Verstappen, Norris and four more F1 stars making moves beyond the grid

Reaching Formula 1 requires considerably more than driving talent. Young competitors must navigate an increasingly expensive junior racing system, with the costs of karting and single-seater championships often determining whether they can continue their careers. Some of the sport's biggest names are now investing in that same system, although not necessarily with the same objectives.

While Russell and Carlos Sainz have focused on making karting more accessible, Norris is preparing to enter multiple junior single-seater championships. Alonso has developed a network connecting karting with professional driver management, while Verstappen has taken a different approach through GT racing and sim racing.

Charles Leclerc has also entered the karting industry, although his involvement centres on manufacturing rather than running a conventional driver academy. Here are six current F1 drivers with their own motorsport projects.

Russell became the latest driver to establish a development programme when he announced the GR63 Karting Academy on 12 November 2026.

Created in partnership with Silverstone and the British Racing Drivers' Club, the initiative aims to identify talented children who might otherwise struggle to afford competitive karting. The programme is open to eight and nine-year-olds, with qualifying sessions beginning in December 2026 at Silverstone.

Participants will pay £25 per qualifying session, with the fastest 80 drivers advancing to a January shootout costing £75 per competitor. From there, 25 youngsters will earn places in an eight-round championship throughout 2027, with their participation and racing equipment fully funded.

The five highest-placed drivers will subsequently compete in a final assessment, with the winner receiving another fully funded karting season in 2028.

Russell's initiative is particularly focused on removing the financial obstacles that can prevent promising drivers from competing before they have even reached their teenage years.

Norris has gone considerably further into the junior single-seater system, co-founding LN4 Fusion, a new racing operation scheduled to make its competitive debut in 2027.

The team will enter Italian Formula 4, Formula Regional European Championship and FIA Formula 3, having acquired selected assets from AIX Racing, including its F3 entry. The operation has also secured a place on the Formula 2 grid, while a British Formula 4 testing programme is already underway.

Former Prema Racing boss René Rosin has been appointed team principal, with Guillaume Capietto taking responsibility for the racing operation's technical direction.

Norris has also established the LN4 Legacy Programme, a separate initiative designed to support young drivers through financial assistance, coaching, mentoring and career guidance. The programme is managed by ADD Management and aims to provide opportunities to competitors who might otherwise struggle to progress through the junior categories.

Of the six drivers, Norris has arguably established the most direct connection with the traditional route towards Formula 1, combining an actual racing team with a dedicated talent development programme.

Fernando Alonso's involvement in junior motorsport extends across several different projects. The two-time world champion established A14 Management to guide and develop young racing drivers, providing support as they progress through the competitive motorsport ladder.

His activities also include FA Alonso Kart, a karting chassis brand with a presence in international competitions. The brand is closely associated with DPK Racing, a Spanish karting team that competes using FA Alonso Kart equipment.

In 2025, DPK Racing established a partnership with the Aston Martin Driver Academy, allowing the F1 team's development programme to benefit from the karting operation's experience and international network.

The collaboration is intended to help identify promising young drivers and support their development towards higher categories. Alonso also operates a museum and karting circuit in Asturias, maintaining another connection with the discipline where his own racing career began.

Unlike Russell's newly launched initiative, Alonso's activities are not limited to introducing children to karting. They extend into driver management, equipment manufacturing and the identification of potential professional racing talent.

Carlos Sainz has established a karting programme aimed at children aged between six and eight, concentrating on one of the earliest stages of motorsport development. The CS55 Racing Karting Academy was launched in 2024 and operates as an entry-level competition connected to the Spanish Karting Championship.

The series has expanded steadily, growing from 14 participants in its inaugural season to 18 in its second year and 26 in 2026. Its current format consists of eight races across four circuits, with drivers competing in identical equipment.

The karts are manufactured by OTK Kart Group under the CS55 Racing brand, featuring IAME engines and Vega tyres. The championship package includes the kart, racing equipment, tyres and track time, with the intention of keeping participation costs below those typically associated with competitive karting.

Sainz has also developed a separate range of karting products in partnership with OTK, extending his involvement beyond the championship itself.

Charles Leclerc has followed a different route, establishing a karting brand in collaboration with Italian manufacturer Birel ART.

The project, known as CL Kart, produces racing chassis bearing the Ferrari driver's name, with equipment available across several karting categories. Its range includes products designed for younger competitors as well as more advanced classes, including OK, Junior and KZ.

The chassis are manufactured at Birel ART's facility in Lissone, near Monza, combining Leclerc's branding with the Italian company's experience in competitive karting.

Unlike Russell, Sainz or Norris, Leclerc has not established a comparable fully funded junior development programme through this venture. His involvement is primarily commercial and technical, centred on supplying equipment to competitors rather than directly financing their careers.

Max Verstappen's motorsport operation stands apart from the traditional karting and single-seater development system.

Through Verstappen Racing, the Dutchman has established a platform combining professional GT competition with sim racing, creating opportunities for drivers from different backgrounds.

One of the clearest examples is Chris Lulham, who progressed from Team Redline's sim racing environment into professional GT3 competition with Verstappen's backing.

Lulham enjoyed considerable success in 2025, winning the Gold Cup class at the 24 Hours of Spa and securing GT World Challenge Europe Gold Cup titles in both the Sprint and Endurance championships alongside Thierry Vermeulen.

For 2026, Verstappen Racing established a partnership with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, with Lulham competing alongside Daniel Juncadella in the GT World Challenge Europe. The team also entered the Endurance Cup with Jules Gounon joining the line-up.

Verstappen himself joined the operation for the season-ending race at Portimao in October, sharing the Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Lulham and Ben Barnicoat. The three drivers finished ninth after recovering from a drive-through penalty.

Meanwhile, the team's virtual racing activities have continued under the Verstappen Sim Racing identity, following the rebranding of Team Redline earlier this year. The programme also supports Thierry Vermeulen, who competes in GT3 championships including the DTM.

Although Verstappen Racing does not operate in Formula 4, Formula 3 or Formula 2, its structure offers an alternative route into professional motorsport, particularly for drivers emerging from competitive sim racing.

That makes Verstappen's approach different from the other five projects, but no less significant in demonstrating how established F1 drivers are expanding their involvement beyond the championship.