Evolution Academy - Approaching judgement time
Friday, September 25, 2015
At the beginning of the year Aston Martin Racing launched 'Evolution Academy' - their new young driver development programme for 2015 that would ultimately land at least one lucky candidate a coveted full works drive for 2016 season.
Limited to just ten drivers drivers of between 17 and 25 years of age, with a confirmed seat within an Aston Martin race car and competing within a stipulated top flight national and international series, the academy was designed to help and support these developing race drivers and create a self sustaining 'breeding ground' for Aston Martin Racing's future driver requirements.
In March ten successful candidates were announced having been selected by a panel of judges including amongst others AMR Team Principal John Gaw, Head of Motorsport at Aston Martin Lagonda David King and current AMR works driver Darren Turner.
The ten were Matt Bell (GB); Jamie Chadwick (GB); Jade Edwards (GB); Jody Fannin (GB); Jake Giddings (GB); Ross Gunn (GB); Daniel Lloyd (GB); Devon Modell (GB); Dennis Strandberg (SE); and Jonathan Venter (AU).
With the exceptions of Devon Modell who would compete in the Creventic 24Hr Series and Jonathan Venter who would compete in GT Asia, the remaining would be competing within the British GT Championship across both the GT3 and GT4 categories.
Coming to the end of September all but two of the above have concluded their envisaged or subsequent racing season. It will soon be the time for Aston Martin Racing to select their 'winning' candidate.
But who shall it be?
According to the criteria laid down at the start it is certainly not all based upon results. The winner shall be the candidate who has demonstrated the best pace, consistency, technical feedback, team work, strategy, fitness, public relations but most importantly - the potential to develop and improve.
Looking across the list of candidates it would be easy to determine that one or two have had an extremely good year coming away with or on the cusp of winning championships - one or two haven't for one reason or another. It will now be the job of the same selection panel to make their choice and elevate that person to the next level of their racing career.
We will wait and see…………………….!!
Photo credits - Aston Martin Racing
