06 Jan 12

WRC
Academy
reveals
fresh
intake

The FIA WRC Academy has confirmed its first six recruits for 2012 with Portugal's Joao Silva and Russian Vasiliy Gryazin set to take part in the young drive-training series for the first time.

Silva is the reigning Portuguese two-wheel-drive champion while Gryazin has experience from rally sprint events in his homeland and neighbouring Estonia and Latvia. They will go up against Fredrik Ahlin, Alastair Fisher (pictured), Ashley Haigh-Smith and Sergey Karyakin, who have all signed up for a second term in the series.

“The WRC Academy represents to me everything I look for in rallying,” said Silva. “It has excellent drivers, international events, television coverage, a scholarship for the winner, great organisation and most of all fair play, with identical cars and equal opportunities.”

Gryazin added: “For a young driver it’s a really good opportunity to get to know the WRC and to start a hopefully long-term career in the sport.”

The 2012 WRC Academy consists of six rounds starting from Vodafone Rally de Portugal at the end of March. A number of other drivers are in the process of finalising their plans to take part in the series this season.