Walkinshaw TWG Racing is one of Australia’s most successful motorsport teams, but its impact extends beyond race day results.

Through their Foundation Academy, Walkinshaw is creating pathways for aspiring drivers, engineers, mechanics and commercial professionals. By embracing fundraising as a strategic revenue stream and partnering with the Australian Sports Foundation, the organisation has raised almost $800,000 since 2023 to help grow the program and create new opportunities.

“We created the Foundation Academy because we were frustrated at seeing some really amazing talent end up in other forms of business or engineering. They said they wanted to be in motorsport but didn’t know how.”

Launched in 2023, the Walkinshaw Foundation Academy was designed to create clearer pathways into the industry, providing aspiring professionals with opportunities to gain hands-on experience and develop their skills alongside one of Australia’s leading motorsport teams.

The program supports emerging talent across a range of disciplines, from engineering and mechanics through to commercial and operational roles.

One of those beneficiaries is Toyota 86 Race Engineer, Astrid Moses.

Unlike many people working in the sport, Astrid didn’t grow up planning to pursue a career in motorsport. It wasn’t until her final year of university that she decided to begin researching opportunities to get involved in the industry. Through this, she discovered the Walkinshaw Foundation Academy, which stood out as a program that would allow her to gain experience while learning alongside an elite motorsport team.

Since joining Walkinshaw, Astrid has built a career in engineering, contributing both at the workshop and at the track.

“The Walkinshaw Foundation Academy definitely created a pathway for me into motorsport. Without a program like this, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to start my career in motorsport, and I would have had to find a way to break in much later.”

The Academy has also helped aspiring professionals build careers across the sport. Mechanic Sylvester Tan progressed from sweeping workshop floors to becoming a Number 2 mechanic in Walkinshaw’s Supercars program, while driver Ryan Wood became one of the Academy's earliest success stories, progressing through the pathway into the Supercars Championship.

“The beauty of this whole program is people who want to see young people thrive. People who want to have a connection with the team, with the sport, and want to see young people get that opportunity.”

For many supporters, donating isn’t just about backing Walkinshaw. It’s a chance to help young people turn their passion for motorsport into a career.

Partnering with the Australian Sports Foundation

To bring their fundraising vision to life, Walkinshaw partnered with the Australian Sports Foundation.

The partnership enables supporters to make tax-deductible donations to the Academy program while providing Walkinshaw with the infrastructure and support needed to build a sustainable fundraising program.

For Commercial Partnerships Executive Darcy Burke, the relationship has been instrumental to the Academy’s growth.

"We're very fortunate to partner with the ASF because they work with us to make sure that we have a tax-deductible donation program, and they also support us behind the scenes to ensure a really seamless process for our donors."

Beyond facilitating donations, the partnership has helped Walkinshaw build a community around the Foundation Academy through the development of its coterie program. ASF has also provided ongoing fundraising guidance, including advice on donor cultivation and giving structures, while connecting the team with other elite sporting organisations to share fundraising insights and ideas.

“The coterie group brings together like-minded individuals who are interested in supporting the future generations of motorsport talent.”

Members are given the opportunity to engage more deeply with the program, hear directly from beneficiaries and gain insight into the impact of their contributions. As Darcy explains, donating to the Foundation Academy gives supporters "a bit more of a feeling like they've got skin in the game", while creating meaningful connections between donors and the young people building careers in motorsport.

Creating Lasting Impact

In just a few years, the Walkinshaw Foundation Academy has grown from an ambitious idea into a thriving pathway program. Since launching, the Academy has supported 12 new roles, employed 25 staff, engaged more than 1,700 young people through Foundation programs and generated more than 500  direct Foundation Academy enquiries from aspiring motorsport professionals.

The Academy has also celebrated success on the track, winning the Super2 Championship with Zach Bates in 2024, along with 33 podiums and more than 12 race wins, demonstrating the strength of the pathway it has created.

For Walkinshaw, those results represent more than organisational growth. They represent real opportunities for young people.

As Darcy explains:

“The beauty of the Walkinshaw Foundation Academy is that it doesn’t necessarily serve a purpose for just our race team, but it actually supports the broader motorsport community.”

Watch The Walkinshaw Academy Foundation's story:

The Walkinshaw Foundation Academy is creating pathways into motorsport for the next generation. To help more young Australians turn their passion into a career, support the Academy with a tax-deductible donation today.