Pauwels Named AMR Driver Academy Winner

2025 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup – Silver Cup champion Kobe Pauwels has become the latest exciting talent to graduate from the prestigious Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy.

The 21-year-old from Diest, Belgium, is the eighth winner of the coveted prize and joins an illustrious collection of recipients that includes works Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie drivers Rossi Gunn – an IMSA GTD race winner – Roman De Angelis, the 2022 IMSA GTD champion, works driver and 2023 Le Mans Cup GT3 champion Valentin Hasse Clot, former British GT4 title winner Tom Canning, Spa 24 Hours class winner Romain Leroux, and, most recently, Pauwels’ 2025 GTWC co-champion Jamie Day.

Pauwels, who clinched the GTWC Sprint Cup title at the final round alongside Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage team-mate Day, achieved three class victories and stood on the podium five times during the season.

In what was an exceptional AMR Academy class of 2025, he stood out among the 23 candidates and excelled in all aspects of the Academy process – including an exhaustive post-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit, where he was assessed in a range of areas such as overall pace, driver feedback and systems analysis.

The Belgian has not yet concluded his season as he makes his 2025/26 Asian Le Mans Series debut in the Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn Aston Martin Vantage GT3 alongside Giacomo Petrobelli, and Jonny Adam this weekend.

“I am very proud to be the winner of the Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy,” said Pauwels.

“It’s already been a fantastic year with Vantage with the Silver Cup title in GT World Challenge Europe Sprint and this makes a great 2025 even better.

“With the support of one of sportscar racing’s all-time great manufacturers, I am now able to take a big step towards my ambition to be a professional racing driver.

“I would like to thank the Aston Martin family for their support this year and into 2026.”

The AMR Driver Academy is an annual initiative designed to fast-track talent from within Aston Martin’s thriving partner team network and is another way for the legendary British ultra-luxury sportscar manufacturer to contribute back to motorsport by investing in and honing future talent.

A unique and unrivalled platform for learning and development with an established manufacturer, this essential initiative is fine-tuned annually and improved to effectively coach drivers through the early stages of their careers.

Competitors aged between 17 and 26 with Vantage GT3 and GT4 race programmes in recognised championships are eligible. Selection has now begun to accept candidates for the 2026 AMR Driver Academy.

The prize on offer for the successful graduate includes financial support towards their 2027 race programme as well as assistance and guidance from the factory tailored to their season plans.

Further evaluation of the most outstanding candidates may also include a test in a Vantage GT3 at the end of the 2026 season.

The candidates benefit from an exclusive training camp that includes media coaching, simulator training and bespoke guidance on physical preparation and nutrition.

AMR in-house commercial staff provide key marketing and sponsorship advice and there is a factory-based engineering workshop to further the candidates’ understanding of how to competitively set-up Vantage.

The judging panel, which includes three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner and 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona GTD class champion Darren Turner, four-times British GT champion Jonny Adam, former Academy winner and works driver Valentin Hasse Clot, AMR Head of Performance Gus Beteli, Head of AMR Partner Racing Huw Tasker, AMR Team Manager Simon Edwards and AMR Driver Academy Director Rachel Adam evaluates each driver’s ability to manage the strategic, teamwork, commercial and public relations aspects of their role.

Finally, the outstanding candidate will demonstrate the most potential to develop their talent for the future.

“The Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy has earned a proud legacy of winners, and we are delighted to see Kobe become the latest graduate and to be able to support another incredibly talented young driver through the next phase of his professional racing career,” said Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s Head of Endurance Motorsport.

“Since he began racing Vantage in 2024, Kobe has consistently displayed outstanding speed, determination and a willingness to self-improve.

“These are qualities that have helped previous AMR Driver Academy winners to stand out and were clearly noted among what was an incredibly high-quality group of drivers in 2025.

“These characteristics will be fundamental to his racing career going forwards and we are looking forward to actively being a part of that.”