The young driver programme has only been in operation since 2016, and since then it has led to the F1 debuts of Pascal Wehrlein, Esteban Ocon and George Russell. The Brit however will be the first Mercedes junior to make the step into the works team in a full-time seat, replacing Valtteri Bottas ahead of the 2022 season.

The drivers for 2022 that will be supported by the programme are Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Paul Aron, Yuanpu Cui, Luna Fluxa, Daniel Guinchard, Alex Powell and Frederik Vesti – where the likes of Antonelli, Cui, Aron, Powell and Vesti are returning members.

“It’s going to be a really exciting year for our junior drivers, and we’re delighted to welcome them to our W13 launch on Friday as part of our motorsport family,” stated Mercedes’ Team Principal, CEO and Co-Owner Toto Wolff.

“There are some familiar faces in the programme from previous years, looking to build on their strong progress, and there are also several new members of the programme who have joined us this year. It will be great to see how they develop in their first season with us.”

A notable addition in Mercedes’ recruitment drive for 2022 has been the arrival of the squad’s first female driver Fluxa, who won the European Mini X30 championship in karting last year. She will race in the OK Junior class in 2022, somewhat following in the footsteps of Cui who steps up to OK for 2022 from the OK Junior category.

OK Junior racer Powell competed in a number of different international series in 2021, finishing P2 in the WSK Euro Series and P3 in the WSK Super Master Series and WSK Final Cup. He moves to OK full-time this year.

FIA Karting European champion Antonelli steps up to single-seater racing in a full time role with the Prema in Italian F4. Also moving up to single-seaters is Daniel Guinchard, winner of the Ultimate Karting Championship, British championship and the British Kartmasters Grand Prix in Rotax Junior. He is moving into the British F4 series with Argenti.

Estonian Aron continues in the Formula Regional European Championship, where he finished P3 for Prema last season with two wins and five podium finishes. Vesti who joined the Mercedes junior team for 2021, after winning the 2019 Formula Regional European Championship with Prema and finishing fourth in FIA Formula 3 a year later.

In 2022, Vesti moves up to Formula 2 with ART Grand Prix. Driver Development Advisor Gwen Lagrue is fully behind the team’s revised roster of young drivers, and praises the outfit’s involvement in multiple categories: “We now are present in almost every category of the motorsport pyramid, from go karting to F1, with a group of talented young drivers. And we are constantly working on preparing the next generation of F1 and motorsport stars.”

The Formula 1 team’s Strategy Director James Vowles likens the arrival of Russell to the works team as a milestone for the junior squad. “George joining alongside Lewis marks a significant milestone for our young driver programme,” he said.

“Every year, the programme has grown, and we are fortunate to have an incredible line-up across categories ranging from karting to F1. We’ll be working hard to provide the best support and environment we can, enabling them to focus on the job in hand and deliver their maximum potential. The Mercedes young drivers of today, will hopefully be our champions of tomorrow.”

The story was written by Danny Herbert

Here’s contract situation plus penalty points

Here’s George Russell on big learning

Here’s junior list of: Alpine, Red Bull, Ferrari

L'entrada Mercedes shares list and programmes of its seven F1 academy drivers ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

In a surprise announcement from ART Grand Prix, it revealed that their racer ten Brinkle will not only not compete for them in the remaining Formula European Regional Championship by Alpine weekends, but the Dutchman has quit racing all-together.

Having made his single-seater debut in 2020 in Spanish F4, where ten Brinkle ended up third with MP Motorsport, the Dutchman moved to FRECA with ART in 2021. He missed the opening round due to COVID-19 but made it in from Round 2 onward.

In the eight races, including the two at Zandvoort last weekend, ten Brinkle finished five in points, to be 11th in the drivers’ standings. But the statement from the Dutchman noted that he did not feel any joy in racing in his home event, as well.

“Dear all. For the past few years, I’ve been extremely dedicated to racing. I’ve been go karting for 5 years, became World Champion and finally made my move to autosport. I loved the first races in F4, the racing, the competition and moved my way up to Formula Regional soon after,” read the statement from ten Brinkle.

“During the weekends of FRECA, I started feeling a pressure I didn’t know before. How badly I would’ve wanted to compete, I struggled mentally to perform. Together with the coaching of Giedo van der Garde and Koen de Meester, I tried to turn things around, but the past weekend in Zandvoort it became clear to me that I felt stuck.

“There was no joy anymore which made me very uncomfortable. I know that driving race cars is a dream for a lot of people – and that thought also makes this decision even harder – but I have to stay true to myself and admit that racing doesn’t make me enjoy life the way I want.

“Therefore it’s with a heavy heart that I’m writing that I will stop my racing career immediately. For all the people that helped me along the way, ART, van Garde, Bernhard ten Brinkle, de Meester, Ricky Flynn, MP Motorsport, HSF, EUROL and TRICORP: a big thank you. I don’t know what the future will bring, but I know I’m taking the right decision. All the best, Thomas.”

ART, meanwhile, added: “It has been a huge pleasure to work with you, Thomas. We respect your hard decision and we wish you all the best for the future.” It is an early end to a bright career for 16-year-old, ten Brinkle, who won the German Karting Championship – Junior in 2018 and the CIK-FIA World Championship – OKJ in 2019.

L'entrada ‘No joy’ forces young racer Thomas ten Brinkle to quit racing ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After the success in Round 1 of the F1 Virtual GP at Red Bull Ring, the names for this weekend’s race at Silverstone has been released with George Russell finally to make his 2021 debut alongside teammate Nicholas Latifi.

