Thompson Experiences Porsche Young Driver Academy

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Oct. 22, 2014) – Fresh off his 2014 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama Championship, Colin Thompson received the invitation of a lifetime: to participate in the Porsche Young Driver Academy. Since 2012, the two-day program has hand selected up-and-coming talent to Barber Motorsports Park to hone their skills on and off the track with Porsche.

For two days, Thompson and four other drivers were tested both in the race car and out. In addition to turning laps on Barber’s 17-turn, 2.38-mile circuit in identically prepared Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, the students received classroom instruction from Porsche legend Hurley Haywood, Porsche factory driver Patrick Long and GT racing champion Andrew Davis.

“It was tough,” Thompson said. “They wouldn’t just spell out what you were doing, they really wanted to test you on the fly and see if you could react appropriately. They judged you on everything from how you behaved away from the track, at dinner, to on track and in front of a camera. The biggest thing for me was listening more than I talked and being grateful to be a part of it.

“The questions they asked were so much more technical and difficult and out of the box than you’d expect. It opens your eyes to why Porsche is the best in the business and how you think you’re prepared for what they’re going to throw at you, but you actually need to step up your game five more steps.”

The academy also put an emphasis on conduct outside the car with media training and personality assessments.

“I loved all the on track stuff, but we did the Myers-Briggs assessment, which was really interesting,” Thompson said. “It broke down my personality type and what I responded to and what I don’t respond to. It was an interesting aspect to learn, not only as a driver and developing my racing career, but also just as a person and how it applies to everyday life.”

Though the academy does not culminate in any awards, the invitation alone puts Thompson in good company as previous graduates have gone on to race in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 20-year old also recognizes the connections made will carry with him throughout his career.

“I came away from a once and a lifetime opportunity that gave me contacts with people like the technical director of Michelin, reporter Jamie Howe, Porsche representatives I’d never met before and legends like Hurley Haywood. I was able to make a strong connection with these people that you’d never make just by meeting them at the race track. Now, this lasts forever and when I see these guys at the track it’ll be second nature."

For Thompson, later starts with his first experience in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup when the series makes its only visit to the United States. The doubleheader will take place during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas, Oct. 31 – Nov. 2.