Louis Sharp named as second Repco Young Driver Scholarship Program recipient

Louis Sharp, 12-year-old karting sensation from Christchurch, New Zealand, has been announced as the second recipient of Repco’s Young Driver Scholarship Program. Repco, Australia and New Zealand’s leading aftermarket automotive retailer, launched the Young Driver Scholarship Program in conjunction with the Shell V-Power Racing Team in October 2019 to assist the next generation of racers make their way through the motorsport ranks. At that time, they announced 11-year-old Tom Bewley as the first recipient.

Sharp will receive assistance from Repco as well as mentorship from No. 12 Ford Mustang driver, Fabian Coulthard, who personally selected the talented youngster. With multiple National and Series titles to his name, Sharp is already a very successful karter.

For many young drivers, the journey to becoming a professional driver is often a difficult and expensive process, one which Wayne Bryant, Executive General Manager for Repco Australia, said they hope can be made a little easier through their program.

“Repco has a long and proud history in motorsport and having a program that supports the grassroots of motorsport is vitally important to ensure the best and most talented drivers make their way to the top, regardless of their circumstances,” explained Bryant. He continued, “We are not only proud to be supporting a skilled and capable young driver like Louis to help him realise his dream, but we are also looking forward to following his progress and seeing where his career takes him.”

Coulthard said that with so many worthy young drivers hoping to make their mark in the sport, choosing just one to mentor was something he considered very carefully. “I put a lot of thought into who I wanted to mentor. I’ve watched Louis’s performances over the years, and he has impressed with not only his ability on the track but also his maturity. I know Louis will get the job done wherever he races, but above that, he is well presented, marketable and speaks in front of the camera with confidence, which are all required qualities to be the complete package,” said Coulthard.

Sharp and his family are thrilled to have been selected for the Repco’s Young Driver Scholarship. Sharp recollected, “When I received the call from Fabian Coulthard to tell me he selected me, I was so excited! My dream is to be a race car driver just like Fabian, so having someone like him to talk to and get advice from, is really cool. I would like to race my kart overseas next year and this scholarship will be a big help.”