The Canadian continues from first round along with Red Bull’s Alexander Albon, AlphaTauri pair of Vitantonio Liuzzi & Luca Salvadori, Haas pair of Pietro & Enzo Fittipaldi and Alfa Romeo pair of Thibaut Courtois & Jack McDermott, aka The Pie Face.

Among the newcomers, Ferrari will field Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman, with Red Bull getting in Liam Lawson and Alpine bringing in YouTuber, Squeezie & sim racer, Theamusante. These are the 14 names so far released by F1, with five more to come – expect Aston Martin.

As known, the charity F1 Virtual GP will have Pro Sim racers racing in a Sprint race which sets the grid for the Main race. The Silverstone event will be broadcast from 18:00 GMT on February 7 on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Huya (China) and Weibo (China) channels, as well as broadcast by international television partners including Sky Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports and Ziggo.

“It’s great to welcome George and Nicholas back to the grid this weekend, alongside a host of fantastic names from across the motorsport world,” said Julian Tan. “The drivers always enjoy driving around the iconic Silverstone circuit, even virtually, so we are really looking forward to Sunday’s race. The first event was a lot of fun, and it is terrific to see our drivers do good for charity whilst entertaining fans around the world as we await the start of the 2021 season.”

UPDATE: Mercedes joined Aston Martin in not taking part in the F1 Virtual GP this weekend. They had Stoffel Vandoorne and Anthony Davidson but the German team have pulled out for the Silverstone race. The 16 names were rounded out by McLaren’s Jimmy Broadbent and Ben ‘Tiametmarduk’ Daly.

The Pro racers to take part will be:

Red Bull Racing: Frede Rasmussen and Marcel Kiefer
McLaren: James Baldwin and Josh Idowu
Alpine: Nicolas Longuet and Fabrizio Donoso
FDA: David Tonizza and Bendon Leigh
AlphaTauri: Joni Tormala and Manuel Biancolilla
Alfa Romeo: Dani Bereznay and Simon Weigang
Haas: Samuel Libeert and Floris Wijers
Williams: Alvaro Carreton and Alessio di Capua

Here’s how Round 1 of F1 Virtual GP panned out

Mercedes junior Paul Aron signs with Prema in FRECA:

Mercedes F1 junior Paul Aron has joined the grid of the 2021 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine grid with Prema, completing the team’s three-car line-up, who now are only left with an open space for a female driver in the fourth car.

Aron raced in the Formula Renault Eurocup series in 2020 with ART, where he finished 11th, with just one podium finish. Technically it will be his second year in the championship after the merger of Formula Regional with Eurocup from 2021 onward.

He joins Ferrari junior Dino Beganovic and highly regarded David Vidales. “I can’t express how thankful I am for this opportunity,” said Aron. “I’m super happy to be back with Prema for the 2021 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine.

“The team is like a second family for me. We managed to do an amazing year together in Formula 4, and I am sure they are just the ingredient I need to make a successful year in 2021. Can’t wait for the season to start.”

Team boss Angelo Rosin added: “It’s great to welcome Paul back with us. He impressed us in his debut season in car racing, and we are looking forward to seeing how he progressed and matured. We are sure he has outstanding potential and the fact that he already knows the car-engine package means that he will be an even more valuable asset.”

Here’s the grid so far and calendar

L'entrada F1 reveals names for British Virtual GP; Mercedes’ Aron to race in FRECA ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Having finished second in Road to IndyCar’s USF2000 championship in 2020 in USA, Barrichello will move to Europe in 2021, to compete in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, for JD Motorsport.

Barrichello announced his plans in a special press conference as he became the fourth driver to be confirmed in the newly merged championship. The 2021 season starts end of April at Spa, with 10 rounds in all, ending at Monza at the end of October.

“I am delighted for the agreement reached with JD Motorsports, and I cannot wait to start my European career with the team,” said Barrichello. “This is set to be a really interesting season, and I am really looking forward to racing on so many venues that made motorsports history.”

“We are very happy for the agreement reached with Eduardo,” said team boss Roberto Cavallari. “Watching him in the USF2000 Series, he was really competitive. We will work hard to get him to adapt to our car quickly in every circumstance, so to be equally successful in Europe too. I thank all his staff and family for choosing JD Motorsport, identifying our operation as the most suitable environment for Eduardo’s technical and human growth in his first European experience.”

Moving on to Trulli, the Italian will be making his single-seater debut in 2021 after competing in the OK category of multiple karting championships in 2020. His first assignment will be F4 UAE, where he will partner Enzo Scionti at Cram Motorsport.

The 2021 season starts next weekend in Dubai and will alternate with races in Abu Dhabi, with five rounds in all until mid-February. Following the end of the winter championship, Trulli will head back to Europe to compete full-time in F4 Spanish Championship.

He is so far the sole racer announced by FA Racing Team by Drivex – a team which has the backing of Alpine F1 driver, Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard, in fact, visited his team during private testing, where Jarno was present too, overlooking his son’s progress. The 2021 season will start in mid-April and will end mid-November, with seven rounds in all.

Here’s calendar for Formula Regional by Alpine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Formula_Regional_European_Championship

Here’s calendar for F4 Spanish Championship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_F4_Spanish_Championship 

In other news, Formula E confirmed that Saudi Arabia’s Ad Diriyah will host a double-header 2020/21 opener on February 26-27, after the postponement of the races in Chile, which were to take place in January. As known, it will be a night event.

