Aston Martin Racing has launched the AMR Young Driver Academy for 2019, in the search to find the next Ross Gunn, the factory FIA World Endurance Championship team’s current reserve and development driver and the winner of its previous young driver scheme in 2015.

This new initiative aims to fast track talent within the Aston Martin Racing customer network to factory status and is set to run through 2019.

The AMR Young Driver Academy will include drivers aged between 17 and 25, and is eligible only to those competing in partner and customer Vantage GT cars in recognized championships.

Contestants will be judged on a wide range of criteria that include pace, consistency, technical feedback and fitness.

The judging panel will also evaluate drivers’ ability to manage the strategic, teamwork, commercial and public relations aspects of their role. Finally, the outstanding candidate will demonstrate the most potential to develop their talent for the future.

The AMR Young Driver Academy is intended to stimulate healthy competition through the ranks that will encourage more talented rising stars to sign-up and race for both established and in-coming partner team programs next year.

“Winning the Aston Martin Racing Academy in 2015 was a massive milestone in my career,” Gunn said. “To have worked in a manufacturer environment was invaluable for my development and has significantly raised my level as a competitor both on and off the track.

“I wish all those aspiring candidates in 2019 the very best of luck and assure them that it will be well worth the hard work, effort and sacrifice they will need to achieve their goal.”

Aston Martin Racing President David King added: “Aston Martin Racing has always placed a premium on developing driver talent and has a proud history of backing young drivers who have then gone on to flourish with Aston Martin Racing.

“Indeed, Ross Gunn follows in the footsteps of 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE class winner Jonny Adam who also developed his career under the wings of Aston Martin.

“This program will be invaluable to so many drivers with ambitions to race at Le Mans who have the talent but not always the means to reach their goal. We have seen plenty of them in our cars over the past two years and we relish the prospect of seeing them competing for our customer race teams throughout 2019 in pursuit of this prize.”

Drivers have until March 1 to submit their racing CVs to Aston Martin for consideration.