15-Year-Old South African Driver Selected for International Formula 4 Shootout

Photo Credit: William Marshall Racing

The Cape Town teenager is one of just six young drivers worldwide competing for a fully funded Spanish Formula 4 season with MP Motorsport.

Cape Town, South Africa (21 September 2026) – South African motorsport has a young driver to watch, with 15-year-old Cape Town racer William Marshall selected as one of just six drivers from around the world for the 2026 Richard Mille Young Talent Academy Formula 4 Shootout.

The selection puts Marshall among an elite group of junior drivers competing for the chance to take the next major step in their single-seater careers.

The shootout takes place in Spain from 10 to 14 October, where the six drivers will be put through an intensive Formula 4 evaluation using identical machinery. They will be assessed across areas including racecraft, physical conditioning, mental resilience, data interpretation and communication with engineers.

The biggest prize is a major one. The winner will receive a fully funded Spanish Formula 4 season with MP Motorsport.

The Cape Town teenager claimed pole position at the 2025 FIA OK-N World Cup in Cremona, Italy, while also winning the South African Junior Max National Championship and the Junior African Open Championship.

He has continued to compete consistently at the top level of international junior karting, attracting attention as he works towards making the move into single-seater racing.

International mentor Joakim Ward, Team Principal of Ward Racing, said Marshall represents “exactly the kind of talent that emerges once in a generation”.

Now, he gets the opportunity to measure himself directly against five other promising young drivers on one of the biggest stages of his career so far.

Before heading to Spain, his preparation includes Formula 4 testing, simulator work, strength and conditioning, and engineering debriefs with MP Motorsport.