#DiriyahEPrix will kick-off Season 7 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship with Formula E’s first night races on February 26 & 27 2021 ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ #ABBFormulaE pic.twitter.com/i0Im1pLeuN

— ABB FIA Formula E World Championship (@FIAFormulaE) January 5, 2021

Also, WEC and ELMS named Frederic Lequien as their new head, replacing Gerard Neveu. The Frenchman started his career as a project manager in charge of negotiations with local promoters and circuits at Eurosport International between 2002 and 2005.

He also developed the hospitality aspects of the LG Super Racing Weekends. Alongside it, he also held the deputy general manager role at Amaury Sport Organisation between 2005 and 2011, where he also a spokesman of the Dakar Rally.

In 2012, he opened a specialist marketing and events agency, organising the Silk Way Rally. “I am proud and honoured to join LMEM,” said Lequien. “The WEC and the ELMS are both world-renowned championships. We intend to continue attracting a mix of factory and private teams and are ready to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

At the same time, ACO’s Pierre Fillon added: “I extend a warm welcome to Frédéric Lequien, on behalf of the ACO and LMEM. This appointment is excellent news for the world of endurance racing. With 20 years in motorsport, Frédéric brings valuable expertise to this position.”

Here’s news on Formula E opener being postponed

L'entrada Barrichello to race in FR Alpine; Trulli reveals F4 plans; FE, WEC news ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

It was indeed a mixed run for the six Renault Sport Academy drivers in 2020, where only one saw major success in the form of a title win in FIA Formula 3 Championship. It was rookie Oscar Piastri – also mentored by Mark Webber – who won it in the last round.

The second best driver of the academy was Caio Collet, who finished second in the Formula Renault Eurocup – ironically losing out to former academy driver, Victor Martins. It was the Brazilian’s second year in the championship as his aim was to win the title.

The two FIA Formula 2 Championship drivers were next with Guanyu Zhou ending up sixth (in his second season) and Christian Lundgaard seventh (in his rookie year). Behind them was Hadrien David finishing 10th in Formula Renault Eurocup in his rookie season.

In last was Max Fewtrell, who pulled out of from racing in F3 with three rounds remaining, after a troubled year. Reflecting on the overall performances, Renault Sport Academy’s Mia Sharizman, wasn’t too pleased as he felt collectively, it could have been better.

In fact, Renault came under pressure after the signing of Fernando Alonso as a replacement of Daniel Ricciardo, where many thought the academy is not doing justice for the young drivers, especially for the likes of Zhou and Lundgaard in F2.

“Oscar winning FIA F3 was an unbelievable achievement and we are very proud of that,” started Sharizman. “We hoped for more from Zhou and Christian in F2 and we are somewhat disappointed with the outcome of finishing sixth and seventh in the championship despite some strong performances resulting in wins and podiums.

“Unfortunately, Zhou’s year was blighted with technical issues and bad luck, which robbed him of more wins and podiums. It is something that we will assess and evaluate in the winter to come back stronger than ever. Christian, who finished seventh in his rookie season, was exceptional in some of the races this year where he totally dominated.

“He had one pole position, two wins and four podiums, which speaks well of his raw talent and ability. Nevertheless, as with every young driver in a rookie season, consistency has been Christian’s main issue, which is something we will together address for the future. We see so much potential in Zhou and Christian that we firmly believe that they can excel in this championship in the future.

“As for Caio and Hadrien, they fell short of their target of winning their respective titles, but as the season evolved, we can see Caio’s potential and development, which is in line with our projection. He was up against much more experienced drivers in the championship and to take the fight into the last race weekend, shows that he has developed well within our structure and is ready to move up to the next level.

“We know all the drivers can do better and they are aware that they will have to be better next year to progress further within the Academy. I know they will. Outside their driving, I was happy to see that we were able to execute the F1 Test Programme for our Academy Drivers perfectly, considering there were so many limitations and restrictions in staging them due to the pandemic.

“Zhou and Christian have benefitted this year immensely in their on-going F1 preparation. This year they have been joined by Oscar who had his first experience with F1 machinery. It was a reward for winning the FIA F3 Championship and it was richly deserved. He performed well and I am confident there will be more opportunities for Oscar in the future,” summed up an honest Sharizman.

Here’s how the final day of F2 testing went with Renault juniors involved

Noaki Yamamoto crowned 2020 Super Formula champion:

The COVID-19-affected Super Formula championship ended with Yamamoto regaining the title from Nick Cassidy in the final round at Fuji Speedway. It is the Japanese driver’s third title win after taking it in 2013 and 2018, but first with Dandelion Racing.

After winning it with Team Mugen in the previous two occasions, Yamamoto switched to Dandelion in 2019, where he finished second to Cassidy. He stuck with the team in 2020, as Team Impul’s Ryo Hirakawa became his closest championship rival.

Taking into the new format of five best results from 2020 due to COVID-19, Yamamoto needed to finish fifth in the final race at Fuji, which he did so by managing to keep Hirakawa at bay, as the experienced campaigner took the title by two points.

Both had a similar run of events in all of 2020 where they suffered a retirement each, whereas Yamamoto had one 13th place finish and Hirakawa had one P12. Additionally, both had one win and one second place but the former had an additional third place finish.

It was another double for Honda’s Yamamoto after he already secured the 2020 Super GT title alongside Tadasuke Makino with Team Kunimitsu. It was a repeat of 2018 when he won both the titles as well – although he shared the GT title with Jenson Button that year.

