The popular Michelin Renault Scholarship has uncovered not one but two brilliant new young race talents. Competition in the seventh year of this successful campaign has been intense - and the closest ever final proved too fine for the judges who made a unique decision to divide the award of a fully funded race programme in the Elf BTE Lawline Renault Clio Cup series.
Michael Simpson and Rommel Jeffers will share the Michelin liveried Clio in the 20 race series. The two twenty year olds were judged equal on scoring points at the end of the final, remarkable enough but the vastly different levels of competitive driving experience of these two youngsters endorses the value of this Scholarship in unearthing new driving stars.
Michael, an apprentice engineer with British Aerospace at Brough, has been winning in the Kart world since the age of eight. On the other hand, Rommel from Leeds does not even have a driving license and has never been on a racetrack before. He showed his "instinctive" talent by finishing his best laps just 200ths of a second behind the more experienced Simpson.
Both youngsters have high ambitions for competitive driving careers. "All I have ever wanted to do is drive racing machines," says Michael. " My father has backed me in Karts and we really are a family team. He'll be a little miffed not being allowed to tinker with the Clio when it is my turn to race!" Rommel's immediate plan is to secure both his full road license and his race license. "I can get a track license by completing my ARDS schooling at Silverstone but it will be handy to have a road license to get to the races! I really want to dedicate myself to this season and hope to impress enough to gain another sponsored drive for 2005," says Rommel.
More than 600 young hopefuls entered the Michelin Renault Scholarship run by racing driver Tim Sugden. The entry was whittled down by on-track selection tests to just 10 finalists who then spent a hard day at the Croft Autodrome under the gaze of professional drivers, sports physiologists and executives from Michelin, Renault and media specialists. The two winners were selected for their talent, ability and all round personality values.
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