most highly is adaptability. If a driver arrives at a circuit they have never seen before, competes against far more experienced rivals and manages to significantly reduce the performance gap within only a few sessions, they possess one of the most valuable qualities in professional motorsport. Quite often, this tells us far more than the final race result itself.
As an agency dedicated to helping drivers reach professional racing, we believe the right time to make the leap comes when the local environment no longer provides enough of a challenge to accelerate their development. At that point, the “deep end” is no longer a risk—it becomes a necessity.
Ultimately, professional careers are not built by proving you are the best in your own country. They are built by discovering how close you are to the very best in the world, and by working every single day to close that gap. That is why we would often rather see a driver fighting for a hard- earned top-15 finish in a highly competitive international field than winning easily in an environment that no longer pushes them to improve.

Looking at the overall competitive pathway—including the transition to cars, both single-seaters and GT racing—why is there “no rush” to move up too early, and what are the benefits of waiting one or two extra years before taking that major step? What are some of the qualities that a young driver can still develop in the junior categories?
In modern motorsport, there is often a tendency to accelerate every stage of a driver’s progression. The reality, however, is that professional racing does not reward those who reach a category first— it rewards those who arrive fully prepared.
Many young drivers and their families believe that the key to success is progressing through the ranks as quickly as possible. In reality, particularly when transitioning from karting to cars, moving up too early can have significant technical and financial consequences. Entering a higher category before the fundamentals have been fully established often means investing substantial resources in an experience that cannot yet be fully exploited.
When we recommend waiting one or two extra years before making the leap, we are not suggesting slowing down a driver’s career. Rather, we are talking about maximising the effectiveness of the next stage. A driver entering Formula racing or GT competition with solid racing experience, strong racecraft and professional maturity will learn much faster and achieve better results than someone who has been promoted prematurely.

There are many qualities that can still be developed extremely effectively in the junior categories. These include race starts, wheel-to-wheel racing, strategic decision-making, teamwork, mental preparation and pressure management. These are skills that will remain with a driver throughout their career and often become the deciding factors when the technical level between competitors becomes increasingly equal.
There is another aspect that, from a management perspective, we consider fundamental: confidence.
A driver who steps up to the next category after achieving genuine sporting maturity arrives with a far greater understanding of their own abilities and a much more professional mindset. Conversely, those who move up too early often spend entire seasons simply trying to adapt, losing valuable time in their long-term development.
Naturally, there is no universal rule. If a driver has already demonstrated that they possess the necessary level of performance and maturity, accelerating the transition may well be the right decision. However, in the vast majority of cases, the real mistake is not waiting one more year. The real mistake is moving into the next category before extracting every possible lesson and benefit from the one they are currently competing in.
As an agency committed to building professional racing careers, we always think in terms of careers rather than individual seasons. Motorsport is a long-term journey, and those who invest the right amount of time in developing their skills often go much further than those searching for shortcuts. It is not important to be the youngest driver in a category—it is important to be fully prepared to make the most of the opportunity when the time comes.

Are there any countries that have surprised you in recent years with their ability to attract young people into motorsport despite having little historical tradition in the sport?
Over the past few years, we have seen several countries develop remarkably quickly, often exceeding expectations both in terms of participation and the quality of their emerging young talent.
Among the most striking examples are several nations in the Middle East, where significant investments in infrastructure, national federation programmes and youth development initiatives are creating an increasingly competitive motorsport ecosystem. Today, it is no longer unusual to see drivers from this region arriving on the international stage with a level of preparation that would have been difficult to imagine just a decade ago.
Several Asian countries have also experienced impressive growth. Markets such as China, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines are producing an increasing number of young drivers embarking on international programmes with genuine professional ambitions and increasingly structured development pathways.
Another region that has particularly impressed us is Latin America. While some countries have long-established motorsport traditions, we are now seeing new talent emerge from markets that historically played a much smaller role in top-level karting and junior formula racing. The passion for motorsport has always existed there, but in recent years it has increasingly evolved into professionally organised driver development programmes.
What all these examples have in common is something very simple: whenever the right infrastructure and meaningful opportunities for international competition are created, talent emerges regardless of geography. Motorsport is no longer a sport dominated by just a handful of European countries. Knowledge, expertise and opportunities are now far more accessible than ever before, contributing to a truly global competitive landscape.
As talent managers and observers of the sport, the lesson we draw is that we should no longer ask where a driver comes from, but rather what opportunities they have had to develop their potential. Increasingly, we encounter exceptionally competitive young drivers from countries that, until only a few years ago, would never have been considered sources of international motorsport talent.
And perhaps this is one of the most fascinating aspects of modern motorsport: the next professional driver may come from a nation with a long and celebrated racing heritage—or from a country that is only just beginning to write its own story in international competition.