Up and Coming Race Drivers You Need to Know

Motorsport has a seemingly endless number of aspiring drivers trying to be the next big thing.

But the 10 on this list are definitely the ones to watch.

There could easily have been a version of this article with 100 drivers so it was incredibly difficult to choose just 10.

But in their respective motorsport fields, these drivers have already shown some true potential and have a number of exciting race plans for the future.

1. Rebecca Busi

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We start this list with an exciting up and coming talent. In 2021, Rebecca trained for perhaps the most difficult racing debut you can have – the Dakar.

In 2022, she competed in the Dakar Classic driving a Range Rover.

With one legendary event under her belt, Rebecca says she has exciting plans for 2022.

She’s also planning on making a return to Dakar in 2023 but in a different category so she can flex her motorsport muscles.

Hop on board the hype train now before it leaves the station – you won’t regret it.

Rebecca is definitely the next Italian Stallion.

Follow her on Instagram @rebeccabusi33

2. Nerea Marti

The W Series driver made her debut in 2021, getting onto the podium after just her fourth race at the Hungaroring.

The Spaniard the finished fourth overall in the Driver’s Standings.

This was particularly impressive for her rookie season and she finished ahead of many other much more experienced drivers.

With a Formula 3 test under her belt too – as well as a host of other motorsport experience – it’s only a matter of time before she gets to the next wrung of the motorsport ladder.

Follow her on Instagram @nereamarti32

3. Hannah Grisham

A racing driver and a Pirelli Test Driver, Hannah is our first American to watch on this list. She has over 800 race starts with IKF, SKUSA, So-Cal Sprinters, LAKC, WKA, Tri-C and many others.

With plenty of seat time to her name, it’s going to be exciting to not only see where she ends up next, but to see what she’ll be able to accomplish.

With Formula 1 and W Series becoming more and more popular in the U.S, this is surely going to open up plenty of new motorsport avenues, both in single seater racing and beyond.

When those opportunities start appearing, it’ll only be a matter of time before we see Hannah moving up through the ranks.

Follow her on Instagram @hannahgrishamracing

4. Michaela Docikova

Michaela was the first Slovak driver to compete in European NASCAR.

She was also the MX-5 Champion in 2021.

She’s raced against F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve and has shown in past races that she’s not afraid to go all out in order to maximise her chances of getting the best result possible.

This year, she’s already been the Team Manager for the ARC Bratislava racing team in the Asian Le Mans Series which just adds another string to her bow.

As she attacks motorsport from all the angles, it won’t be long before she becomes a household name.

Follow her on Instagram @slovakracinggirl

5. Natalia Lelek

This young racing driver from Poland is still relatively new to motorsport.

But the FIA has been looking for fresh new talent with its FIA Rally Star Project. Natalia was one of six Polish competitors to make it to the final for this, competing in the ‘Car Slalom’ category.

This alone – plus her other racing experience in karts and Clio racing – shows that Natalia is brimming with motorsport potential for the future.

Follow her on Instagram @natalialelek

6. Reshad de Gerus

The Reunion Island driver may be young – but he’s fast on the rise. 2021 saw him racing in Formula 3 for Charouz.

But his season was sadly cut short due to funding.

However, this hasn’t deterred him and in 2022, he has joined the Duqueine team for the European Le Mans Series.

Previously Reshad has also raced in French Formula 4 and the Euroformula Open Championship – coming second overall in the former.

Plus on top of all that, he’s a lovely guy.

Watch out for him this year in ELMS.

Follow him on Instagram @reshad_de_gerus

7. Kenedi Jernigan

Another American rookie, Kenedi is definitely one to watch on the American Stock Car Racing scene.

She races on oval and asphalt style tracks in the “Front Wheel Drives” class.

With plenty of experience gained in 2021, Kenedi is planning on getting her first feature win in 2022.

Follow her racing journey on Instagram @jernigan.racing

8. Claudia Musti

Claudia Musti is an Italian Rally Co-Driver who’s going places. In 2022, she’ll be competing in the Benacus, Valli Aretine and Costa Brava Rallies – and that’s just for starters.

Having grown up around cars and with a passion for racing, the only way is up for Claudia. Passionate and hard working, it’s only a matter of time before she gets noticed more and finds herself rising up through the rallying ranks.

Follow her on Instagram @claudiamusti

9. Marion Andrieu

Hailing from France, Marion has some fun racing stories to tell already.

A good example would be when she used a farmer’s fence to fix her car mid race before going on to finish.

Like many others, her ambition is to compete in the Dakar.

You’ve got to think that it’s only a matter of time before this happens.

Follow her on Instagram @marionandrieu

10. Hannah Chapman

A driver for Hybrid Tune Motorsport, Hannah is competing in the Mini Challenge JCW in 2022.

The Aberdeen based racing driver has been building up her experience in racing Minis in the past few years.

Mini racing doesn’t always get the coverage it deserves in the motorsport world.

So with Hannah making her way up through the field in this area of motorsport, it seemed right to include her on this list.

Follow her on Instagram @hannahchapman_8

The list of exciting new drivers is seemingly endless.

But these 10 are worthy of a special mention.

Each one of them deserves a bit more exposure and with any luck, you’ll be able to tell your motorsport buddies in a few years time that you already knew all about them.

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