L'entrada Renault academy not happy with 2020 results; Yamamoto wins SF title ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The news series is named as ‘Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine – certified by FIA’ as Renault decided to use its new brand name in the junior ladder as well. The FIA and ACI Sport will also continue to back the series along with Pirelli tyres.

The Formula Regional was formed in 2019 to be a platform for drivers moving up from F4 and national F3 series, before taking the bigger step into the F1’s support Formula 3 championship. The FR series, though, continued on under the Eurocup banner.

But from 2021 onward, the Formula Regional will merge with Renault Eurocup to be the one single championship for drivers moving up. There will be 10 rounds with two races per weekend, where three events will take place in Italy and rest across Europe.

The grid will be a maximum of 36 cars, where teams can enter three cars each, while a fourth one will be allowed for female racers. The car will be powered by a 1.8-litre Renault engine and feature chassis by Tatuus, while tyres will be from Pirelli.

The new cars will be built in the racing department at the Alpine factory of Dieppe. The announcement was made during the Emilia Romagna GP weekend at Imola with representatives of Renault and ACI Sport present for the release.

“For more than 50 years, Renault’s action in favour of young drivers has been unparalleled, as well as the know-how of our teams in organising competitive and affordable single-seater championships for talent-spotting and development of future champions,” said Renault Sport Racing chief, Cyril Abiteboul.

“We are therefore particularly pleased with this agreement with the FIA and the ACI which means the creation of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. This agreement strengthens our activities and we are honoured to be able to contribute directly to an FIA championship that will continue to carry the values we are all strongly committed to, race format, sports equity, training and promotion of young European talent. It is also the first concrete marker of the return of the Alpine brand in the world of single-seaters.”

The FIA Vice-President and ACI President Angelo Sticchi Damiani stated: “After having been in 2014 the first country to launch the Formula 4 championship, that with the Italian F4 Championship powered by Abarth has become the point of reference for young drivers as the first step after karting towards F1, once again the Automobile Club d’Italia, through ACI Sport, has been key in the definition of a series that perfectly fits the path defined by FIA for the growth of the talents of international motor sport.

“The Formula Regional European Championship, the series that 2 years ago has been certified by FIA, represents an absolutely strategic and particularly recommended step for young drivers also as natural continuation of their experience in F4. Today, with the important come together of strengths and synergies between ACI, ACI Sport and Groupe Renault, Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine becomes by all means the international point of reference as step towards F1.

“My wish and belief is that all parts will put together the best professionality and manpower to make the championship grow and support at best all the great talents of today, so to be able to watch them compete tomorrow in the fantastic arena of F1.” At the same time, FIA Single-Seater Commission head – and new-to-be F1 chief – Stefano Domenicali added:

“This merger and the creation of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine and Certified by FIA adds even greater focus to the FIA’s pathway to the top levels of motor racing. A consolidation of Formula Regional in Europe means that graduates from Formula 4 can learn and grow in a strongly supported, robust and, perhaps most importantly, a competitive environment. Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine – certified by FIA gives them a clear next step on the ladder towards their dream of one day racing in Formula 1.”

And finally, FIA President Jean Todt stated: “The establishment of a new Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, certified by FIA, is another significant step in refining the pathway to the pinnacle of motor sport, Formula 1.

“It joins the Formula Regional Championships in the Americas, Asia and Japan to form a global platform for young racing talent to progress their motor sport career. I would like to thank Renault, Alpine and ACI for making this merger possible and I look forward to seeing the champions of the future racing in what is sure to be a thrilling new championship.”

L'entrada FREC merges with Formula Renault to become a new series from 2021 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

AlphaTauri played a smart game as it combined its lone day at Imola, where they tested using the 2018 Toro Rosso F1 car and at the same time had its filming day with the new 2020 car with both Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat in action.

It was the first time for both the drivers in a F1 car since the Barcelona tests. Both have had kart runs though as lockdown eased up. The run also gave a chance to the AlphaTauri crew to prepare for the 2020 season under strict safety protocol.

The team ran the 2018 Toro Rosso car in the morning and switched to 2020 AlphaTauri for the 100 km run on demonstration tyres provided by Pirelli in the afternoon. It joined Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault and Racing Point in having a track run.

While Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault had a proper two-day test in the 2018 F1 car, Racing Point undertook a filming day in the 2020 machine. AlphaTauri, meanwhile, fitted itself in both the categories as the next running now will be the first round at Red Bull Ring.

“I was really happy to be back on track after such a long wait,” said Gasly. “I had really missed that feeling you get from driving so it was incredible to be back in the Toro Rosso STR13 and the AlphaTauri AT01. We had a really smooth day, doing some laps in both cars.

“I woke up this morning feeling excited and happy and I will fall asleep tonight in the same mood. It was also special to drive a Formula 1 car at Imola, which is one of my favourite tracks. I think we are now ready for Austria.‬”

Kvyat added: “Being here in Imola today feels great! I’ve known the track for a while now because I did one of my first tests here for Formula BMW in 2010 and a race for Formula Renault Alps in 2012 and today I’ve finally returned for a filming day with the team.

