As long as the Motorsport narrative feeds exclusively on F1, it's possible that some even rather broad areas of motorsport remain in a corner, little illuminated by a light that currently seems focused on the straight path: Formula 4 - Formula Regional – Formula 3 – Formula 2, where moreover the scarce possibilities of a happy ending essentially rely on winning all the aforementioned Championships on the first attempt or almost. It's in this scenario that managers, sponsors, and communication move, with an ambiguous and never expressly stated but implicit message, when the possible road is only one: if you don't make it to F1, you have failed.​ Let's look beyond that path and try to discover in detail from which categories the broad offer of contemporary motorsport is composed, starting from the cars that "resemble" most the cars we find at the car showroom.

DAG Management presents one of the Championships most chosen by drivers who choose an alternative to Formula single-seaters: the GT.

How many and which are today, in order of prestige and competitiveness, the main GT Championships?
If we want to be realistic, the issue really starts from the numbers: the seats in Formula 1 are just 20, while every year hundreds of young drivers enter the world of single-seaters with the stated goal of getting there. It's evident that mathematics, even before talent, makes that goal extremely selective.​ The problem, however, is not the difficulty of the path. The problem is cultural: as long as the success of a career as a driver will be associated uniquely with Formula 1, everything outside that trajectory risks being perceived as a "second choice," and this is profoundly wrong. If we widen the gaze, we discover a much broader and more articulated panorama, especially in the GT – Gran Turismo – world, namely those cars that derive directly from production models like Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz or BMW.

GT has a long history, with roots in the '50s and '60s, when production sports cars began to compete in endurance races. Today it represents one of the most solid and professional systems in contemporary motorsport, with a sustainable economic model and a strong presence of official Makes. If we talk about prestige and competitiveness, at the top we find the FIA World Endurance Championship, which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans and represents one of the highest levels of world motorsport. Just below – but with a very high technical and sporting standard – we find the GT World Challenge Europe and the IMSA SportsCar Championship in the United States.​
At national and regional level, championships like the Italian GT Championship, the ADAC GT Masters or the British GT Championship offer competitive grids and real opportunities for professional growth. Without forgetting GT4, today one of the smartest platforms to start a structured path in the GT world.

The substantial difference compared to the single-seater pipeline is that in GT there exists a broader and more structured job market: factory drivers, official programs, Pro-Am categories, careers that can last twenty years. It's an environment where becoming a professional paid to race is a concrete
goal, not a statistical exception.
As management, our task is precisely this: not to sell a single narrative, but to build a project coherent with the talent, characteristics and real opportunities of the driver. If you don't make it to Formula 1, you haven't failed. You have simply chosen – or built – a different path.
Contemporary motorsport is much broader than F1 and perhaps the true cultural evolution will come when we can tell with the same strength a victory in the WEC or in the GT World Challenge as a podium in Formula 2. Because true success is not a specific category, but the ability to become a competitive and sustainable professional over time.

What is the growth path of a driver in GT? What approach would you recommend to those interested in entering that scene?
The growth path of a driver in GT is very different from that of single-seaters, because it does not follow a rigid and predetermined pyramid. It's a more flexible path, more strategic and, in many respects, more sustainable in the medium-long term.
The first difference is that in the Gran Turismo world there is no single entry door. You can come from karting, from formulas, from touring cars or even from advanced track-day experiences. What really matters is defining from the beginning the driver's profile and his goal: does he want to become a professional, aspire to a factory role, or aim for a high-level semi-professional career?

 

