The Driver Search moves into its second Academy day at Gerotek testing facility west of Pretoria on Monday, where candidates will benefit a dual program of driving exercises and lectures on aspects the likes of promotion, sponsorship and other motorsport related subjects, before further lectures and driving activities on Tuesday that will certainly benefit each contestant's future race careers on all fronts .

From there, the field will be whittled down to eight drivers, who will return to Gerotek for more training and evaluation in October, during which time the eight will further be refined to the four best race driver prospects. Those four will be put to the test in racing conditions on track, after which the field will once again be halved to arrive at the two top candidates.

The two finalists will then each take part in selected regional races and the driver who acquits him or herself best of the two in racing real conditions, will then become a Volkswagen Motorsport driver in the 2017 Engen Volkswagen Cup.

"Volkswagen and Audi have nurtured black South African racing talent to great effect over the years," Volkswagen South Africa Motorsport Manager Mike Rowe explains. "We are most excited at the prospect of the VW Driver Search revealing our future racing stars." 

"Volkswagen has been a valued supporter of local motorsport over many years and Motorsport South Africa is thrilled to be able to partner VW in this great initiative," Motorsport South Africa CEO Adrian Scholtz confirmed. "The Volkswagen Driver Search will generate greater interest in motorsport amongst a broader South African population, which will greatly contribute to the future sustainability of local motorsport."

The Volkswagen Driver Search candidates are, in alphabetical order; Ayrton Good, Bhagveld Singh, Chad Bell, Ebrahim Jood and Jerone Kelly; Jonathan Mogotsi, Kashen Naicker, Terrance Khalo, Prince Ndiweni, Rishay Moodley and Rolence Molapisi; Ryan Rhode, Shivesh Bissoon, Siyabonga Mankonkwana, Stacey-Lee May and Tylan Swartbooi.

VW Driver Search is being be conducted along similar lines to MSA's recent Motorsport Development Academy.