“Imola is a track which is really nice to drive with lots of fast turns and I think it’s a track which really deserves to return to the F1 calendar. It was a special feeling today being back in the car after such a long break and I really enjoyed it”

Here’s photos/videos of AlphaTauri run:

https://twitter.com/AlphaTauriF1/status/1275784931151687682?s=20

https://twitter.com/AlphaTauriF1/status/1275823004002521090?s=20

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBzw6AdKPMu/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Aside this, Sauber released names of the drivers part of its junior team for the 2020 season. Last year, they tied up with Charouz Racing System but this year, they will go ahead with a Ferrari and Red Bull-like academy without any team’s support.

It will be run by Sauber Motorsport which also undertakes operation work of Alfa Romeo F1 team. From last year, Theo Pourchaire and Dexter Patterson stay back in the academy, where the former will race in FIA F3 with ART and latter in Italian F4 with Bhaitech.

Among the new signings, Petr Ptacek will continue in Formula Renault Eurocup with R-ace GP, while Emerson Fittipaldi’s son will compete in OK-J Karting championship. The Brazilian moves to Europe to kick-off his career in the road to F1.

Frederic Vasseur, CEO Sauber Motorsport AG, said: “Investing in young talent has always been a central part of Sauber Motorsport’s racing philosophy. Our Academy is just the latest project aimed at unearthing stars of the future and guiding them through their career, giving them the tools, the education and the resources needed to succeed in the world of motorsport.”

Beat Zehnder, Sporting Director Sauber Motorsport AG added: “I am looking forward to working with these four extremely talented drivers. They are all at different stages of their career but each of them has the raw skills we will need to harness to help them in their journey to F1.

“Over the years, I have seen many young drivers making their debut at the top of motorsport and it is true that, the earlier you acquire these skills, the more you can profit from them in the long term.”

Pourchaire stated: “I am really happy to become part of and be supported by the Sauber Academy. It is a truly super chance to learn from one of the sport’s most historical teams. I will be the youngest on the grid in FIA F3, where I will be driving with ART Grand Prix, and the support I’ll receive will be crucial to fulfil my goal, which is to win. I would like to thank Frederic Vasseur, Beat Zehnder and the whole Sauber Academy for this opportunity they have given me.”

Reacting to the news, Fittipaldi Jr said: “I am very proud to be selected by the Sauber Academy along with these three very talented drivers. With the sponsorship and support of Brand Institute, and now being part of the Sauber Academy, I will have a better chance to achieve my dream of becoming a Formula One driver.

“The experience and expertise in motorsport from the Sauber team will help me learn much faster. When I look at the history of Sauber and the great drivers that they have helped, I thank God for this amazing opportunity.”

Fittipaldi Sr added: “When I heard Emmo Jr. had been selected by Sauber Academy, I was extremely happy for him. First, he achieved a sponsorship deal from Brand Institute, a crucial step in advancing his young career. Now, he will be guided by Sauber, an organization with exceptional prestige and experience in motorsport.

“Emmo Jr. is building a strong foundation to help him achieve his dream of becoming an F1 Driver. I have known Frederic Vasseur and Beat Zehnder for many years. With their expertise and reputation, I feel very confident that they will provide Emmo Jr. with the proper guidance to be successful on and off the track. I am so grateful and thankful to God for these opportunities.”

Here’s Kimi Raikkonen on his children karting

Here’s Antonio Giovinazzi on fighting for Ferrari seat

Here’s Kimi Raikkonen karting with his son

Here’s Franz Tost on how AlphaTauri is looking at 2020 and beyond

Here’s Daniel Ricciardo on some of the races with Toro Rosso

L'entrada AlphaTauri combines filming with test, Sauber lists names of junior drivers ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Renault together with ART Grand Prix revealed about Lundgaard missing the ongoing FIA Formula 2 Championship test at Bahrain, where SMP Racing-backed Sergey Sirotkin is driving the Dane’s car. They informed about him being stuck at Tenerife.

Renault noted that Lundgaard was training for the upcoming season with no mention about other drivers. In a fresh video update, the French manufacturer confirmed the presence of Eurocup driver Collet and David along with the academy head Mia Sharizman.

All four are currently confined to their hotel in Tenerife where few cases of COVID-19 was detected. As per the video, all four are fit and are waiting to get out and return home. Other juniors like Guanyu Zhou, Max Fewtrell and Oscar Piastri are testing in Bahrain.

Here’s the statement/update from Renault along with a video:

“Renault Sport Racing confirms that Mia Sharizman, Renault Sport Academy Director, plus three members of the RSA – Christian Lundgaard, Caio Collet and Hadrien David – are held in Tenerife, where they were conducting winter training, after one guest at their hotel was identified as having the Coronavirus.

“Local health authorities have conducted their checks and none are demonstrating any sign of the virus. Everyone is fit and well, and they are continuing training within the hotel facilities. They would like to express their gratitude to the hotel for their support to make everyone feel as comfortable as possible.”

https://twitter.com/RenaultF1Team/status/1234432690239234049?s=20

Here’s news on Mark Webber signing Renault junior Oscar Piastri

Here’s news on Christian Lundgaard missing F2 test

Here’s how Day 1 of Bahrain F2 test panned out

Here’s news on F1 Australian GP claiming to be on schedule

Here’s MotoGP cancelling Qatar GP and postponing Thai GP

L'entrada Video: Renault juniors Lundgaard, Collet and David update from quarantine ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Aron, who joined the Mercedes programme in 2019, competed in Italian F4 and ADAC F4 where he finished third overall in the former. For 2020, the Estonian will graduate to Formula Renault Eurocup championship with French outfit ART.

