Lamborghini Squadra Corse is continuing to invest in Motorsport promises with the fifth edition of youth programs. The Young Drivers Program and the GT3 Junior Program, established in 2014, have enabled many talented drivers to pursue a professional career in Motorsport. Some of them, after racing in the Super Trofeo one-make series, have fulfilled their dream of becoming Lamborghini Squadra Corse Factory Drivers, while others have managed to win the 24 Hours of Daytona.
In the 2018 season, Lamborghini Squadra Corse will offer this opportunity to 46 drivers, divided as follows: 21 participants in the Young Drivers Program (for drivers under 26 competing in the Super Trofeo one-make series) and 25 members of the GT3 Junior Program (for youngsters racing in GT championships with the Huracán GT3), the latter program is becoming increasingly extensive because of the growing number of Lamborghinis competing in the various GT3 series worldwide.
The young drivers will have the opportunity to access the heart of the Motorsport department of Automobili Lamborghini, thanks to a constant collaboration and interaction with the Lamborghini Squadra Corse staff.
The participants in the Young Drivers Program, many of whom are at their first experience in the world of competitions, will be involved in a specific training that includes testing and development activities with the Huracán Super Trofeo Evo, athletic preparation with the supervision of professional trainers, theoretical lessons on Lamborghini products and communication.
Starting from this year, the members of the GT3 Junior Program, on the other hand, will be significantly more involved in the development of racing cars. Their participation in the tests conducted by Lamborghini Squadra Corse is fundamental both for the drivers, in order to increase their experience, and for the technical department, which is thus able to gather a greater amount of useful information to improve the car components. In addition, this year a sophisticated driving simulator will be installed in the R&D department of Lamborghini Squadra Corse and also in this case the GT3 Junior Drivers will gain virtual experience to be then transferred into the reality of races.
Last but not least, the most deserving participants in the youth programs of Lamborghini Squadra Corse will be offered an additional opportunity, that is, to become instructors for Accademia, the official Lamborghini driving school. For many drivers, given their young age, this would be their first work and a valid life experience at the same time.
As for the drivers participating in the two youth programs of Lamborghini Squadra Corse, this year the Young Drivers Program is enriched with 11 new entries out of a total of 21 drivers: from the Finns Puhakka and Helistekangas to the Dane Schandorff, from the Russian Boguslavisky to the French De Narda, not to mention Pull (UK), Muscat (Australia) and Vettel (Germany). Italy is instead represented by the seventeen-year-old Giacomo Altoé and Francesca Linossi, the second female representative in the program together with the nineteen-year-old German Carrie Schreiner.
Below is the complete list of the participants in the Young Drivers Program
Name | Country | Age | Super Trofeo Championship | Team |
Arthur Janosz | Poland | 24 | Asia | FFF Racing |
Ben Gersekowski | Australia | 25 | Asia | Leipert Motorsport |
Brandon Gdovic | USA | 26 | North America | PPM |
Carrie Schreiner | Germany | 19 | Europe | Konrad Motorsport |
Fabian Vettel | Germany | 19 | Europe | Konrad Motorsport |
Francesca Linossi | Italy | 26 | Europe | Iron Lynx Motorsport |
Frederik Schandorff | Denmark | 21 | Europe | Leipert Motorsport |
Giacomo Altoé | Italy | 17 | Europe | Antonelli Motorsport |
Jack Bartholomew | UK | 19 | Europe | FFF Racing |
James Pull | UK | 18 | Europe | Bonaldi Motorsport |
Joffrey De Narda | France | 22 | Europe | Antonelli Motorsport |
