OCTANE CATERHAM ACADEMY CHAMPIONSHIP

Over 18 sell-out years, more than 850 complete novices have become racing drivers through the Caterham Academy; the most successful starter race series in Europe and possibly the world.

In 2012, the two parallel Academy championship grids see yet another fifty-six new drivers take on the challenge. The Academy’s recipe for success is an entry-level Roadsport based race car, along with a comprehensive introduction to motorsport, including three sprints and four races, all included in one price, and all in the company of twenty-seven other drivers with no experience at all – just like you.

After meeting the group for an outline of the year in the winter, the new Academists then take their ARDS course together, followed by a car control clinic and then an exclusive test day during the early months of the year, before competition starts in the spring with a simple sprint. These get progressively more challenging, preparing the competitor for the ultimate competition; the first race.

During the course of the Academy year, trackside technical support from the team at Caterham is included in the package and no other professional team support is allowed. This ensures that not only are the cars even and the experience even, but that the level-playing field extends to experience in preparing and maintaining the cars. In this way, the Academy focuses on progressing driving like no other series.

The fully road-legal 1.6 Ford Sigma powered Academy car is designed and specified so that a novice driver can get to grips with learning the art of car control and race-craft. After the Academy year is complete, it can be simply and cost-effectively upgraded for use in the Roadsport, then Tracksport and Supersport championships, giving at least four years of progression in the same car.

Photos courtesy of www.rachelhorganphotography.com