This week marks the beginning of a monthly-based collaboration between Vroom and one of the most experienced experts in the four-wheel motorsport feeder series. A manager of proven renown with a unique racing background, Giovanni Minardi takes us on a journey to discover the intricate system of driver development—from their early days in karting to category choices, athletic preparation, long-term budget management, and navigating relationships, both essential and improbable. Because becoming a driver is not a piece of cake..
Stories like Hamilton’s or Verstappen’s (who, despite not being part of an academy, reached F1 at a very young age), and now Antonelli’s have ingrained in the public’s mind the concept of a “Racing Academy”, a term that can be misleading. The extensive use of the term “Junior” can also evoke images of youth programs in team sports, like academies in football or basketball. Giovanni Minardi has provided us with a clearer understanding of what Racing Academies are today and how they function in terms of scouting and, of course, economically. “There are different types,” explains Minardi. “There are those that take you because they believe you have potential, and they provide everything necessary to attempt the climb the ladder to Formula 1. These can be considered genuine scholarships. Then, we find academies that help, but only partially, contributing to the budget needed for the season while you must handle the rest. Lastly, there are academies that don’t invest anything— you must have the full budget yourself—but you can leverage the promotional and communication value of being part of an F1 academy.”
From a collective imagination perspective, given the sport’s nature and the emphasis on “supporting the athlete’s growth,” one might think of academies as “scholarships” usable within the motorsport feeder series. But is that really the case, or are they more often merely vehicles for image sponsorship?
“The activities performed within an academy range from simple physical and mental training to simulator sessions before each race on the calendar, as well as lessons in mechanics and media relations. Normally, once you are part of an academy, families and sponsors no longer have much influence, proportional to how much they still need to invest in the young driver’s career. If the academy invests 100% of the budget, neither the family nor the sponsors have a say. If additional investment is required, they can interact with the academy and attempt to influence decisions, although this remains difficult, as the academy always has the final say.”
The high costs of karting are predominantly concentrated in the Junior categories: from Mini to OK, targeting boys and girls aged roughly 8 to 15. In few other sports do children reach such a high (and serious, considering resources and effort) level so early. Compared to tennis, football, or basketball—sports popular in the West— while commitment exists, it is far less immersive than motorsport, which often keeps kids at the track for an entire week, with inevitable repercussions. In this context, can the presence of academies improve the situation or paradoxically worsen it?
“Unfortunately, motorsport is the most complex sport in existence, and it consumes the greatest amount of time compared to normal daily life. In other sports, you might train 2–3 hours a day. In motorsport, you spend entire days, weeks, or even months away from home. This means kids practicing this sport cannot attend regular school, completely lose friendships outside the motorsport world, and, in many cases, stay away from their families. Both the driver and their family must make far greater sacrifices than athletes in any other sport. Regarding academies, much depends on the specific one: some require you to live near their headquarters, others have you travel back and forth based on commitments, and others do not add extra obligations. But what’s clear is that you are busy 24/7, 365 days a year—it’s not an easy life.”
The pivotal moment for a driver is the social media launch photo in the “big league” uniform. When the agreement is signed, and photos are taken with the F1 team’s logo, the driver undergoes an accelerated growth process. How manageable is such pressure for a teenager who—beyond their on-track performance—is still in the middle of adolescence?
“All sports come with pressure, but in motorsport, where a lot of money is involved, the pressure is much higher from the start. Of course, the moment you join an academy, the pressure skyrockets, given that this generally happens at a very young age. Helping them learn to manage it is part of our job—being there for them, shielding them as much as possible from difficult situations, training them to handle the media, and advising them on what to say or do when things get tough. The first lesson we teach young drivers, aged 8 or 9, when they start working with us is how to behave in the paddock and within a team. We explain proper conduct on the track and the respect they must show for everyone working with them: mechanics, team managers, and officials.”
Looking deeper, some kids may be quite “mature” for their age, even at 14, with only average or modest sporting talent, yet continue progressing through higher categories simply out of inertia and lack of genuine motivation. Others, with natural abilities but still-developing personalities that are harder to decipher and manage, might burn out despite having the potential to become exceptional champions. Such early reshuffling of cards, though it generates significant revenue, paradoxically harms the sport, leading to a field populated by competent but not extraordinary drivers, lowering the talent bar even at motorsport’s highest levels. It also robs the sport of what once made it captivating: the unique personalities and individuality of its drivers. There is no area of life where rushing leads to good results, yet motorsport operates differently. How is this possible?
“Obviously, as in normal life and every other sport, individual growth differs for everyone— some mature earlier, others later, and everyone has their own unique characteristics. I don’t think it’s entirely true that motorsport rushes things today. A few years ago, with Verstappen’s arrival in F1, things were heading in a bad direction, but now there’s a return to waiting for the right time. A driver reaches F1 only when ready and mature. Looking at the current picture, many academies no longer push for drivers to jump from karting to formula cars at 15—they wait until they’re ready. Often, it’s families that want to accelerate the timeline, sometimes mistakenly, likely also to save money. A key aspect of our work is advising families to take the step at the right time, as many variables must be considered when changing categories. Most families, lacking the experience for such decisions, risk making mistakes. Take Michael Schumacher: in karting, he hadn’t won as much as he later did in cars. Today, he might have struggled to find a spot. The main issue in today’s motorsport, which threatens true talent, is the psychological stress that has skyrocketed. Often, young drivers can’t handle it and quit, even if they have exceptional talent. Another reason for the loss of top talent is the significant changes motorsport has undergone in the last decade. The way talent is scouted has transformed. Fifteen or twenty years ago, when a promising karting driver was spotted, team principals would personally scout them at the track. Today, third parties, often lacking the necessary expertise, handle this instead.”
Regarding academies, how long does a driver generally have to become a return on investment (ROI) to justify the financial commitment? Recently, Williams signed children as young as 10 and 11. What do you think?
“I don’t think there’s a perfect age for entering an academy or determining if a driver will truly provide an ROI. What academies should focus on is selecting drivers with unmistakable talent, disregarding marketing or family wallets. They should fully support the drivers, including financially. That’s scouting; otherwise, it’s simply an image business.”
Finally, are these truly “academies,” or should we think of another name? How could we redefine the concept to better reflect their purpose?
“Every case is unique, and I haven’t experienced one firsthand. However, there is a case I find emblematic based on what emerged at the end of 2024 in the media: Zak O’Sullivan. During the 2024 season, he raced in F2 with ART Grand Prix as a Williams Academy driver. With a few races left in the championship, it seems the team benched him because he ran out of personal budget. Despite winning races in Monaco and Spa and securing other good results, Williams didn’t finance the remaining races, effectively ending his season early. At the end of the season, he was also dropped from the academy. If this is how things happened, it’s deeply disappointing—primarily for the driver. What’s the point of being in an academy if there’s no real support in times of need? We mustn’t forget that behind the business of racing are people—often very young individuals with dreams and hopes. Athletes who fight tooth and nail to succeed, with families often making tremendous sacrifices to help their children achieve their goals.”
