Rising British star Ryan Lewis took time out of his hectic testing programme to fly out to California at the weekend to receive the Gorsline Human Performance International Scholarship, which was presented at the American Auto Race Writers and Broadcasters Association awards banquet in Pomona, on Saturday. Nineteen year-old Ryan, who clinched the 2003 Formula Palmer Audi Championship, received the award from John Gorsline of the Gorsline Insurance Company.

“It's an honour to win this award,” said 19 year-old Ryan, adding, “And I'm really grateful to John Gorsline for the faith he's shown in me. Some of the top names in American racing have previously been selected including Butch Leitzinger, Buddy Rice and Jerry Nadeau and it's amazing to see how many of the great names have been evaluated through the programme such as Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and Helio Castoneves. I'm really looking forward to it, I'm sure it will be a real eye-opener and will hopefully help me in my future career.”

Ryan will undergo a two-day Driver Performance Enhancement Programme at HPI base in Huntersville, North Carolina, which is designed to improve a racing drivers functional and competitive performance through mental, physical and lifestyle evaluation and development.

Following several months of testing in Formula Renault, Formula 3 and recently the Maserati Trofeo at Ferrari's invitation at Fiorano, Ryan will soon be announcing his racing plans for 2004.

Human Performance International - backgound
In 1983 Human Performance International (HPI) began its role as the leading provider of performance enhancement programmes in motorsport through the creation of the Driver Performance Enhancement Programme. This programme has helped to form many Champions through the years and has served as the basis for the creation of the new team-oriented programmes now available through HPI.

Since the programme's inception, HPI has enjoyed the opportunity to work with more than 500 drivers from 27 countries and many classes of racing including Formula One, Champ Cars, IRL, Winston Cup, Busch, Sports Car racing, etc.

It's two-day laboratory-based Driver Performance Enhancement Programme profiles a racer's strengths and weaknesses in five major areas of interest: Physical Preparation, Mental Skills, Vision Skills, Nutritional Status and Medical Status. On the basis of this personal profile, specific action plans (training programmes) are designed to improve the areas of weakness and capitalise on areas of strength - with the specific goal to enhance a driver's performance ability in the car and beyond.

The on-track follow-up support that is built into the programme provides first-hand `coaching' that is primarily targeted to the mental side of the racing equation. This is ultimately the reason that racers participate in the HPI Driver Performance Enhancement Programme and many have quietly credited the programme with having guided them in the specific techniques that have allowed them to increase their racing performance, on and off the track.

The Gorsline Company annually presents the Scholarship to a young aspiring driver of any nationality who consistently displays exceptional talent and a professional respect for motorsport. John Gorsline has awarded the scholarship to the HPI Driver Enhancement Programme for the past nine years as part of his dedication to promoting and enhancing the career path of future champions.

HPI also performs Corporate Training programmes and full details of these and further information about Human Performance International can be obtained from the website at www.human-performance.com or by e-mail to information@human-performance.com

ENDS

Editors note: Copyright free pictures of Ryan are available at the website below and requests for interview should be directed to Cathy Metcalfe at the details below.

Ref: ml00053
12 January 2004

For media information: Cathy Metcalfe, MPR Associates, Tel: +44 (0) 1327 352199,
Fax: +44 (0) 1327 352908, Mob: +44 (0) 7802 332398, E-mail: cathymetcalfe@mpr-associates.co.uk

Website: www.ryanlewisracing.co.uk