The Motorsport Brief | Brad Johnson - from AFL to Motorsport
About this episode
Brad Johnson—AFL Hall of Famer and Fox Footy personality—talks about his son Jack’s rapid rise from karting to Formula 4 and now into GT4/GT racing with Team Souter Motorsport. The conversation covers the emotional shift from watching footy to understanding motorsport’s technical and commercial realities: sponsorship, media duties, team environments, and the constant cost pressure. Brad shares how Jack’s passion began after an F1 experience at age five, plus the nerves and “zone” mindset that elite athletes share. IndyCar star Scotty McLaughlin and other racing connections also feature, along with advice on balancing guidance and letting a young driver own their path.
It was meant to be a shortcast but Rusty’s convo with AFL Hall of Famer Brad Johnson runs over 30 minutes and it’s a beauty! How the Bulldogs legend and his family have taken to motorsport as son Jack pursues a professional career behind the wheel. What it was like riding alongside his son in the Soutar Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4 at Phillip Island. The impression Jack made at the opening round of the series and the work they have put into an expensive sport as a family. Are there learnings from Brad’s time as a professional athlete? The commitment, the discipline he showed on the way to becoming a Bulldog’s games record holder and how it might apply to Jack. The little bits of sage advice from an Indycar star. And walking that tight rope of helping to guide your son to avoid the pitfalls while giving them freedom to grow and learn.
Plus the Johnson love for F1 and where Jack would like to end up racing.
The next stop for Jack is at the Bend in South Australia in early May. You can find out more here https://www.speedseries.com.au/
Special thanks to the Shannon’s Speed Series team and the Fox Sports AFL 360 show for allowing us to use a slice of a cool story as Jack took Brad for a hotlap.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mclaren Artura
"...ride of his life in the pseudo motorsport McLaren Artura that Jack races quite impressively with young Ki..."
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