Intensive driving tests & lectures keep MSA Academy kids on their toes
Motorsport South Africa’s inaugural MSA Motorsport Development Academy’s intensive 3-day program moved into its second day on 4 July as 18 of the country’s top young race drivers were put through a day of intensive in-car assessment and classroom lectures at the Gerotek test facility outside Pretoria.
Following Sunday’s physical assessment at the University of Pretoria High Performance Centre, the drivers continued in their two groups of nine on Monday morning, alternating between the lecture room and the skid pan, where they were exposed to the limits of traction, braking and vehicle dynamics, before a gymkhana in the afternoon. Classroom activities included sessions on dealing with interviews and the media, self promotion and personal image; sponsorship and the psyche of the racing driver.
“Today was the first of two days of intensive classroom and driving activities,” Academy convenor Steve Harding explained. “We are pushing the guys to find and understand their limits alongside training them on the essentials required to progress off the racetrack. “We will continue with further activities before closing off curriculum activities Tuesday evening 5 July, but we will continue to monitor each driver’s progress based on what they learn here and how they use that to the benefit of their future race career.”
The MSA Motorsport Development Academy focuses closely on road safety — its drivers are expected to promote, endorse and vigorously influence road safety at all levels throughout their race careers and beyond. The elite Motorsport South Africa-run 3-day programme is at no cost to the selected drivers thanks to FIA support.