Louis Sharp revs up for F1 future

Winning last year’s ROKiT British F4 Certified by FIA title not only marked Louis Sharp’s card as one of the world’s hottest young motorsport prospects but also fuelled his progress Grand Prix stardom.

The prizes for winning the F4 Championship – won by Lando Norris in 2015 – includes three money-can’t-buy experiences with current F1 teams.

Soon after lifting the coveted crown, Sharp enjoyed a day on the F1 simulator at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (photos below bottom) and later this year he will spend a Grand Prix weekend embedded in the McLaren Formula 1 Team at a European Grand Prix. Both incredible experiences that will speed Sharp’s career path to the top.

The young Kiwi rising star has also won a year-long Human Performance Programme with BWT Alpine F1 Team. To that end Sharp visited Alpine’s Human Performance Centre at Enstone, Oxfordshire for the first time last week (photos above and below top), fresh from his sensational GB3 winning debut at Oulton Park.

The course gives the talented teenager the opportunity to receive expert guidance from the personnel at the centre, a privilege usually reserved for the team’s drivers and Alpine Academy members, with the purpose to unlock their full potential at a early stage in their career.

The trip out to Enstone saw the Rodin-backed racer complete a series of performance-based training exercises with the goal to put together a programme to work alongside his GB3 racing commitments.

“The cool prizes for winning the ROKiT British F4 Championship have really helped to fast track my progress towards my future Formula 1 ambitions,” confirmed Sharp. “I have already spent an incredible day on the Mercedes-AMG F1 simulator and am really excited to be spending a Grand Prix weekend with McLaren later in the summer.

“The year-long coaching programme with Alpine, though, is probably even more valuable to my career progression and so it was a fantastic experience to spend an evaluation day with the team at Enstone. I’m sure the human performance plan we put together for the rest of this year will not only help me this season but well beyond, too. A massive thank you to all involved.”

“It was a pleasure to welcome Louis to our base in Enstone and play a part in his continuous development as a driver,” said Julian Rouse, BWT Alpine F1 Team Sporting Director & Academy Director: “We are very happy to continue to support young drivers in Motorsport in many different ways and working with the ROKiT British F4 Championship to help the development in Human Performance of the championship winner at BWT Alpine F1 Team’s factory is a great way to showcase that.”

Sharp next racing action comes on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on 27-28 April where he will be hoping to extend his early championship lead and further his credentials as a future star.