Malaysia is set to have another young aspiring talent to Formula One as 18 year-old Rahul Mayer, was selected to join the young driver’s program via the prestigious McLaren Performance Academy. The program is part of Woking’s young talent academy, where this academy provides an initial three day boot camp of intense training and assessments, followed by further support and workshop programs throughout the year, with expert advice from professionals within the McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team.
Rahul, who is studying under the Canadian Pre-University (CPU) program at Taylor’s College, was thrilled with this announcement. “I am really honored to be selected for this fantastic opportunity and as a young Malaysian sportsman, I am eager to grab this once in a lifetime opportunity. As I go into my second season racing in UK’s BRDC Formula 4 Championship, I’m really looking forward to putting my new skills into practice, it will really help me reach new levels in my racing performance. I can’t wait to get started,” commented an excited Rahul ahead of his first Academy training day.
Speaking about the Performance Academy, Clayton Green, Manager of the Human Performance Program said: “McLaren Applied Technologies were delighted with the success of the 2013 Performance Academy and the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the young drivers who attended. Drawing on McLaren’s unparalleled knowledge and expertise in the field of Formula 1 and performance measurement, the Performance Academy is well-placed to inform, train and inspire the next generation of motorsport champions.”
Among the graduates of this prestigious academy, include Kevin Magnussen, whose F1 path was made possible thanks to the input from the Woking based team. “As one of McLaren’s past young drivers, I’ve got first-hand experience of the team’s expertise in driver development. Whether it is guidance on nutrition, race preparation or physical fitness, McLaren’s human performance specialists have made a real difference in my progression as a driver, and contributed a great deal where I am today. The Performance Academy is a unique opportunity for young drivers to tap into the knowledge and experience of Formula 1 experts at a world-famous team.” said Magnussen, who is set to begin his F1 career with McLaren this year after becoming champion in last year’s Formula Renault 3.5.
The 2014 Performance Academy, runs between 14th and 16th March, including a series of educational workshops and physical training sessions that offer a one-of-a-kind insight into the blend of technologies, knowledge and best practice that drives motorsport success. Rahul’s past experience in motor racing includes a few years in competitive karting and Formula Gulf 1000 Championship in 2012, where he won one race and obtained seven podiums out of 10 races. Last year he competed in BRDC Formula Four championship.
