A record number of up and coming GT drivers have registered for the 2024 Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy, as the British manufacturer begins a new search to endorse an eighth graduate from its successful initiative.
This year 32 drivers aged between 16 and 26 will compete around the world with Aston Martin GT3 and GT4 customer teams in Vantage in high profile championships as part of the initiative. The prize on offer for the successful graduate includes financial support towards their 2025 race programme, as well as assistance and guidance from the factory, tailored to their season plans.
Last week, the newest batch of candidates benefited from a three-day seminar that included a tour of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team Technology Campus.
The candidates also received media training with FIA World Endurance Championship pit reporter Louise Beckett, simulator training at Base Performance, a comprehensive fitness assessment, Aston Martin Racing in-house commercial training and a factory-based engineering workshop to further their understanding of how to competitively set-up Vantage.
The participants will now be comprehensively assessed through the season as the judging panel receives feedback from team and AMR engineers at events.
“The Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy is now a proven and established method for us to assess emerging talent from within our partner network,” commented Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s head of endurance.
“It allows the brand to contribute back into the sport in a constructive and supportive manner that benefits all concerned. You only have to read back through the alumni to understand the impact the initiative has for GT-focussed drivers, of which there are a growing number of exciting prospects with every passing season.”
The initiative, which has grown year on year since it was introduced in 2014, is designed to fast-track talent from within Aston Martin Racing’s partner team network and enables AMR to contribute to the future of the sport by discovering and nurturing young talent.
To date, the academy has produced several drivers that have since gone on to compete at the highest levels of sportswear racing, including IMSA Sprint Cup champion Ross Gunn, British GT4 champion Tom Canning, reigning Le Mans Cup champion Valentin Hasse-Clot, IMSA GTD champion and Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona winner Roman De Angelis, and most recent winners Romain Leroux and Mike David Ortmann.
The judging panel for this year’s competition, includes three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner Darren Turner, four-time British GT champion and two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Jonny Adam, former Academy winner and works driver Hasse Clot, the head of the AMR Academy Rachel Adam, AMR’s head of performance Gus Beteli and the head of AMR Partner Racing Huw Tasker.
They will evaluate each drivers’ ability to manage the strategic, teamwork, commercial and public relations aspects of their role. Finally, the outstanding candidate will have demonstrated the most potential to develop their talent for the future at the end of the season.
Image courtesy of Aston Martin
