In 2000 the Dutch motorsport federation (KNAF) launched KNAF Talent First, a foundation with a programme to support young racing talent to reach the highest level in their chosen discipline. Over the past 17 years the KTF development programme took several drivers to the top and still proves its value.

KNAF Talent First and its programmes are approved and also financially supported by the Dutch Olympic Committee*Dutch Sports Federation (NOC*NSF). The KTF programme includes a tailor made physical, psychological, nutritional, technical, media and SIM training programme for each selected talent. Financial support is only a small element of KTF’s mission, which is to select, educate and support young talented racing drivers to reach the highest level in their form of motorsport. In 2013 a national coach was appointed to scout young talent for the KTF selection.

The KTF programme was an instant success. Ho-Pin Tung was the first KTF driver in 2001 and after a career in formula and sports cars, he is now a reserve driver for the Jaguar Formula E team. Giedo van der Garde was KTF talent in 2003 and made his way to Formula 1, while Hans Weijs Jr. and Kevin Abbring were the first rally talents in the KTF selection. Both made their name in the Junior World Rally Championship, with Abbring a part of the Hyundai Motorsport WRC team for a few years now. The most famous name is of course Max Verstappen, who was in the KTF programme in his last year of karting and a sensational Formula 3 debut season.

From the latest generation are Richard Verschoor and Rinus van Kalmthout, both 16 years old and KTF drivers since their early days in karting. Verschoor was selected for the Red Bull Junior Team and won two Formula 4 titles last year, and will race in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 this season together with the new selected KTF talent Jarno Opmeer, 16 years old and part of the Renault Sport Academy, the junior programme of the Renault Formula 1 team. Van Kalmthout will contest the American USF2000 Series, while Jim van den Heuvel is the latest KTF rally talent. The 19-year-old driver took part in the WRC2 category of the FIA World Rally Championship last year and will do a full programme in the Tour European Rally this season. The latest generation shows that the KTF programme continues to encourage and support young Dutch motorsport talent in their goal to reach the top.