John-Louis Jasper | Germany | 23 | Europe | Leipert Motorsport |
Juuso Puhakka | Finland | 19 | Asia | Leipert Motorsport |
Karol Basz | Poland | 26 | Europe | Imperiale Racing |
Kikko Galbiati | Italy | 19 | Europe | Antonelli Motorsport |
Loris Spinelli | Italy | 23 | Europe/USA | Antonelli Motorsport P1 Motorsport |
Lucas Mauron | Switzerland | 19 | Europe | MSG Motorsport |
Marko Helistekangas | Finland | 23 | Europe | Leipert Motorsport |
Richard Muscat | Australia | 25 | Asia | Leipert Motorsport |
Taylor Proto | UK | 20 | North America | Us RaceTronics |
Timur Boguslavskiy | Russia | 18 | Europe | Nefis by Target Racing |
With regard to the GT3 Junior Program, 25 drivers have been admitted to the program, a large number related to the amount of Lamborghini Huracán GT3s (over 50) racing in the various GT championships around the world. Many drivers from last year’s edition have been reconfirmed, such as the Italians Michele Beretta and Alex Frassineti Italian GT champions 2017, Riccardo Agostini winner of the Super Trofeo North America 2017, the Americans Corey Lewis and Madison Snow, who won the 12 Hours of Sebring last March, not to mention the Dutchman Rik Breukers, who won the 24 Hours of Daytona last January, the Dane Dennis Lind, who, after being the best in last year’s shoot-out, is now racing in the Blancpain GT Series Asia with the economic support of Lamborghini and Jonathan Cecotto, who has been promoted from the Young Drivers Program to the GT3 Junior Program because he resulted the best among the drivers of the YDP 2017. Then, there are the new talents such as Toby Sowery, Andrea Rizzoli, Romain Monti, Loris Hezemans and Sandy Mitchell, who are all taking part in the Blancpain GT Series with the Lamborghini Huracán GT3s of several customer teams.
Here is the complete list of the participants in the GT3 Junior Program
Name | Country | Age | Championship | Team |
Riccardo Agostini | Italy | 24 | International GT Open | Imperiale Racing |
Lorenzo Veglia | Italy | 21 | Italian GT Championship | Antonelli Motorsport |
Andrea Amici | Italy | 25 | Super Trofeo Asia | FFF Racing |
Michele Beretta | Italy | 23 | Blancpain GT Series ADAC GT Masters | Barwell Motorsport Team Rosberg |
Fabrizio Crestani | Italy | 30 | Blancpain GT Series International GT Open | Team Lazarus |
Alex Frassineti | Italy | 30 | Blancpain GT Series | Ombra Racing |
Martin Kodric | Croatia | 20 | Blancpain GT Series Blancpain GT Series Asia | Barwell Motorsport FFF Racing Team |
Patrick Kujala | Finland | 21 | British GT | Barwell Motorsport |
Corey Lewis | USA | 25 | IMSA WeatherTech | Paul Miller Racing |
Dennis Lind | Denmark | 25 | Blancpain GT Series Asia Super Trofeo Europe | FFF Racing Team Target Racing |
Kang Ling | China | 20 | International GT Open | Vincenzo Sospiri Racing |
Jeroen Mul | Holland | 27 | International GT Open | Imperiale Racing |
Ezequiel Perez Companc | Argentina | 23 | Blancpain GT Series ADAC GT Masters | Grasser Racing Team |
Madison Snow | USA | 23 | IMSA WeatherTech | Paul Miller Racing |
Toby Sowery | UK | 21 | International GT Open | Team Lazarus |
Alex Jiatong Liang | China | 25 | International GT Open | Imperiale Racing |
Rik Breukers | Holland | 19 | International GT Open Super Trofeo Europe | Imperiale Racing GDL Racing |
Nicolas Costa | Brazil | 26 | International GT Open | Vincenzo Sospiri Racing |
Andrea Rizzoli | Italy | 32 | Blancpain GT Series | Ombra Racing |
Romain Monti | France | 27 | Blancpain GT Series | Ombra Racing |
Loris Hezemans | Belgium | 20 | Blancpain GT Series Sprint | Grasser Racing Team |
Sandy Mitchell | UK | 18 | Blancpain GT Series | Barwell Motorsport |
Martin Vedel | Denmark | 26 | Italian GT Championship | Antonelli Motorsport |
Alberto di Folco | Italy | 22 | International GT Open | Target Racing |
Jonathan Cecotto | Venezuela | 18 | Super Trofeo North America | Wayne Taylor Racing |