The rookie joins Gregoire Saucy at ART with one more name to be added. “I am very proud to be working together with ART in the 2020 Formula Renault Eurocup,” said Aron. “This is a stepping stone to success and I am sure I can improve myself together with them.

“In the past, many drivers who were a part of this team went on to greatness and I am looking forward to doing the same thing myself. I had a successful first year in single seaters and I am sure that with ART Grand Prix we can have a second successful year in formula racing.

“It is an honor to be part of this legendary and historical team and I am very much looking forward to the upcoming season.” ART GP team President Sebastien Philippe, added: “Paul is an example of the modern driver, whose talent was expressed very early with a dazzling start to his career.

“He had a great first season in F4 and is taking another step this year. He is 16, he is very young and his objective, like ours, will be to exploit his potential without burning his wings, to progress throughout the year to finish the season in the top places of a championship that is so full of rising talent.”

As per the last information, Aron was the third Mercedes junior alongside Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Alex Powell, with the latter duo competing in kart. Apart from the trio, the team has George Russell and Esteban Ocon – although the latter will race for Renault.

Here’s the 2020 line-up for Formula Renault Eurocup so far

Here’s Toto Wolff on 2020 and 2021 seasons

Here’s Toto Wolff on his, team, Lewis Hamilton’s future

Here’s the full entry list for 2020 F1 season

Here’s update from Andy Cowell for 2020 engine

Here’s update from James Allison for W11

Photo: Hamilton and Bottas drive Mercedes F1 W11 at Silverstone

L'entrada Mercedes junior Paul Aron signs with ART to race in 2020 FR Eurocup ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After confirming Oscar Piastri and Hadrien David as part of the Renault Driver Academy, the French manufacturer has revealed the other names and their programmes for the 2020 season, with the omission of at least three drivers.

Senior pro, Zhou, will remain in the FIA Formula 2 (F2) Championship as he embarks on his second season with UNI-Virtuosi Racing alongside Callum Ilott. The Chinese racer ended up as the best rookie driver in 2019 after string of solid performances.

At the same time, Lundgaard is graduating to a full-time F2 season after making his debut in 2019 with Trident in Abu Dhabi. He raced in F3 with ART Grand Prix, where he finished a fine sixth as a rookie in the championship. He will remain with French outfit, ART.

As a result, he joins Marcus Armstrong in the team for 2020. His F3 teammate Fewtrell will remain in the championship, though, but has switched to Hitech GP from ART. He becomes the second from Renault in the series with Piastri already signing up with Prema.

Outside the three, Brazilian Collet also remains with the academy as he will continue to compete in the Formula Renault Eurocup for his second year. He will continue with R-ace GP and he becomes the second in the series with David.

Upon the announcement, Renault Sport Academy Director, Mia Sharizman said: “This year’s line-up is the strongest we’ve had in the last four years of the Renault Sport Academy. We’ve struck a balance between experienced and rookie drivers and we believe we can compete for titles across all junior championships in which we’ve entered our members.

“As the years progress, we are moving closer to the point where we want to have an Academy driver in contention for the F1 race seat. We remain hopeful that this year is a breakout year for this to happen. We already know what Max and Christian can do, and they are entering their fourth year on the programme.

“We were also pleased with how both Zhou and Caio performed in their first season with the Academy. All drivers have their own targets this year, which they know they have to meet. It’s great to welcome two very talented individuals in Oscar and Hadrien and it’s exciting to see what they can do this season.

“I’m sure all the drivers will push each other to perform to their best ability.” At the same time, Renault Sport Racing Managing Director Cyril Abiteboul, added: “Our Academy continues to grow in strength each year. We now want the programme to progress to the next level, and target championship wins in 2020.

“The Academy was first set-up in 2016 with the long-term objective of progressing a driver from the RSA to a seat with the F1 team, and with the talent we have in the Academy we are still confident of achieving this in the relative short term. The ability within the Academy is there for all to see.

“On a wider level I am also pleased to see Renault global markets getting behind the programme and supporting their local drivers. I am very proud of the programme and its activation and I look forward to following the success on and off track.”

While the names for 2020 is set, it also means that the likes of Victor Martins, Leonardo Lorandi and Ye Yifei haven’t got a seat with Renault. It is also sad that Anthoine Hubert wis not going to feature in the line-up.

2020 F2 line-up so far:

Prema: Mick Schumacher and Robert Shwartzman

HWA Racelab: Artem Markelov and Giuliano Alesi

ART Grand Prix: Marcus Armstrong and Christian Lundgaard

UNI-Virtuosi Racing: Callum Ilott and Guanyu Zhou

DAMS: Daniel Ticktum and Sean Gelael

MP Motorsport: Felipe Drugovich

Carlin: Yuki Tsunoda

2020 F3 line-up so far:

Jenzer Motorsport: Calan Williams

Prema Racing: Logan Sargeant, Frederik Vesti and Oscar Piastri

ART Grand Prix: Alexander Smolyar, Theo Pourchaire and Sebastian Fernandez

HWA Racelab: Jake Hughes, Enzo Fittipaldi and Jack Doohan

Trident: Lirim Zendeli

Hitech GP: Max Fewtrell

Here’s Renault news on academy drivers

Here’s news on Pat Fry start date

Here’s Daniel Ricciardo on where team needs to improve

Here’s Daniel Ricciardo on his move to Renault

Here’s Daniel Ricciardo on his personal high and lows of F1 2019

Here’s Esteban Ocon on early advantage with Abu Dhabi run

Hitech GP entry in F2 for 2020 confirmed to make it 11 teams

L'entrada Renault puts Zhou and Lundgaard in F2 as Fewtrell continues in F3 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After an extensive career in motorsports, Baldisserri joins a team that aims to continue his progress and take a qualitative step without giving up anything in both the Formula Renault Eurocup and Formula 4 championships.

