The first round of selection closes in the Abarth “Make It Your Race 2012” talent competition

• 105 drivers have been selected to go on to the second stage of the Abarth international competition for aspiring new drivers.
• The lucky 105 will meet at the Varano circuit on 8^th-9^th-10^th May, where 24 will be selected for further training by professional drivers of the calibre of Arturo Merzario and Vanina Ickx.
• The finalists will get a chance to drive Abarth 500 "Assetto Corse" cars against professional racing drivers on the Franciacorta circuit on the 24^th June.

The www.makeityourrace.it website has now closed registrations for the "Make It Your Race 2012" international talent competition for aspiring new race drivers. The competition is organised by Abarth and dedicated to drivers between the ages of 18 and 40 from Germany, the U.K., France, Switzerland and Belgium-Luxembourg. The competition is designed to promote the "democratisation of racing", a concept close to the heart of the company's founder Karl Abarth, and offers ambitious young drivers a chance to realise a life-long dream: to drive a real racing car in a real race.

Over 20,000 aspiring drivers registered to take part, including 1,500 women. The initial selection process identified 105 drivers (half of whom are between 18 and 25 years of age, and about ten of whom are women). These will go on to a second stage of selection at the Varano circuit on the 8^th-9^th-10^th May, where the Abarth Driving Academy will hold an Advanced Driving Course.

Participants will be divided by nation for this stage of selection: the Varano circuit will be at the disposal of drivers from Italy and Switzerland on the 8^th May, the U.K. and Germany on the 9^th May, and Belgium and Luxembourg on the 10^th May.

Drivers will be assessed, assisted and coached by leading professionals, including the Italian ex-Ferrari Formula One driver Arturo Merzario, Vanina Ickx (daughter of the great Jackie Ickx and an established driver in her own right) who will follow the entrants from Belgium and Luxembourg, Swiss Formula Abarth driver Yoshiki Ohmura, British women's kart champion Tiffany Chittenden, and German driver Christian Menzel.

The names of all 105 second stage competitors can be found on the www.makeityourrace.it website (which has attracted over 300,000 visitors in just over one month). Candidates' videos can also be viewed on the same website. On YouTube, in the meantime, the teaser for the event has proved a great success, with over half a million viewings.

The top 24 drivers from Varano will go on to a special training camp where they will experience team life together for one week and put their driving skills to the test: concentration, reflexes and courage, along with a strict sense of safety and responsibility. The camp will also test participants' ability to fit in with the world of competitive driving and even use "tongue in cheek" tests to disorientate competitors and assess their reactions. The three days will be made even more entertaining by the three "BUGS" from the Italian cult TV series "Le Iene", who will act as masters of ceremony and spontaneous animators.

The six finalists will get a chance to compete against seasoned professionals on the Franciacorta circuit on the 24^th June, driving Abarth 500 "Assetto Corse" cars in a race that is valid for the Italian Abarth Trophy.

Turin, 30^th April 2012