George Zaraski: The Youngest F3 Driver Building Motorsport's Future

From Sim Racing to Formula 3 — Without a Single Karting Race

George Zaraski was born in 2006 — the same year Michael Schumacher first retired from Formula 1. By the time he was 15, he had already competed professionally in esports, tested a hypothesis that almost no one in motorsport believed, and mapped out a career path that skips the entire karting ladder.

That path brought him to Dubai Stars, and we can say without hesitation: this is one of the most surprising conversations we have had on the show.

The Obsession That Started It All

George traces everything back to watching Sebastian Vettel dominate Formula 1 as a child.

"It was these years, and I remember very much that what was also a big motivation for me was not just his success, but how he dealt with criticism — because he was booed on the podium receiving his award for winning a race, and just this killer instinct that he had is something I feel like Max has now."

At five years old, George told his family he wanted to race. The response was blunt: people die doing this. Are you ready to accept that risk?

He wasn't — not yet. So he went to sim racing instead. He competed professionally in esports, studied the cars, studied the data, and by 2022–2023 was ready to test a hypothesis: could a driver jump straight from the simulator to Formula 4, skipping karting entirely?

"I realised that this is very different from what I'm experiencing racing formula cars on the esports track. So — why not try on the real track?"

It worked. George is now one of the youngest Formula 3 drivers active today.

The UAE as a Strategic Base

George first raced in the UAE in January 2023, competing in Abu Dhabi. The level of organisation, the infrastructure on Yas Island, and the practical realities of being a travelling racing driver all pointed to the same conclusion.

"I came to the UAE because I thought that this is a place that values risk and talent. When you take a risk and say, 'We do something new,' people here listen. They want to hear what idea you have."

He also made a practical point that any athlete can appreciate: in Spain, restaurants open for dinner at 8:30 pm. For a driver who starts qualifying at 6:00 am, that schedule is simply incompatible with performance. In Abu Dhabi, food is available whenever you need it, hotels are abundant, flights to race venues worldwide are reliable, and logistics rarely become the story.

On Crashes, Calculated Risk, and Max Verstappen

George crashed testing at Abu Dhabi in November — in sector 3, near the same wall where Nicholas Latifi crashed in 2021, triggering the safety car that handed Verstappen his first championship. George is clear-eyed about what that experience meant.

"The pain is emotional, not physical. It's something you have to live with — like a footballer who makes a foul and gets a red card. It happens. It's part of the learning curve."

He is equally clear-eyed about Verstappen's development. The crashes in 2015 and 2016 were not failures; they were the price of learning. Red Bull saw the talent and did not flinch.

"The reason Verstappen developed into the driver he is today is because he wasn't judged on the crashes. The people behind him saw that he just needed to get along with the car, make mistakes, and feel the limit without pressure."

Sergey Sirotkin and the Academy Origin Story

George's mentor is Sergey Sirotkin — the 2018 Williams Formula 1 driver and multiple Formula 2 race winner. They met at a sim racing event. Sirotkin watched George drive, told him the skill level was different from most sim racers he had seen, and suggested they try something that had rarely been done: build a proper pathway from virtual to real-world motorsport.

That collaboration became the foundation of what George is now building as a company — Racecraft — a motorsport academy currently based in Abu Dhabi, with plans to expand across the Emirates.

Building Racecraft: Sim-to-Reality and AI

George's entrepreneurial ambitions extend well beyond coaching junior drivers. He is working on two connected tracks: the sim-to-reality academy pathway, and an AI and data science layer built on top of racing performance data.

"I want to leave tools that are usable for people to pursue their passion like I was able to pursue mine. The goal is to make motorsport as accessible as possible, no matter someone's background, no matter their age."

He is candid that combining racing and entrepreneurship at the same time is intense — and that people close to him have told him to pick one. Right now, the pull of building something lasting is strong.

"In racing, there's a lot outside of my control. With entrepreneurship, I found I still have a lot more control. And it's really a full-time endeavour — something I genuinely enjoy."

His Advice to the 12-Year-Old With a Helmet

When we asked George what he would say to a young kid watching this episode, dreaming of racing, his answer was immediate:

"Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me. Even if it's not for a reason. Wherever you are in the world — I always love talking to passionate people. Passion is what makes the world go around. Whether it's in your work, your business, or your sport — this is why we wake up every day feeling motivated. Just keep going."

Racecraft is operating from Abu Dhabi and can be reached directly at georgerf.e (email). George is also planning to establish a Dubai base shortly.

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The full conversation covers a lot more: George's take on the current Formula 1 regulations reducing overtaking to "Mario Kart," how Verstappen's spin in Miami 2025 showed more racecraft than most wins, and what a normal week looks like when you are simultaneously a racing driver and a startup founder. Catch the full episode on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud8wEVrv4Pk) or stream it wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you are a founder, athlete, or entrepreneur based in Dubai and want to share your story on Dubai Stars, we would love to hear from you — apply to be a guest today.