They conducted some tests in Cheste and Barcelona with satisfactory results together with the drivers Belen Garcia and Xavier Lloveras, where they had much promise for the team in general and also for the drivers.

It was then that they saw, that, Baldisserri would be a great addition, with much to contribute to the discipline of Global Racing Service, to help achieve the team’s goals in the Formula Renault.

GRS record experience and talent.

Baldisserri, born in Bologna in 1962, replaced Ross Brawn during the 2007 F1 season at Ferrari. His position, which was temporary initially, became definitive when Brawn signed with Honda in 2008. Baldisserri had the role of head of track engineers until 2009, when Ferrari decided to give him a new position in factory.

From 2010 to 2015, the year he left Scuderia, he was the manager of the Ferrari Driver Academy. Subsequently, he joined the Stroll family as a mentor to the young Canadian driver until he became his track engineer at Williams during the 2018 season.

Xavier Lloveras, driver of the GRS team himself, said he had noticed a great improvement in the performance of the car after sharing box and knowledge with the veteran Italian engineer, something that will undoubtedly increase the team’s options in its search for good results .

The engineer’s trajectory added to the ambition and professionalism of the GRS project can be a cocktail of success in the young category powered by Renault. This incorporation has been very well received within the team and further increases the motivation in a key season designed to fight for the best possible goals.

L'entrada Former Schmacher’s engineer, Luca Baldisserri, to join GRS ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

The 19 year-old Catalan will continue his second consecutive season in this category. He will join Global Racing Service Team, being the third time Llovera competes alongside the Spanish team, having already participated in the Spanish F4 in 2018 and the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2019 with them.

After spending a few years in karting categories, where he managed to fight for top results, for example the second position in the FIA Academy Karting Trophy Championship, Lloveras moved up to single seaters in 2016, competing in both Spanish F4 and NEZ F4.

In his debut season in the Spanish category, the Spaniard racked up an outstanding fourth position in general classification. A year later he achieved three Pole Positions and one victory in the current SMP F4. After 2018, he stepped up to Formula Renault Eurocup with GRS, he took part in the Spanish F4 Navarra Test and the Barcelona Automobile 24 Hours.

After being confirmed both in the category and the team, Lloveras will race the 10 rounds of the Formula Renault 2020 calendar: Monza, Silverstone, Monaco, Paul Ricard, Spa-Francorchamps, Nurburgring, Hungaroring, Barcelona, Hockenheimring and Yas Marina.

Lloveras said: “ I am very happy and pleased to earn the GRS team trust again for 2020. After a few good performances in 2019, like those in Monaco or Nurburgring, the target is to be continuously in the TOP 5 and fight against others teams on track”.

“After winter testing in Cheste and Barcelona, in which we ended up with the best time in both sessions, beating ART and MP Motorsport as well, I am convinced we can make it true” states the Catalan.

L'entrada Exclusive: Xavier Lloveras to race for GRS in the Formula Renault Eurocup in 2020 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Following the FIA World Motor Sport Council meet in Paris, the revised list for F1 superlicense points was revealed under the governing body’s International Sporting Code – Appendix L, where there are changes for as many as seven championships.

Among the new additions, it was already known for W Series and Euroformula Open but the FIA has also added F3 Regional Japanese Championship and Japanese Super Formula Lights in the list where young drivers can compete to get F1 superlience points.

The F3 Regional Japanese Championship winner is get 18 points as it follows a descending order format of 14, 12, 10, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1. At the same time, W Series, Japanese Super Formula Lights and EF Open winners will get 15 points respectively.

It then follows the system of 12, 10, 7, 5, 3, 2, 1. Among the series which will see a change in their pattern, Formula Renault Eurocup has been put in the same 15, 12, 10, 7, 5, 3, 2, 1 bracket as it gets demoted from the above F3 Regional’s 18 bracket.

Another big change comes in for FIA Formula 3 Championship where the winner will still get 30 points with 25 for second place and 20 for third, but drivers finishing from fourth down to 10th will get more points in the order of 15, 12, 9, 7, 5, 3, 2.

It is an increase from this year’s system where the driver got 10, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1. As for the final series to get its system changed is the New Zealand-based winter championship Toyota Racing Series, where the winner will now get 10 as opposed to 7 for 2019.

It will then follow the system of 7, 5, 3, 1 which is change from 5, 3, 2, 1. The rest of the championships remains the same for 2020 with only a name change to United States of America-based Indy Pro 2000 series from Formula Mazda.

As already known from before, racers driving with a Friday superlience in the free practice session in F1, stands to get one point each in each of the session they run. There is a limit, however, with a maximum of 10 points up for grabs from the 22 events.

Here’s the last information from FIA regarding superlience

L'entrada FIA adds four series to F1 superlicense list, changes points for other three ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

22 drivers were present on Monday at the Yas Marina Circuit. Two among them were invited by Renault Sport Racing and its partners: Jack Young (Arden Motorsport), winner of three races in the Clio Cup Open held in support of the French and German Formula 1 Grands Prix, and Belén Garcia (Global Racing Service), the leading female driver in the Spanish F4 Championship.

