"Star Driver" programmes. Do they work?

With the current Pirelli Star driver initiative I was just wondering if all these types of promotional things have actually produced or helped a driver get to the world stage? I'm sure these type of searches have been run all over the world. I guess the BFG scheme is similar. In the UK there's the MSA Elite scheme, in Ireland the Billy Coleman Award and no doubt similar things around Europe. There was even something in the UK years ago to find the next Michelle Mouton for women drivers. I'm sure there's also been similar programmes in Australia and NZ.
Anybody got any further information?

About the Pirelli Star driver initiative, I think its a good idea but the realisation is crap, it would be better if they would get sponsorship instead and could use their own cars.
About the other talent searches I dont know, if its difficult for people who are in charge of the money bag to see who can drive on the stages, maybe they are good.

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Originally Posted by noel157

With the current Pirelli Star driver initiative I was just wondering if all these types of promotional things have actually produced or helped a driver get to the world stage? I'm sure these type of searches have been run all over the world. I guess the BFG scheme is similar. In the UK there's the MSA Elite scheme, in Ireland the Billy Coleman Award and no doubt similar things around Europe. There was even something in the UK years ago to find the next Michelle Mouton for women drivers. I'm sure there's also been similar programmes in Australia and NZ.
Anybody got any further information?

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One of the big problems with these efforts is they tend to be for 1 year, that is not long enough to produce a driver. Not only is it not long enough of a commitment to a driver it also creates an annual search for a driver which is unrealistic, very good drivers are common, ones with the last bit to make it to the top are very rare.
For these schemes to have real benefit they should be tough in the selection, if no one is good enough wait, then when they do unearth a real potential stick with them as long as it takes(or until it becomes clear you picked a dud...)

I think the general idea is good but it has turned almost a farce. How many problem free rallies has all those talents have had? None? One?

Looking from that perspective, one year is definately too short amount of time.

here how it works

They gather a bunch of nobodies with deep pockets and connections to the pirelli team and local organisations...they give them a crap car to have fun with and voila......100% success

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Originally Posted by N.O.T

here how it works

They gather a bunch of nobodies with deep pockets and connections to the pirelli team and local organisations...they give them a crap car to have fun with and voila......100% success

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As usual, brilliant post :rolleyes:

i cannot see where i am wrong ..those pirelli stars cannot even win against the PWRC bunch of cowboys.

I am not against the idea, i am against the way its implemented

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Originally Posted by N.O.T

i cannot see where i am wrong ..those pirelli stars cannot even win against the PWRC bunch of cowboys.

I am not against the idea, i am against the way its implemented

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You can't win or go fast if your car won't last more than (let's say) 5 SS. Right now the problem is the cars, not other drivers or star drivers capabilities. We haven't had any real comparison yet, because the crap job from Ralliart Italy.

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Originally Posted by Tomi

About the Pirelli Star driver initiative, I think its a good idea but the realisation is crap, it would be better if they would get sponsorship instead and could use their own cars.
About the other talent searches I dont know, if its difficult for people who are in charge of the money bag to see who can drive on the stages, maybe they are good.

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I think it's a good idea in general too give them cars. That way they can make a step up, learn a new, better car and not have to worry too much about going bankrupt in a crash.
The problems in the Pirelli Star contest seem to come mostly from the poor preperation by ralliart.

General idea is good in eg. the Pirelli program, but...

a) they put the drivers this year as testdrivers for new Evo10's that haven't worked at all.

b) The program is for 1 year only. They should have had a system to take 1 or two best of them after the 1st year and takem them further in the next...

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Originally Posted by COD

General idea is good in eg. the Pirelli program, but...

a) they put the drivers this year as testdrivers for new Evo10's that haven't worked at all.

b) The program is for 1 year only. They should have had a system to take 1 or two best of them after the 1st year and takem them further in the next...

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Agreed, you should have the opportunity for the best guy to proceed into higher level.

havn't really followed the PSD this year, but have any of the drivers actually finished all the rounds so far??

no doubt there is talent in the field, but how can they shine when it's advisable to nurse the car from SS1!!

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Originally Posted by Lousada

I think it's a good idea in general too give them cars. That way they can make a step up, learn a new, better car and not have to worry too much about going bankrupt in a crash.
The problems in the Pirelli Star contest seem to come mostly from the poor preperation by ralliart.

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Most of the drivers have cars they drive in national series with, thats the reason i think sponsor money would be better.

With the current way,imho they waste money.
Money that are difficult to find these days,is a big pitty to spent at unreliable co operators.

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Originally Posted by N.O.T

here how it works

They gather a bunch of nobodies with deep pockets and connections to the pirelli team and local organisations...they give them a crap car to have fun with and voila......100% success

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Let me assure you, Mark Tapper & Jeff Judd are not nobodies with deep pockets, they are both true bones of their arse racers. Neither have connections with Pirelli, in fact, outside of the WRC showtime we hardly see any of their product in NZ

Next season NZ will be represtented by Hayden Paddon & John Kennard, they too are not nobodies for again they are dedicated racers who, like Tapper & Judd commit their total being to their sport.

