Lamborghini Squadra Corse has announced three programs dedicated to young drivers who impress during the 2015 season. The Squadra Corse Young Drivers Program is again confirmed for this year. Dedicated to drivers under 26 who are performing exceptionally in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, the selected drivers will take a role in Lamborghini Squadra Corse test sessions.
The GT3 Junior Program is launched this year, as the next step up from the Young Drivers Program. The goal is to select the most talented drivers, first involving them in the development process of the new Lamborghini Huracán GT3, and later in GT3 racing.
Following the success of these initiatives, from 2015 there will also be a Formula Junior Program, with the aim of supporting selected teams to scout the best talents in single-seater categories.
The Young Drivers Program will include eight drivers this year. Among them once more is the current Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe PRO-AM champion Alberto Di Folco (19). Alongside him is the Italian Edoardo Liberati and the Swiss Patric Niederhauser, aged 22 and 23 respectively, who this year race as a pair in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe. The team is concluded with the undisputed ruler of the Monza Super Trofeo Europe, the Finn Patrick Kujala (18); the Russian Roman Mavlanov (20), the Japanese Shinya Michimi (21); the Australian Oliver Rae (24); and 21 year-old Briton Jake Rattenbury, this year racing in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo North America.
The GT3 Junior Program enlists the 21 year-old Andrea Amici, 2013 Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe PRO-AM winner, and other Italians Giacomo Barri (24), Alberto Cerqui (22) and Daniel Zampieri (24). Also participating are the Italian/Japanese Kei Cozzolino (27), the American Corey Lewis (20), the German Florian Spengler (27) and the Austrian Gerhard Tweraser (26). Milos Pavlovic and Edoardo Piscopo, 2014 winners of both the PRO Class of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe and of the World Final, will be the official test drivers.
Starting from 2015, the Young Drivers Program drivers as well as those involved in the GT3 Junior Program will be an integral part of Lamborghini driving courses. After having being involved in the development of the new Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo, they will be selected as instructors in Esperienza and Accademia events all over the world.
The brand new Formula Junior Program starts this year, with an overview by Vincenzo Sospiri Racing. The team is involved in this year’s Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe, and in the Japanese F4 Championship where it lines up Takuro Shinohara (class ’94) and the Brazilian Nicolas Costa (class ’91).
This is a program that has its roots in single-seater racing but is designed to progress the most talented young drivers up to GT racing, under the Squadra Corse banner. Seven double rounds of the Japanese F4 Championship will run during the prestigious Japanese Super GT weekends.
The official test sessions where the Young Drivers Program and GT3 Junior Program drivers will be involved, are set for the 9-10 June and the 8-9 October in Vallelunga (Italy).
Starting from this year, a physical training activity for all drivers joining the Lamborghini Squadra Corse programs will be carried out in collaboration with Transatlantic Fitness, a European company that represents the benchmark for technical and sporting training. Selected specialists will attend all Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo race weekends to provide assistance to all drivers involved. Moreover, during the test sessions, specific individual training courses will be realized via TRX® (a training tool designed to increase muscle strength) and Rocktape® (a company specializing in solutions for muscular training both for sport and therapeutic-rehabilitative needs).
