The Motorsport UK Academy was created to provide a performance pathway for the sport’s talented young athletes, giving the nations’ future stars the chance to learn, develop, thrive, and ultimately unlock their full potential.

Over the years, it has supported hundreds of young drivers, with Formula E’s Jake Dennis, British Touring Car driver Tom Ingram and World Rally Championship star Elfyn Evans among its many successful alumni.

More than one hundred athletes are currently on the scheme, and in the latest edition of this regular feature we meet four more young British hopefuls

Liam McNeilly

Born: Harlow, 19th April 2006
Academy Programme: Enhanced DiSE
Competes: GB4 (2023)
Recent Results: GB4 Brands Hatch: 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, GB4 Donington Park: 2nd, 3rd, 7th

What is your earliest memory of motorsport?
Watching my dad race at Brands Hatch in the Lotus Cup back in 2010. Jamie Stanley, my driver coach, also raced with him and Fox Motorsport ran the car.

What has been the highest high in your career to date?
Winning the reverse grid race at Oulton Park from ninth on my debut in single seaters. It was wet, with hardly any grip from the start, but a couple of laps into the race and the grip started getting better. Other drivers were still struggling and on the fourth lap I passed about five cars then eventually took the lead. I also won the Sunoco award for fastest driver that weekend.

What has been the lowest low in your career so far?
The final race of the year at Donington in GB4. I started well and passed a couple of cars around the outside of the Melbourne hairpin but then dropped to last after contact put me into a spin. I fought back to seventh, but without the spin I could have got my sixth podium in a row.

What has been the biggest opportunity you have had?
Being selected as one of the final 12 to be the 2024 Porsche GB Junior driver. Although I did not progress to the final four, just to be included was a privilege.

What are your aims and when do you want to get there?
My dream is to become a professional racing driver and race internationally for a factory team. I will keep working hard and pushing for results, so hopefully it will happen soon.

If you could get career advice from one person in motorsport, who would it be?
Tom Kristensen, as he competed at Le Mans for many years as a factory driver for Audi. If anyone knows what you need to do to keep a manufacturer happy, it will be him!

What is the biggest thing you have learned from the Academy so far?
How to conduct yourself in a professional manner and how to maintain a healthy diet and fitness, so when a team asks you to test for them you are at your best.

How did you do last year and what was the biggest challenge?
I was in contention for second right up to the final round. We were new to single seaters, and it was tough getting the best set up, but I worked hard with the Fox Motorsport team and my engineer to get things right. We got on top of it in the second half of the season and the results showed.

Reza Seewooruthun

Born: Poole, 8th September 2006
Academy Programme: Futures
Competes: British & UAE Formula 4 Championships with Hitech GP
Recent Results: Fun Cup: Oulton Park – Sprint (1st), Endurance (2nd); Ginetta Juniors: Donington Park – 2nd, 2nd, 1st; Brands Hatch – 3 poles, 3 wins

What is your earliest memory of motorsport?
Going rental karting with my dad and brother Ami on a family holiday. I started competing in karts a few years later after being encouraged by a family friend.

What has been the highest high in your career to date?
Brands Hatch last year. It was my birthday, and all my friends and family were there to cheer me on. Everything came together and clicked that weekend – the team was phenomenal, the car felt great, and I got three poles and three wins. Finishing third in Ginetta Juniors was also a big high.

What has been the lowest low in your career so far?
The Silverstone and Snetterton rounds of Ginetta last season. I had a strong start to the year, but we had some issues with the car, and it took time to figure out. It was tough, but the team helped me through it and kept my head in the game so we could fight our way back up the standings.

What has been the biggest opportunity you have had?
In January, I attended the Race of Champions (ROC) and it was phenomenal – I got to play ping pong with Mick Schumacher, have a meal with David Coulthard, and jump in a car with Sebastian Vettel in one of the heats! We talked a lot about racing and my plans, and I received some great advice. I also got to drive all the cars used in the event in a mini-ROC Championship against the other guests – and I was the fastest driver!

What are your aims and when do you want to get there?
I am working towards a seat in F1. I have dreamed about it for a long time. I have spent a lot of time working on my fitness, simulator training and learning from the team and engineers, so I am confident we can make a good run of things.

If you could get career advice from one person in motorsport, who would it be?
I got some great advice from David, Sebastian, Mick, and Jamie Chadwick, Travis Pastrana and Valtteri Bottas at ROC, and I also spoke at length with Petter and Oliver Solberg, who gave me lots of tips – they have decades worth of experience.

What is the biggest thing you have you learned from the Academy so far?
The ability to discuss things with other drivers has been really helpful. Meeting other professionals and participating in talks on in-depth engineering topics has also been interesting and helped with that side of racing.

How is your season going and what has been the biggest challenge for you this year?
I have already been competing in F4 in the UAE this year and I am learning a lot about the car and building my skills and confidence with every session. Hopefully this series will set us up well when we return to do it all again in the UK.

