Four drivers picked for Renault Sport Academy

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Four drivers have been selected as part of the new Renault Sport Academy designed to find future champions.

As part of the launch of Renault's "comprehensive motorsport programme", the French company announced it would be developing four young drivers, all of which took part in Renault-backed championships last season.

Reigning Formula Renault 3.5 series champion Oliver Rowland headlines the quartet, while he will be joined in the academy by 2015 Eurocup FR2.0 and FR 2.0 Alps winner Jack Aitken, as well as FR 2.0 NEC winner Louis Deletraz and second-placed Kevin Joerg.

With Renault Sport Racing overseeing the drivers' development, Rowland will compete in GP2 for MP Motorsport in 2016 while Aitken and Joerg will both move in to GP3. Deletraz will race in the newly-named Formula V8 3.5 Series.

New Renault racing director Frederic Vasseur says it is important the company provides young drivers with the opportunity to reach F1.

"The Renault Sport Academy underlines the commitment of Renault Sport Racing to nurture young talent to develop the Formula 1 stars of the future," Vasseur said. "The motivation is not just altruistic; we want these drivers to become future Formula One World Champions and we are putting every tool at their disposal to achieve this aim."

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