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Caterham launches racing academy

Caterham's new racing academy will have links with Caterham Motorsport's karting and racing series © Sutton Images

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Caterham has launched a racing academy which aims to give 'a clear route to F1 for future champions'.

Caterham has a presence in a number of other racing categories below Formula One and is also set to compete at Le Mans for the first time this year in the LMP2 category. Having originally started a driver development program in 2010, Caterham has now launched a full academy which will also aim to help drivers financially with support 'ranging from 10% in year one up to 50% in year five'.

Team principal Cyril Abiteboul said the financial support was clearly crucial for aspiring drivers and he hopes it will eventually result in future options for the Formula One team.

"Launching the revamped Caterham Racing Academy is a sign of how committed we are to helping develop new racing talent from around the world," Abiteboul said. "Within the Academy we have an environment that gives young drivers a clear path from the junior racing series right up to F1. However, equally importantly, we're arming them with all the attributes required of drivers in the modern era - mental and physical preparation, direct exposure to F1 and, importantly for all drivers, financial assistance. For the team itself, the Academy program is also driven by our ongoing search for our future line-up and having investments in a number of drivers gives us a range of options for the future.

"We've designed the Academy structure so it can be easily replicated, allowing us to support local talent in key markets for us and our partners anywhere in the world. It is not a rigid format but one that allows us to adapt to meet local opportunities, both in terms of talent and feeder series. an important factor in the constantly changing global motorsport landscape."

The academy currently has six drivers involved, including Alexander Rossi and Sergio Canamasas who both race for the Caterham GP2 team, while Rossi is also part of the team's Le Mans line-up.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.