Today the smartest starting point for a young person with concrete ambitions is GT4. It's a technically formative category, with more contained costs compared to GT3, less extreme but still very performant cars and competitive grids. It allows learning race management, teamwork, strategic reading and the endurance approach, central elements in the GT world.
The natural step, once experience has matured, is towards GT3, which represents the heart of the international system. Championships like the GT World Challenge Europe or the IMSA SportsCar Championship offer a very high technical level and important visibility. Here the driver must demonstrate completeness: speed on the qualifying lap, consistency on pace, ability to work with engineers and share the car with other teammates.
For those aiming for pure professionalism, the next step is to enter the orbit of a manufacturer and compete in contexts like the FIA World Endurance Championship, where the Makes are directly involved and the level is world-class. In this scenario we talk about official programs, technical development, simulators and structured professional contracts.
The approach we recommend is clear: think medium-long term and don't rush. In GT maturity counts a lot. It's essential to choose the right technical structure, not just the most prestigious car. The environment, team quality, and possibility of coherent growth matter.
Moreover, in GT it's essential to build one's own professional identity. One should not present oneself as "drivers who didn't make it to Formula," but as specialists in a discipline with its own dignity and its own market. The GT world is strongly connected to car manufacturers and commercial partners: image, communication and relational skills are an integral part of the path.
In summary, GT is not an alternative plan, but a complete ecosystem. It's a road that can lead to a long, stable and professional career, provided it is tackled with strategic vision, technical preparation and awareness of one's own characteristics.

Cars structurally different from a Formula: heavier but more powerful, with greater sensitivity to load transfers. How to leverage in GT the experience accumulated in Karting?
It's true: a GT car is structurally very different from a Formula. It's heavier, has a different weight distribution, greater inertia in direction changes and more marked sensitivity to load transfers. Moreover, aerodynamics plays a less dominant role compared to high-category single-seaters, while mechanical grip management, tires and masses become central. That said, the experience accumulated in karting is far from outdated: it's an extraordinarily solid base, if interpreted correctly.

 

Karting forms in an almost "brutal" way the driver's sensitivity. There are no suspensions, no power steering, every variation in grip is perceived directly. This ability to read grip and anticipate the vehicle's reactions is a technical asset that in GT becomes priceless, especially in corner entry phases and traction management on exit.
Another key element is body and transfer management. In kart the driver learns to feel the shifting load and work ahead with steering and throttle. In GT this concept is amplified: the mass is greater and therefore the load transfer is slower but also more influential. Those coming from karting with good technical education know how to adapt, learning to "give time" to the car without losing fluidity.
Then there's the issue of traffic and close combat. Karting is probably the toughest school in this respect. In GT, especially in endurance races or multi-class, the ability to make quick decisions, defend position correctly and read opponents' intentions is fundamental. The controlled aggressiveness developed in kart becomes a real competitive advantage.
Of course, mental adaptation is needed. In GT one must accept that not everything happens with the immediate reactivity of the kart. Driving must become more rounded, more strategic, with greater attention to tire management and race pace. But the base speed, millimeter precision and competition culture built in karting remain fundamental.
In short, karting is not just a starting category: it's a school of sensitivity and mentality. If the driver manages to translate that sensitivity into more structured driving aware of masses and transfers, then the experience matured between the curbs with the kart becomes a concrete advantage even in the GT world.

The combination of SIM Racing and GT is natural, as Max Verstappen teaches us. How do SIM, Karting and the first steps in GT integrate?
The combination of SIM Racing and GT is absolutely natural, and Max Verstappen's example demonstrates it evidently: today simulation is no longer just a playful tool, but an integral part of a modern driver's technical preparation.
SIM, karting and first steps in GT are not alternative paths, but complementary elements of complete training.
Karting remains the indispensable base. It's the school of instinct, pure sensitivity, close combat management. In kart reaction speeds, race reading abilities and competitive mentality are developed. It's the context that forms the driver from an agonistic and characterial point of view.
SIM, on the other hand, works on another level: the cognitive and analytical one. It allows memorizing tracks, studying lines, simulating traffic situations, understanding tire and electronic systems management. In the GT world this is particularly important, because the cars are complex: traction controls, engine maps, stint strategies, pit stop management. The simulator allows preparing these aspects methodically and repeatably, reducing the time needed to adapt to the real car.
When a young driver makes the transition from kart to GT, he enters a structured environment, where work with engineers and analysts is daily. In this sense SIM becomes a natural bridge: it habituates to data work, telemetry comparisons, set-up understanding. It's a tool that accelerates the professionalization process.
The ideal integration is therefore clear: kart builds the instinctive and competitive base, SIM develops method and technical knowledge, GT unites these skills in a real professional context.
The key is to use simulation with discipline and precise objectives, inserting it into a program coherent with track work. Today the GT driver must be complete: fast, sensitive, but also technically prepared and able to interpret data. The intelligent integration of SIM, karting and first steps in Gran Turismo represents one of the most effective combinations to build this profile.

