Benjamin Mazatis received a special honour at the end of his debut season in the ADAC Formula 4. The 17-year-old was voted „Driver of Promise“ - the Academy's most promising young talent - by the McLaren Performance Academy. The award ceremony took place in a festive setting at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking.
At the start of the season, Mazatis was accepted into the McLaren Performance Academy for the second year running. Over the course of the year, the decision-makers monitored his commitment during workshops and training sessions as well as his performance on the track. In a highly competitive selection process, the 17-year-old finally prevailed against motorsport competitors from three continents and was honoured as the McLaren Performance Academy's most promising talent.
The McLaren Performance Academy prepared Mazatis in many ways for his future motorsport career. In addition to physical training sessions, he received training on the technical side of racing. Proper nutrition and dealing with the media were also on the programme. The workshops were run by professionals with years of experience in Formula 1. Several times this year, the 17-year-old travelled to the McLaren headquarters in Woking, UK, for training and fitness programmes lasting several days.
Benjamin Mazatis drove his debut season in the ADAC Formula 4 in 2015. In a highly competitive field of often more than 40 starters, the Bruckmühler showed consistent performances and gained valuable experience in formula racing.
Three questions for Benjamin Mazatis
You received the „Driver of Promise“ award. What does this award mean to you?
First and foremost, it's a huge honour to be part of this programme. With all the racing history and successes in mind, it's amazing for a young racing driver to walk through the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking. Now to have won this award there means a lot to me. It's one of the biggest achievements of my career so far and I'm savouring it to the full at the moment.
How should an outsider imagine working with McLaren in concrete terms?
The support programme is extremely multi-layered. We were coached in the areas of proper nutrition, mental strength, physical fitness and driving technique. We were also allowed to visit the Formula 1 simulator and I was really impressed by the 3D technology and the calculation of G-forces. However, the mental aspect was particularly important to me. It's important to live in the here and now and not let your mind wander. I keep reminding myself that I have to give my all at all times in order to live my dream of motorsport.
How did the special training on the track help you?
There are many areas in which I have been able to apply my knowledge. I have discovered certain rituals or routines that have crept in that I have now been able to change for the better. This training is of course a process and progress cannot be recognised in a single step. Basically, you never reach the top level, because even after years in motorsport, there is always room for improvement. There are plans to create an MPA 16 Gold programme in the McLaren Performance Academy in 2016. This would allow me to be supported at a higher level and receive even more specialised training. That would obviously be a positive step for the future.