The 11-year-old has gained recognition through her performances in the F1 Academy.
Dubai: Karting prospect and Dubai resident Ava Lawrence has been added to the Aston Martin Driver Academy as part of its driver development pathway.
The 11-year-old, an Australian-born karter competing under an Emirati licence, has made a strong mark in junior motorsport. She became the first female MENA Cup Champion, the first female to win a Mini race in the ROK Cup Italy, and the first female to secure a podium in the Mini class of the COTFA International Series.
She currently competes in the OK-N junior category of the British Champions of the Future Academy Programme as part of the F1 Academy “Discover Your Drive” initiative, after previously racing in the Mini class of the international series.
“I’m really excited to join the Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy,” Lawrence said, according to F1 Academy.
“It’s going to be such a huge step in helping me improve my driving and become even better on track. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone on the team and learning from them,” she said.
“Getting to visit the AMR Technology Campus for my announcement was so cool. My favourite part of the day was seeing the different materials they use on the Formula One cars and actually getting to touch parts of the car. It was so interesting to see how it’s all made!” she said.
Nuno Pinto, Racing Director of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Driver Academy, added: “Bringing in talent at a junior level is an important part of our strategy, and Ava and Roland are excellent examples of the calibre of young drivers we want to bring into the programme.”
Lawrence joins F1 ACADEMY driver Mathilda Paatz in the Aston Martin Driver Academy, becoming the second “Discover Your Drive” karter to be included in a Formula 1 driver development programme, alongside Sukhmani Khera in the Alpine Academy.
