Nine drivers selected for FF Corse’s inaugural GT Driver Academy
Silverstone, June, 2024: Internationally acclaimed Ferrari GT racing specialist FF Corse has confirmed the nine young names it has selected to be part of its inaugural GT Driver Academy in 2024.
FF Corse, a prolific race winner with Ferrari including 2023’s Finali Mondiali Trofeo Pirelli with Thomas Fleming at Mugello, has launched the Academy to help guide drivers specifically targeting a professional career path in GT racing.
Its selection was made following assessment of a high-quality list of candidates that included the winner and two other finalists from last year’s X30 Kart World Championship.
As part of the programme, the Academy’s drivers will have the opportunity to test FF Corse’s Ferrari Challenge car.
They will also receive media and commercial training, fitness assessment and engineering guidance, plus time on iZone’s state-of-the-art racing simulators.
In addition, FF Corse will evaluate each driver’s development in and out of the car, whilst providing on-going feedback and mentoring. Each Academy driver will demonstrate their ability within their own championships throughout 2024.
“We’ve launched the FF Corse GT Driver Academy to support and provide a credible path to a professional racing career, as drivers increasingly find single-seater budgets unrealistic,” explained Phil Bennett, Programme Manager.
“This is very much about discovering and nurturing the GT racing stars of tomorrow, and GT3 racing in particular has become a very interesting category, both commercially and from an engineering/sporting point of view. We want to help drivers gain a foothold by becoming involved early and shaping their careers.
“We have some very exciting talents amongst our first nine drivers and look forward to working with them in 2024 and helping them develop as athletes and individuals.
“Whilst our intake for 2024 is now closed, we would welcome expressions of interest for our Academy in 2025 which is very much open to drivers from all nations.”
FF Corse’s 2024 GT Academy drivers are:
Archie Clark, aged 15: competing in Ginetta Juniors (previous front-runner in British and international karting)
Harry Burgoyne Jnr, aged 16: second season of GB4 (finished P5 in 2023; former Jnr ‘O’ Plate karting Champion
Khali Atkins, aged 19: 2023 X30 World & European karting Champion
Gus Lawrence, aged 25: competing in Senior British, European & World X30 championships (P4 in 2023 X30 worlds; twice British X30 & O Plate Champion)
Marcus Littlewood, aged 19: competing in Radical SR1 Cup (P3 Senior X30 karting championship [P11 in worlds] & 2023 Motorsport UK Academy Young Driver of the Year)
Thomas Merritt, aged 14: competing in BRSCC Fiesta Juniors (2023 P2 GKL Junior karting championship)
Archie Owen, aged 12: competing in British & European Junior X30 karting (graduated from Mini X30 in 2023)
Leo Robinson, aged 14: competing in Ultimate Karting Championship
Deacon Russell, aged 15: competing in British, European & UKC kart championships (Senior Rotax category)