Aston Martin and McLaren GT start Young driver programs

Today it isn’t unusual to see racing teams and manufacturers rely on young driver programs to renew its roster. Currently the Red Bull Junior Team and the Nissan GT Academy are the best in the business, revealing a huge batch of talented youngsters from time to time. Now, other manufacturers try to follow their steps in order to secure good drivers for the future.

Aston Martin announced the launch of the Evolution Academy, aiming AMR drivers from 17 to 25 years old, will offer an Aston Martin Racing works driver contract for 2016.

Up to 10 entrants will have the current AMR GT drivers as their mentors, and will receive support and advice in fitness, nutrition, PR and marketing, as well training in the Base Performance Simulator, one of the best in the market.

The best candidate throughout the season will receive the Aston Martin works driver contract, which is a passport to drive in various fronts where the British manufacturer races, being with the Vantage GT4, the Vantage V12 GT3 or the Vantage V8 GTE models, in factory or customer efforts.

And right after Aston Martin, McLaren announced a young driver program suited to its GT platform, which will see Ross Wyllie and Andrew Watson bring the first youngsters to work alongside the trio of factory drivers, composed by Rob Bell, Kevin Estre and Alvaro Parente.

According to McLaren GT director Andrew Kirkaldy, the new young driver program will open an opportunity to youngsters show what they can do behind the wheel of a GT racecar, as well being able to learn something from the factory drivers and staff involved.

Wylie, 23 years old, is the reigning GT4 champion in British GT Championship, winning 4 races and capturing 7 podiums through the 2014 season onboard his Beechdean AMR Vantage GT4, alongside Jake Giddings.

Watson, 19 years old, finished fourth in the 2014 Ginetta GT4 Supercup. Racing for Douglas Motorsport in a Ginetta G55 GT4, Watson won five races and got twelve podiums and a pole position with him through the season.

PHOTOS: FIA WEC, Base Performance Simulator, Douglas Motorsport, Gulf 12 Hours