The Motor Sports Association (MSA) has nominated Team UK drivers Alex Lynn and Lewis Williamson to be considered for the second intake of the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy.
The FIA Institute programme is designed to prepare the most talented young drivers to compete at the pinnacle of the sport, while improving driver and road safety skills and actively promoting safety, fairness and responsibility. The FIA Institute will now collate all the nominations from the various National Sporting Authorities before choosing 30 finalists to attend a selection event in Austria in November, from which 18 will be chosen to join the programme.
Lynn, aged 18 from Essex, has dominated Formula Renault UK this year and with four rounds remaining has already equalled James Matthews’ 1994 record of 11 wins in a season.
Williamson, aged 21 from Sutherland, won the McLaren Autosport Award at the end of 2010 and has this year progressed into the GP3 Series, memorably winning the British Grand Prix support race at Silverstone in July.
MSA National Race Coach David Brabham said: "This year has been only the first for Alex and Lewis on Team UK, but both have already demonstrated the maturity and focus needed to take the next step in their development as potentially world class athletes. They will be vying with some of the world’s best young drivers for a place on the FIA programme, but I am sure that they will acquit themselves well.”
MSA Chief Executive Colin Hilton said: “The FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy is the logical progression for the drivers coming through the MSA Academy and Team UK. Alex and Lewis have both made strong and lasting impressions during their first year of Team UK and I am sure that both will be excellent ambassadors for British motor sport should they make it to the selection event in Austria.”
Editor’s notes:
The Motor Sports Association (MSA) is the national governing body for four-wheeled motor sport in the UK, responsible for the regulation and administration of the sport. The MSA is a member of the world governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and holds a seat on the World Motor Sport Council. The MSA represents 33,000 licence holders, 15,000 volunteer marshals and officials, more than 750 member clubs and issues permits for 5000 motor sport events every year.
In recent years the MSA has expanded its remit to cover the development of the sport and currently invests in excess of £1m a year in the three elements of its Whole Sport Plan. ‘Grow’ targets an increase in participation levels, ‘Sustain’ invests in the infrastructure of the sport, its clubs and its people, and ‘Excel’ focuses on training future world champions and educating their peers.
