Ilijana Ostojic was one of six selected by the F1 Academy Discover Your Drive program for her time in the FIA Champions of The Future academy in the UAE earlier this month.
It was Ostojic’s very first time racing abroad, which gave the South Australian teenager insights on competition proceedings, kart set ups, and so much more.
“It was my first time racing in another country, and it was so different to what I’m used to. Everything felt way bigger, the competition – and even how fast the karts were!” said Ostojic.
Whilst this opportunity played its role as a learning curve for the young teen, it had various benefits that can be used for her future in racing. The heat and managing aspects of racing from the track to maintaining health, all of that experience adds up in creating an invaluable learning opportunity.
“OMG, the heat, I didn’t expect it. I love summer but this was a different kind. I went from chilly Adelaide to racing in more than 35 degrees plus wearing my race suit. That was a big change and took some time getting used to. To be honest, I loved every minute of it,” said Ostojic.
Ostojic took notice of the differences of racing in Australia versus overseas, where the racing formats differ, including the handling of on track racing incidents, restarts, and practice session formatting.
A huge weight on the young woman’s shoulders has been having the watchful and supportive eyes of the F1 Academy with their highly anticipated discover your drive program. Ostojic opened up on their support and what it meant to be selected.
“To be one of a small few to be selected across the globe to be part of and represent the F1 Academy Discover Your Drive program in the UAE still doesn’t feel real. I am so grateful for the opportunity and the belief they see in me,” she said
“I didn’t really get it or fully understand how huge it was until mum explained it to me properly. It’s given me a big confidence boost and makes me want to work even harder. I’ve got some online meetings later this month to learn more, because everything has happened so fast. I’m really looking forward to it,” said Ostojic.
With the event being her very first taste of racing abroad, the learning opportunity was well and truly optimised in her time the UAE. She was actively learning how to condition herself as a whole to be a better competitor, pushing her own boundaries, and maintained her confidence throughout the opportunity.
“The biggest thing I learned was what it really takes to race at an international level, both in your body and your mind. The competition was super tough. Every driver was super-fast, focussed, and really strong mentally. You have to be ready the second you’re on track,” said Ostojic.
“There were lots of challenges, like dealing with the heat, learning the track properly, and figuring out the best way to drive the kart. I only had a short amount of time to prepare so I started doing extra physical training after school.
“From all of this, I’ve learned that being prepared in your body and your mind is super important, and I’ll be heading back in February next year with the mindset and physical strength to match the others.”
With hunger for more, and an excitement to continue racing overseas, Ostojic has realised what efforts she will need to put into her preparation for next time – including studying GoPro footage, training mentally and physically, with a deeper understanding of what goes into racing at the highest levels.