Seb Priaulx

Born: Northampton, 18th January 2001
Academy Programme: Team UK
Competes: IMSA Weather Tech Sports Car Championship, GTD PRO
Recent Results: Raced in Petit Le Mans, Le Mans 24Hrs, Watkins Glen, Road America, Laguna Seca and SPA 24hrs Won WEC Spa 6hrs and Monza 6hrs in 2022

What is your earliest memory of motorsport?
I remember watching my dad (Andy Priaulx) in World Touring Cars, following him all around the world. I knew very early that I wanted to follow in his footsteps. When I was eight, my mum took me karting while he was racing at Magny Cours, and it was then I knew for certain this was the only career for me.

What has been the highest high in your career to date?
Winning the Porsche Carrera Cup Championship in 2021 and winning in WEC at both Spa and Monza.

What has been the lowest low in your career so far?
Losing the Ginetta Championship. That hit me hard, but these disappointments make you stronger and more determined and can help you throughout your career.

What has been the biggest opportunity you have had?
Larry Holt, the boss of Multimatic gave me a run in the GT4 Mustang in 2018, a year after I had a test drive in the Ford. The following season, racing in British GTs really helped me get my career off the ground and to the point to where I am now.

What are your aims and when do you want to get there?
To win the Le Mans 24-Hours race overall. I was very close to the podium [in 2022] but a mechanical failure cost us six laps. I was so disappointed, but it has made me really determined to compete in it again.

If you could get career advice from one person in motorsport, who would it be?
My dad has helped me from the start of my career and has been my inspiration ever since the early days. There is no-one better to give me advice and I am very lucky and always grateful to have this. Without the support I have had from my whole family and my sponsors, I would not be here today.

What is the biggest thing you have learned from the Academy so far?
To interact with people and to be open – do not be afraid to ask, and be sure to get someone else’s opinion. It is important to communicate to progress your career, but always remember you are in control of your own destiny.

How are you doing this year and what has been the biggest challenge?
I have stepped up from GTD AM to GTD PRO in IMSA and I think we have some big chances to win races this year. Last year, it was my role to lead the car and tell the team what I wanted in terms of set-up. It took time to learn but helped my understanding and I will take those lessons into this year.

Bonnie Papper

Born: Douglas, Isle of Man, 12th July 2003
Academy Programme: Co-driver
Competes: BTRDA and Welsh Rally Championships
Recent Results: 2023: Welsh Junior Co-Driver Champion; ANWCC Overall Forest Co-Driver champion; ANECC U30 Co-Driver Champion; IPS Rally Challenge Junior Co-Driver Champion

What is your earliest memory of motorsport?
Watching the Manx International Rally when I was younger. My mum had a fireproof overall made for me and I was always known as the ‘little girl in the yellow race suit’ as I walked around the service area! She also marshalled and put me in the spectator area across from her position.

What has been the highest high in your career to date?
Having the opportunity to co-drive for Alan Carmichael, the 2022 and 2023 National British Rally Champion, on the Malton Forest Rally in a top-spec Hyundai i20 R5. We finished second, so we were on the podium, and I got to spray the champagne!

What has been the lowest low in your career so far?
On the Trackrod Rally last year, we were on for one of our best results when we lost the brakes, had a coolant leak and the water pump seized. We still took lots of positives from it – our confidence and commitment improved, and it we learned more about the mechanics of the car by having to fix it!

What has been the biggest opportunity you have had?
When I joined Ignition Motorsport for the Grizedale Rally in 2022 I was sure it was an error because I had only ever competed on two Stage Rallies! It was my first trip to the UK alone, first UK rally, first forest rally, first time in a R5 and first rally without a recce! Afterwards, I was invited to join the team for 2023. Then I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to read pace notes for my rally hero, Mark Higgins.

What are your aims and when do you want to get there?
To make my family proud and inspire others– it means a lot to me. To win rallies outright and win championships would be brilliant and I hope to win the Manx Rally within the next five years – but that is a very bold statement! My ultimate dream would be to co-drive in WRC.

If you could get career advice from one person in motorsport, who would it be?
I would love to speak to Scott Martin, who was an Academy codriver and is now on the world stage with Elvyn Evans; to Vincent Landais, who has had big highs and lows; to go back in time and chat to Colin McRae about how he pushed so hard but didn’t let it get too much; and Nicky Grist, to learn how he kept such a level
outlook even when things went wrong.

What is the biggest thing you have learned from the Academy so far?
The Academy has given me a big confidence boost. It is a great reward for the hours I have spent so far preparing notes, learning different styles, going to the gym, making diet plans, watching YouTube videos, learning car mechanics, travelling away from family, and working overtime to fund the hobby. Those parts make a huge difference and now I cannot wait to take the next step with my first Academy sessions.

How are you doing this year and what has been the biggest challenge?
My first event is in February on tarmac then the BTRDA begins at the Malcom Wilson Rally in March in the Fiesta R5. The biggest challenge is getting off the island and getting to the different events! There is always a possibility the ferry might not sail, or the plane gets cancelled, so I must have a few back up plans!