Siro Zambra

On Track Summary

Having only driven a road car once—his mom's—and an open-wheel race car for just a few laps in 2023, 17-year-old Zambra entered Prodigy Week with the least real-world experience. However, he made significant strides during the event, improving by half a second from qualifying to the last chance qualifying round. With just one more session, Zambra might have broken into the top half of the charts, joining seven of his competitors in achieving pro-level racing lap times. His coach, former F1, IndyCar, and NASCAR great Max Papis, believes Zambra has the potential to become one of the future greats of the sport, deserving of a higher draft pick than his lap times might suggest. Williams Esports recognized this potential and selected the young Swiss racer as the last pick of the first round, at 6th overall.

Off-Track Summary

If one word could sum up Zambra, it would be passion. His desire to break into real racing fuels his work ethic both in the simulator and on social media, as well as his strong communication skills. He listens to his coaches and effectively applies their feedback. Zambra's natural charisma, combined with his genuine and authentic nature, positions him to become a star both on and off the track.

Bio

18 years old and born in Zurich, Switzerland, Zambra was selected by Max Papis and Random CallSign as a Prodigy Search selection. During my childhood, I always loved digital technology and spent a lot of time playing video games with friends. Around the age of 14, in 2020, I discovered the F1 game, which I played on my Xbox with a controller. In 2021, I was gifted a Logitech wheel, and I started racing even more. I became truly passionate about it, even though I hadn't been interested in motorsports before 2020. I began participating in online competitions and won my first prize money in 2021 in the RacingUnleashed LAN F1 motion simulator Championship. In 2022, my journey continued, and I graduated from school in the summer. I started a 4-year apprenticeship as a software developer at UBS Bank in August 2022. I continued to push forward in the sim racing scene and took it more seriously, winning significant prize money throughout 2022 and 2023. After my first real-life racing opportunity in France in a Formula BMW car, I realized that racing was what I wanted to do with my life and that I wanted to become a professional racing driver. Prodigy Week was then the biggest milestone and probably most important week in my entire life. To the end of 2023 I began focusing myself more on social media, which has also become a passion. I enjoy creating content and sharing my journey towards becoming a professional racing driver, as well as helping others make the transition from sim racing to real racing. Racing is my biggest passion, with social media following closely behind. We'll see where the journey takes me, but one thing is very clear: I won't give up on my dream!

Racing history

Rental karts for fun; Formula BMW in France (June 2023, sim-to-real opportunity); test day in Rotax Max kart after Prodigy Week; plans more karting test days; upcoming drive at Red Bull Ring in a KTM X-Bow (won in sim racing event).