Sim racing should be for everyone - which is the thought behind the Quatermass Motorsport Para Racers Academy. The freshly-launched program aims to help sim racers with disabilities.
Competition in sim racing can be fierce, and it might seem daunting to go out on track tor try and battle it out with the best. For sim racers with disabilities, this proverbial hurdle migth seem even more difficult to clear - which is why Quatermass Motorsport launched the Para Racers Academy.
The program's goal is "to empower drivers with physical and psychological disabilities to compete at the highest levels" - not just as a racing team, but as a "platform for change." The Para Racers Academy wants to enable everyone can pursue competitive sim racing if they choose to, even if they face handicaps, while also aiming to have skills learned as part of the program to also apply to other aspects of life.
With ten drivers already on board, the program looks to take part in high-profile events such as the SRO GT Championships or iRacing Special Events, helped by the experience Quatermass Motorsport gained when it was still eTeamBRIT, which also promoted inclusivity before.
"Our goal isn’t just to create a team of disabled sim racers. We want to support these individuals to become better versions of themselves. With our support we want to teach them the skills required to be competitive in sim racing that they can also use in their careers and to help integrate them into society.
However, like with many things, the costs of adapting equipment and infrastructure for disabled people is more expensive so we want to find ways to lower these costs of entry and work with companies that create the products we use, the venues we visit to make them more accessible in a financially viable way and the more disabled people we get sim racing, the easier that becomes."
Max Spooner, Quatermass Motorsport Founder & Team Owner
Spooner himself has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at 17 years of age. "We have a team being run by both disabled and neurodiverse staff for both disabled and neurodiverse drivers, which in itself, is ground-breaking", states Team Manager Andrew Chell. "I am really looking forward to working and growing with our great drivers; watching them develop & show that incorrectly perceived disadvantages really are non-existent.”
The Academy will provide specialized equipment including adaptive sim racing rigs, as well as tailored training programs and holistic development for skills that also benefit participants outside of the sim rig. You can find more info on the Quatermass Motorsport Para Racers Academy website.
What do you think about the Para Racers Academy? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion on our forums!
Competition in sim racing can be fierce, and it might seem daunting to go out on track tor try and battle it out with the best. For sim racers with disabilities, this proverbial hurdle migth seem even more difficult to clear - which is why Quatermass Motorsport launched the Para Racers Academy.
The program's goal is "to empower drivers with physical and psychological disabilities to compete at the highest levels" - not just as a racing team, but as a "platform for change." The Para Racers Academy wants to enable everyone can pursue competitive sim racing if they choose to, even if they face handicaps, while also aiming to have skills learned as part of the program to also apply to other aspects of life.
With ten drivers already on board, the program looks to take part in high-profile events such as the SRO GT Championships or iRacing Special Events, helped by the experience Quatermass Motorsport gained when it was still eTeamBRIT, which also promoted inclusivity before.
Sim Racing & Career Skills
Quatermass Team Owner and Founder Max Spooner is looking forward to the Para Racers Academy helping sim racers who might not get the chance otherwise realize their potential:"Our goal isn’t just to create a team of disabled sim racers. We want to support these individuals to become better versions of themselves. With our support we want to teach them the skills required to be competitive in sim racing that they can also use in their careers and to help integrate them into society.
However, like with many things, the costs of adapting equipment and infrastructure for disabled people is more expensive so we want to find ways to lower these costs of entry and work with companies that create the products we use, the venues we visit to make them more accessible in a financially viable way and the more disabled people we get sim racing, the easier that becomes."
Max Spooner, Quatermass Motorsport Founder & Team Owner
Spooner himself has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at 17 years of age. "We have a team being run by both disabled and neurodiverse staff for both disabled and neurodiverse drivers, which in itself, is ground-breaking", states Team Manager Andrew Chell. "I am really looking forward to working and growing with our great drivers; watching them develop & show that incorrectly perceived disadvantages really are non-existent.”
The Academy will provide specialized equipment including adaptive sim racing rigs, as well as tailored training programs and holistic development for skills that also benefit participants outside of the sim rig. You can find more info on the Quatermass Motorsport Para Racers Academy website.
What do you think about the Para Racers Academy? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion on our forums!