In Europe rallying might be viewed by some as a rich kids sport but it is certainly no so down under. It may well be the level of personal sacrifice that they and those associated around them make that actually makes them the competitor that they are and why they are so determined to succeed.

NZ Motorsport does run an Elite Acadamy where a very small number of young drivers from both race and rally are chosen to attend. To view go to http://www.motorsport.org.nz/Scholar...iteacademy.htm

When you look at the list of graduates you will notice that some pretty good kids have been through there

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Originally Posted by Carlo

In Europe rallying might be viewed by some as a rich kids sport but it is certainly no so down under.

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Thats very seldom true, of our drivers not a single one can be seen as a rich kid, Latvala's has quite much money, but not enough to drive several years as privateer in WRC, but most understand that if they plan a carreer, they need sponsors from early stages already.

maybe nobodies is a bit harsh....

wannabies with no future suits them better.

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Originally Posted by N.O.T

maybe nobodies is a bit harsh....

wannabies with no future suits them better.

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Think you are more on the case this time around.

I believe that all PSD drivers have a future but the path that eventuated for them this year was not the pathway that we all thought that it was going to be. Their prize is the chance to drive a PSD car in selected WRC events for one year with no other rewards such as being the most successful PSD competitor and gaining a test drive or something similar in a WRC car.

The concept of the PSD, if it had a reward at the end of it, and if they were provided with machinery that gave them a sporting chance is a very good one and I would hope that the administrators of the series have learnt from this year and instigate a number of improvements for next season and that we do get to see a wanabee to rise above the crowd and succeed in their chosen sport

I think that CAMS (Confederation of Australian Motorsport) have got the "Star Driver" idea right. Drivers under a certain age (can't remember what it is now) nominate for the CAMS Rising Star Scholarship, they can be from any facet of motorsport Rally, Circuit, whatever & CAMS together with their sponsors put money behind the drtivers that get chosen. The get chosen via a series of tests through the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) & observations at events they enter to see whether they have the talent. It's through this program that Molly Taylor was able to do the Suzuki Cup in Britain, & people like young Daniel Ricciardo (who looks like he'll get an F1 test) get to go overseas & get to perform infront of team manager's.

I think the FIA need to do a simular thing. If we are ever going to find the next Loeb or Schumacher we need to look wholistically not on on facet on motorsport.

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Originally Posted by Tomi

Latvala's has quite much money ...

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I've heard this more than once, but I've never seen any facts. Okey - his dad has some business, but I guess selling harvesters isn't exactly a gold mine even if you succeed. At least his name doesn't show up in annual top tax payer listings, which would relate to the fact that he really isn't that rich daddy, at least if "rich" is measured in a scale more used in WRC.

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Originally Posted by macksrallye

I think that CAMS (Confederation of Australian Motorsport) have got the "Star Driver" idea right. Drivers under a certain age (can't remember what it is now) nominate for the CAMS Rising Star Scholarship, they can be from any facet of motorsport Rally, Circuit, whatever & CAMS together with their sponsors put money behind the drtivers that get chosen. The get chosen via a series of tests through the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) & observations at events they enter to see whether they have the talent. It's through this program that Molly Taylor was able to do the Suzuki Cup in Britain, & people like young Daniel Ricciardo (who looks like he'll get an F1 test) get to go overseas & get to perform infront of team manager's.

I think the FIA need to do a simular thing. If we are ever going to find the next Loeb or Schumacher we need to look wholistically not on on facet on motorsport.

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a similar system is in place here for circuit and rally with Formula Vee and Fiestas as the car used, as well as wild-card entries for the local WRC round on offer for existing drivers to aim for.

Putting aside the PSD have any drivers from any of the schemes around the world actually progressed further up the motorsport ladder?
Or have most of today's successful drivers simply advanced from their national championships and have been taken under the wing of a manufacturer (Loeb & Ogier) or pushed and supported by their ASN (Sordo)?
The old way was to try and be in the right place at the right time and try and impress the teams that matter, Kris Meeke being a good example of this although it took 3 or 4 years for things to fall into place.

I think that Dutch driver programm is the most successful I have seen in last two years (apart from FFSA). Abbring and Weijs were just couple of Junior drivers with no experience and not very fast in terms of WRC. Now they are as fast as Prokop with C2 on tarmac and Michal with his Swift. Progress has been very good.

I think that the Austrian Red Bull Driver search a few years ago was very good-Andi Aigner ended up as PWRC champion and I am sure he has the speed to compete in the WRC. But I cannot understand why thea did't push him anymore after his PWRC title!

Red Bull needed new blood.. Aigner drove Fabia WRC and later became PWRC champ.. I spectated him on his first ever rally - Croatia Rally..

Aigner didn't bring any money to the budget for next season, so he simply had to be replaced. Big shame, he's pretty fast guy.

Any star driver programmes IMO seem to take a reasonably good (but not world class) driver and give them a drive for a year. And then the driver gets nowhere.

The stars of the future they had in the BRC was nothing special when I look back at it now.

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Originally Posted by Karbonyl

Aigner didn't bring any money to the budget for next season, so he simply had to be replaced. Big shame, he's pretty fast guy.

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i ve been told inside from his past team that he wasn t so cooperative.Nothing at all about money.