Sustaining a career as a racing driver in the new

age of motorsportJosh Webster

Content

• A bit about me• The past• The new age

• Skills needed to sustain a career in motorsport

A bit about me

o21 years oldoStarted racing in karts at 12 oBecame Junior European Champion at 15oMoved from karts to cars at 16 o2014 & 2015 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship winneroYoungest ever Porsche Carrera Cup GB Champion

The Past…

Looks like I was born 40 years too late!

A new age in motorsport

Motorsport is a huge worldwide business Worth an estimated £9bn UK alone Corporate sponsor partnerships are essential Technology is developing very quickly Huge amounts of money are involved

For example…

• PDVSA (Venezuelan state-owned oil company) pays $50m a year for Pastor Maldonado to race in F1

… that’s without damage bills!

So, what attributes do I need to survive and be successful?

Business Skills

• Be able to sell myself to teams, sponsors and investors• Add value to partnerships• Business to business introductions and events• Product placement• Social media

People Skills

• Team bosses • Engineer• Team members• Sponsors and guests• Clerk of the course/Stewards• Media relations• Fans

Engineering• Onboard data analysis• What is underneath me when I’m driving• Analyse set up changes • In depth preparation before race weekends – 95% off-track,

5% on-track

Simulators

1970/1971 Le Mans winning Porsche 917K

Keeping up with new sustainable technologies

2015 Porsche LMP1 car

• 2 litre turbocharged V4 combustion engine – 500bhp

• KERS system on the front axle with battery reserve and exhaust turbine regeneration - 500bhp

• RWD on entry, 4WD on exit• 1,000bhp behind your right foot!• Kinetic Energy Recovery System develops

enough power in 395 laps of Le Mans to run your fridge freezer at home for 5 years straight

FitnessI have to deal with…• Controlling my weight• Temperatures in the cockpit• Nutrition and hydration• Both muscular strength and endurance• Cardiovascular endurance• Mental fitness

But the most important part?

The racing!

The ultimate example of sustaining a career in motorsport…

Alex Zanardi - 2001

“I want to do something with this life of mine. I want to take

my life as a great opportunity that I can’t

waste.” Alex Zanardi, multiple gold medallist in the 2012 London Paralympics and

current WEC GT3 driver

Thank you for listening!