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| Features |
| Red Bull Unveils 2004 Drivers Search Program |
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Red Bull’s Vision
The Formula 1 Championship is without doubt, the most celebrated and prestigious title in world motorsport. With TV viewership on par with only the Soccer World Cup and the Olympics, (both of which only occur every 4 years) it is safe to say that Formula 1 is the biggest sport in the world. Next season, the title will be contested during 18 Grand Prix events staged on 5 continents and each race will attract more than 120,000 spectators to the grandstands for a view of the live action. At the same time, in 150 countries worldwide, more than 350 million TV viewers will tune in to watch each race, generating yearly revenues of up to $2 billion in TV rights and advertising time.
Yet, there is no American presence in Formula 1, there are no American drivers; no American teams. Red Bull has a vision to change that in a relatively short time frame by finding the next American driver and ultimately starting the first ever All American Formula 1 Team.
The mission for Red Bull is to fill the American void at the top of the world’s premier motorsport and pave the way for the long-awaited U.S. comeback in Formula 1.
 | | Program Director, Danny Sullivan, walked the walk in the '70s and '80s and is dilligent for both the drivers and program's success |
Program Director Danny Sullivan walked the walk in the seventies and eighties and eventually made the climb to Formula 1 as driver for Tyrell-Ford and then moved on to become one of Indy Car racing's biggest stars in the US. He's a rags to riches story, having also honed his budding driving skills in one of the world's most challenging arenas - the streets of New York City as a taxicab driver. Now at age 53, he's dedicated to help others and achieve the goal of getting another American driver to Formula 1.
"Giving young athletes a chance to flourish and grow in a professional environment is Red Bull's way," said Sullivan, praising their committment. "Think about it - how did we get to the point where the last time and American won an F1 Championship was in 1978 (Mario Andretti) That's just wrong," he added. "We know America has a wealth of young drivers with the desire, talent and discipline to race - and win - in F1, but they really don't know how to get there," he explained.
About the Red Bull Driver Search
The Red Bull Driver Search is a long term program to find, test and support budding American racing drivers with the talent for winning the most prestigious crown in motorsport: the Formula 1 World Championship.
The 2004 Red Bull Driver Search program aims to discover and support the "diamond in the rough," lacking the knowledge and contacts needed to embark on a career in racing as well as talented young drivers already in racing. The long-term goal is to have a steady group of 3 to 6 American drivers racing in Europe, groomed to break into Formula 1 and compete for the World Championship.
Review of 2002 Program
 | | Scott Speed - last man standing from 2003 team |
The inaugural Red Bull Driver Search took place in 2002 headed by Danny Sullivan, former Formula 1 driver for Tyrell-Ford, 1985 Indy 500 winner and 1988 CART Indycar Champion. A panel of expert “undercover” scouts surveyed the ranks of junior U.S. racing formulae and ultimately 4 winners were chosen. They were placed in a junior racing formula in Europe, supported by Red Bull. Karter Grant Maiman spent the 2003 season in Formula Renault, Karter, Scott Speed in British F3, Karter Joel Nelson in Formula Euro 3000 and Paul Edwards in Formula Nissan, the only driver without a karting background.
Speed, who was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis during the 2003 season and missed a few races while sorting this all out, is the last man standing from the 2003 team and will continue on in the 2004 program. Ulcerative Colitis is a disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the large intestine. Unfortunately, Speed’s diagnosis is something he will most likely live with for life; however, the good news is that he’s learning how to manage control through medication and diet. Speed is a former SKUSA PMT Champion who has numerous years of kart racing to his credits. More details on Speed’s 2003 season will unfold in a future news story on Ekartingnews.
Review of 2003 program
In 2003, the program was broadly extended to reach the grass roots of motorsports to give talented young kart racers the opportunity to participate. A series of indoor and outdoor race kart qualifying events across the country reduced a field of thousands to a select group of 16 karters who traveled to the Semi Final event held in Sebring, Fla. In Sebring, 24 drivers, made up of 16 karters and eight scouted drivers, were evaluated in Skip Barber Formula Dodge race cars. A panel of expert judges selected six finalists to travel to the 2004 Driver Search Final, which took place at the Estoril Circuit in Portugal. After two days of intense testing in F3 race cars prepared by Alan Docking Racing, three drivers earned their place on the Red Bull American Junior Team for 2004.
• Matt Jaskol (kart racer) will be driving in Formula BMW
• Dominique Claessens (kart racer) will be driving in Formula Renault.
• Colin Fleming (kart racer) will be driving in Formula Renault.
2004 Red Bull Driver Search
For 2004, the program will continue with the dual approach.
Approach I – The Karting Community
The objective of Approach I is to reach the karting community and to give every teenager who dreams of becoming a race car driver an equal opportunity to compete in the Red Bull Driver Search program.
Open Qualifying
Indoor and Outdoor kart rental facilities across the country will host Open Qualifying sessions from mid March through mid June. Every prospective American racer, males and females within the eligible age range of 13 to 17 are invited to participate.
Participants will post a fast lap in the rental karts provided by their local facility, which will be recorded on a Red Bull leader board. Racers can return to the facility to improve their lap time, as often as they see fit, within the designated dates.
Approximately 50 indoor kart facilities will participate in the open qualifying and up to 300 drivers will be invited to attend the Run Offs, in the second phase of the 2004 Driver Search.
Run Offs
 | | The final three selected in 2003: Claessens, Fleming and Jaskol |
The Run Offs will take place at two outdoor racing kart facilities, one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast, in July and August. Each event will cater for approximately 150 qualifiers and will take place over a two to three day period. The events will be organized by Red Bull and the qualifiers will compete in equal karts provided by Rotax.
Up to 10 drivers will be selected from the Run Offs and invited to attend the Semi Final in September.
APPROACH II – Junior U.S. Racing Formulas
Up to 10 drivers will be selected by “undercover” scouts from junior U.S. racing formula. These drivers will be invited to the Semi Final event in September. The age range for eligibility is 13 to 17 for both males and females.
Semi Final
The drivers competing at the Semi Final event will comprise of scouted drivers, kart participants and wildcards. Wildcards are drivers that have shown a unique talent but have not necessarily progressed through the Run Offs or been scouted. The selection of these drivers is entirely at the discretion of the Red Bull Driver Search officials and head of the program Danny Sullivan.
The Semi Finalists will compete in race cars and karts, depending on their level of experience and talent. They will be assessed by a panel of judges and up to 10 drivers will be selected to travel to the Final event.
2004 Final
The 2004 Final will take place at an undisclosed circuit in Europe. The drivers will be assessed over an intense two- day test in F3 race cars by a panel of expert racing judges, led by Danny Sullivan.
Up to four drivers will be selected from the Final. Based on their age and level of experience, they will be placed in a junior series in the U.S. or Europe. Drivers placed in the U.S. will be nurtured in an effort to prepare them for a move to a European junior series.
Listed below is chart for Red Bull's 2004 timeline of events. In addition, more details on the indoor facilities participating in the program will be unveiled soon as well as a questions and answers interview with Danny Sullivan.
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