Banco Santander takes three talented young motor sport drivers to the Ferrari Driver Academy

Madrid, November 1, 2013. Banco Santander invited, for the third year running, talented young motor sport drivers to undergo special training at the Ferrari Driver Academy in Maranello for three days. Among them is the winner of the 4th Santander-RFEdA Scholarship for Young Talents, the 16-year-old Catalan Àlex Palou, Britain's Ben Hingeley (15) and Poland's Bartlomiej Mirecki (17).

The drivers underwent medical and physical tests, sessions at the simulator and mental training for the first two days. During the third full day at the Fiorano circuit, owned by Ferrari, drivers received instructions on how to acclimatise to the car and the circuit, and work with the engineers. They also took to the track for a few laps.

Palou has been Spanish karting champion in KZ2 (2013) and KF3 (2012), and was winner of the WSK EuroSeries in 2012. Hingeley won this year's British Open junior category, while Mirecki won the Polish Kia Picanto Championship this year and in 2012, among other karting competitions.

Altogether 20 young cadet drivers took advantage of the opportunity to make the traditional visit to the Ferrari factory. They toured the race car assembly line, the Fiorano circuit, the Ferrari Museum and Gestione Sportiva departments.

This activity is part of Banco Santander's sponsorship of the Spanish Karting Championship and demonstrates its commitment to the youngest participants in motor sports in Spain and other countries and strengthens, along with the Royal Spanish Automobile Federation, this model for promoting young drivers.