Elite Motorsport Academy

Otago Academy of Sport, in partnership with the Motorsport New Zealand Scholarship Trust and Otago University, delivers a tailored high performance driver academy to the rising talent of NZ Motorsport.

The programme, having been initiated in 2004, focuses on equipping the drivers with the skills required to cope with the intense demands of world-class motorsport competition. Selected drivers are immersed in the world of high performance sport, being exposed to disciplines such as physiology, mental skills training, nutrition, media training and life management skills during an introductory week-long camp.

Graduates of the camp gain access to an individual performance programme, (IPP), which includes support services at the completion of the camp, which allows for further up-skilling, support and assessment. Since 2004 race drivers, rally, kart-sport and a drifter have completed the programmes, 11 of which have been females. 32 drivers have gone on to compete off-shore on at least one or more occasions, with 15 having contested FIA recognised events.

Graduates of the Motorsport Academy read like a who’s who of the current crop of NZ’s leading drivers, from both Rally and Circuit racing disciplines.  Former Academy athletes like Shane van Gisbergen, Brendan Hartley, Hayden Paddon, Richie Stanaway, Mitch Evans, Stephen Barker, Hayden Pederson, Mark Gibson and James Munro to name a few.

Detailed Information on the Elite Motorsport Academy is available at http://www.motorsport.org.nz/elite-academy/