Despite being mostly known for its Alpine skiing heroes, Austria has always been a big player in Formula 1. A total of 16 drivers have won four world championship titles, collected 41 GP victories, and achieved 118 podium places. Every racing fan knows the likes of Jochen Rindt, Niki Lauda, Gerhard Berger, or Alex Wurz. Last season, almost 2.3 million Austrians watched Formula 1 on TV.

However, no red-white-red driver has competed in a Grand Prix since Christian Klien in the 2010 season. Hence, the Austrian-based international sports consulting agency HM Sports, who has been active in F1 for more than two decades, has now launched the Formelaustria Young Driver Programme by RMT.

The two-year programme supports karting talents and SimRacing champions in their transition to becoming a thoroughbred Formula 4 driver. The campaign also shapes karting alumni off-track with:

• Training on the Renauer Motorsport race simulator
• Fitness coaching for physical fitness with sports medical data analysis
• Mental coaching for strengthening stress resilience
• Test days on FIA F4 CEZ tracks including driver coaching, video and data analysis
• Media coaching by international experts
• TV appearances and online interviews
• Advertising space for existing driver sponsors on Austria’s Top Motorsport Website
• Testimonial events for sponsors and other partners
• Competing in the FIA F4 CEZ (Central European Championship)
• PR & Media Work by HM Sports all season

Candidate Requirements

Potential candidates must:

• Have a karting or SimRacing background
• Be at least 14 years old

The first step to becoming a programme contender is completing a simulator and track test with the Renauer Motorsport Team.