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BMW Motorsport Junior Programme 2015 - Media Information.
Thu Apr 30 11:54:19 CEST 2015 Press Kit
The promotion of promising and talented young drivers enjoys a long tradition at BMW Motorsport. In 2014 a new multi-level junior concept had been introduced and will now be continuously expanded over the coming years: the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme.
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The promotion of promising and talented young drivers enjoys a long tradition at BMW Motorsport. In 2014 a new multi-level junior concept had been introduced and will now be continuously expanded over the coming years: the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme. In realigning its junior programme, BMW Motorsport shifted the focus of its promotion of young drivers back onto GT and touring car racing. In single-seater racing, the concept bore fruit for decades in Formula BMW and the Formula BMW Talent Cup, paving the way to a successful career in motor racing for the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Nico Hülkenberg.
BMW Motorsport has focussed its youth development on GT and touring car drivers who are at least 18 years of age and already have some racing experience. Outings in the BMW M235i Racing, as part of the VLN Endurance Championship, are an integral part of the comprehensive training programme. At the race, the VLN provides participants with a prominent stage on which to gain experience at the wheel of the BMW M235i Racing, in a professional team and on the demanding Nordschleife.
A BMW Motorsport engineer supports the Juniors and team throughout the entire season. In addition to starts in the VLN, tests are also planned in the BMW M235i Racing and Formula BMW FB02, as are intense theory courses dealing with fitness, PR, mental training and simulator training. The driver places are fully financed by BMW Motorsport. The only costs involved for the participants are travel costs and insurance excess, should they be involved in an accident resulting in damage.
At the end of the season, the best junior in the BMW M235i Racing will complete a test in the BMW Z4 GT3. This decision is made by a jury of experts, headed by BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. BMW works driver Dirk Adorf will act as a mentor for the junior programme. Once they have gained initial valuable experience in GT and touring car racing, BMW Motorsport intends to cautiously promote the most impressive youngsters into higher classes.
In 2014, Jesse Krohn from Finland was the strongest junior on the programme. This season he will contest the European Le Mans Series in the BMW Z4 GTE and the VLN in the BMW Z4 GT3.
The participants in the second class of the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme are Victor Bouveng, Nick Cassidy, Louis Delétraz and Trent Hindman. They impressed the BMW Motorsport scouts with their talent at a shoot-out in Monteblanco in March, and will benefit from an extensive training programme in the coming months.
Lead by chief instructor Dirk Adorf, the programme gets underway with testing in May. In addition to a further test in September, the programme includes two workshops at the iZone Driver Performance Centre in Silverstone, and three VLN race starts in the BMW M235i Racing. At the end of the year, the most successful BMW Motorsport Junior of the season will be given the opportunity to continue his training for a second year in a higher racing category.
This BMW Motorsport Media Information is available for pdf download in two different layouts.