 

Are there any recent noteworthy stories in GT?
Yes, in recent years the GT world has produced several noteworthy stories, both from a sporting and human and professional point of view.One of the most emblematic is that of Valentino Rossi. After a legendary career in MotoGP, Rossi chose to undertake a serious and structured path in GT, arriving at competing at the highest levels in the GT World Challenge Europe and subsequently in the FIA World Endurance Championship with BMW. It was not an image operation, but a real technical project, with progressive growth and concrete results. It's proof that GT is a credible and highly competitive platform even for athletes coming from different disciplines.​

 

Another significant story is that of Nicklas Nielsen, who went from karting and minor formulas to becoming an official Ferrari driver and winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GT class. It's the example of a path built coherently within the Gran Turismo universe, up to reaching the endurance top.
We can also mention Alessandro Pier Guidi, who after a path away from the Formula 1 spotlights became one of the absolute references in the world GT panorama, conquering titles in the WEC and victories at Le Mans. A long, stable, professional career, built entirely in the Gran Turismo world.
These stories have one thing in common: they show that GT is not a transition category, but an ecosystem where high-level careers can be built, with international visibility, official Make support and global sporting recognition.
Perhaps the narrative is less "romantic" compared to the chase for Formula 1, but it is often more solid, more lasting and more sustainable. And this is precisely the real story worth telling today.

How to respond to those who think they are categories for Gentleman drivers and not professional?
It's a perception that arises from a historical misunderstanding, but that today no longer reflects the reality of the GT world. It's true that in Gran Turismo categories there exists the Gentleman Driver component, and it's a structural part of the system, especially in Pro-Am and Am classes. But reducing GT to "categories for gentlemen" means completely ignoring the technical and professional level reached in the last ten-fifteen years.
In the main GT championships – from GT World Challenge Europe to FIA World Endurance Championship – official Make drivers race, athletes paid to develop cars, work on the simulator, represent the brand globally. We're talking about full-time professionals, with physical preparation, technical programs and multi-year contracts.
The presence of Gentlemen does not lower the level, on the contrary: it's part of an intelligent economic model that makes the entire ecosystem sustainable. The Pro driver, in crew with a Bronze or Silver, has the task of maximizing performance, managing decisive race phases and making the difference in key moments. This requires very high skills: traffic management, strategy, pace consistency, adaptation ability on long stints.
Moreover, the average level of modern GT3 is extremely high. Many drivers come from single-seaters, some have experience in Formula 2 or top categories. The difference is that in GT long and stable careers are built, not concentrated in a window of a few years as often happens on the path to Formula 1.
The truth is that GT is one of the few areas of contemporary motorsport where a real job market exists for professional drivers. There are factory drivers, official junior programs, structured academies. The Makes invest directly, because the product is linked to road cars and their commercial image.
So the answer is simple: yes, in GT there are Gentleman Drivers. But there are also – and especially at the highest levels – top-profile professional drivers. It's not a "less professional" category, it's a different model, more inclusive and more sustainable. And today, from a technical and competitive point of view, it's one of the most demanding and complete environments in international motorsport.

Finally: why choose a career in GT?
Choosing a career in GT means making a conscious choice, not a fallback choice.
The Gran Turismo world today represents one of the most complete and sustainable ecosystems in international motorsport. Unlike the extremely vertical single-seater pipeline, GT offers a broader job market, with diversified categories, official Make programs and careers that can last even twenty years.
The first reason to choose GT is professional solidity. In the main championships – like GT World Challenge Europe or FIA World Endurance Championship – factory drivers operate with structured contracts, involved in technical development and brand commercial activities. It's a context where becoming a professional paid to race is not a statistical exception, but a concrete goal.
The second reason is the direct link with car manufacturers. Racing with brands like Ferrari, Porsche or Lamborghini means representing real products, with a direct impact on the market and the brand's global image. This creates professional opportunities that go beyond the mere sporting result.
The third element is technical completeness. GT forms drivers capable of managing endurance races, multi-class traffic, complex strategies, teamwork and car sharing. It's a discipline that requires maturity, tactical intelligence and great adaptation ability.