The first three-hour session began at dusk with the drivers progressively lowering their times in increasingly cooler conditions. Kush Maini led for two hours, but was overtaken on the timing screen in the final ten minutes by Matteo Nannini with a lap clocked at 2:07.901s. Amaury Cordeel (MP Motorsport), Leonardo Lorandi and rookie Michael Belov completed the top five.

In the second session, Michael Belov led early before Matteo Nannini and Leonardo Lorandi went quicker. The Italian drivers set the exact same time on top for nearly an hour before the Russian answered back after two stoppages caused by Xavier Lloveras (Global Racing Service) and Jack Young.

Roman Stanek then went to the top of the order with 30 minutes remaining, but Matteo Nannini, responded as did Leonardo Lorandi, who finished the session best with a lap of 2:07.975s while the time of Matteo Nannini was deleted when his car was found to be under weight. Rookies Roman Stanek and Michael Belov were then promoted into the top three.

As soon as the Formula Renault FR-19s return to Europe, the teams will resume their winter testing programmes just until December before the first collective tests of the 2020 season at the Circuit de Valencia on March 11 and 12.

Quotes

Matteo Nannini (R-ace GP): “Honestly, I didn’t expect to be so fast this week. I knew right from my first laps with R-ace GP and MP Motorsport that I could run up front. I was expecting a bit more in the last session with new tyres, so I’m going to look the data to figure out where I lost time to my teammates. However, I am satisfied with the work done both at home and both teams!”

Kush Maini (R-ace GP): “My first two days with R-ace GP have been really productive. I had to adapt to the car, which is quite different to the one I drove this season with M2 Competition. We tested a lot of things and I am very pleased with the progress we made through the four sessions. I am already looking forward to the next test!”

Leonardo Lorandi (R-ace GP): “It is really good to be back at the top of the order even though it doesn’t make up for a disappointing season. I have dreamed of such a result and I am glad that it has happened. It’s good for my confidence, but also for my family, my manager and my partners. I would like to thank R-ace GP for providing me with a car to show my potential and I hope to have the opportunity to return to the Formula Renault Eurocup with a front-running team next year.”

Roman Stanek (MP Motorsport): “I discovered the car for the first time yesterday and immediately the feeling was good. It has more power and downforce than an F4, so it may be a bit less sensitive, but it’s much more fun to drive! I feel ready physically even though I still need to work in this area, but I hope more than anything else to be back in this car that I like to drive as soon as possible!”

Michael Belov (Bhaitech Racing): “It was another positive day. Like yesterday, I was comfortable in the car and we were successful in finding a good balance for the two sessions. I lost two tenths in traffic, so I am a little disappointed about that, but the most important is that I am already confident with the car and my driving. This is promising for the future when I will have more experience with this car!”

Belén Garcia (Global Racing Service): “Everything was new and amazing! There is no comparison with F4: downforce, handling in the fast corners, steering, brakes, tyres to manage… Everything seems to be from another world! The Formula Renault is also quite different to the W Series, especially with the set-ups. I would have never thought that I would have the chance to drive in Abu Dhabi, even less so at night, with this car, so I would like to thank Renault Sport Racing and Hankook for giving me this unique opportunity and experience.”

Jack Young (Arden Motorsport): “This first day in single-seater was full of challenges, but it was fun! I think that the biggest shock in coming from the Clio Cup was the aerodynamic downforce effect. It just feels like another dimension in the high-speed corners. I under-estimated just how strong you have to be to control the car and I felt it all day long, but I believe that this is a good starting point if I get another opportunity to get back behind the wheel!”

L'entrada Matteo Nannini repeats in Abu Dhabi ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Formula Renault Eurocup: Close battles set the new era of the series

The opening round of Formula Renault Eurocup with the new chassis was held at the iconic Monza as the new crop of drivers had to survive and prove their skills all weekend long, especially in the wet conditions that hit the Italian soil on Sunday.

Renault junior and MP Motorsport’s Martins left the weekend as the leader despite not wining any of the races with 30 points, thanks to the podium and fourth place that he took. JD Motorsport’s Leonardo Lorandi sits in second place with 26 points to his name.

The Italian as well did not score a win but had a second place finish to go with a sixth. The race winners though find themselves tied on 25 points with JD Motorsport’s Ugo de Wilde taking honours in Race 1 while R-ace GP’s Aleksandr Smolyar took it in Race 2.

The former did not finish Race 2, while the SMP Racing junior was only 20th in Race 1. They are third and fourth in the standings though with M2 Competition’s Kush Maini in fifth but tied on 25 points after his third and fifth place finishes respectively.

De Wilde was the rookie Formula Renault Eurocup winner in Race 1, while Maini took it in Race 2. Sixth placed MP Motorsport’s Lorenzo Colombo was the only other driver to finish on the podium with a third place finish in Race 2 under treacherous conditions.

At the same time, Fernando Alonso’s FA Racing by Drivex did not have the smoothest start to its single-seater campaign. None of the drivers – Callan O’Keefe, Brad Benavides and Patrick Schott – managed to score any points with O’Keefe coming close in 11th in Race 1.

Formula Regional European: Vesti sets himself as the man to beat in Round 1

The historic opening round of new FIA Formula Regional European Championship started with one team dominating: Prema. Their drivers were in the league of their with Frederik Vesti taking two race wins (Race 1 & 3) and a second position (Race 2).

The Dane sits on top with 68 points but Race 2 winner and teammate Enzo Fittipaldi is not far behind with 61 points after two second place finishes (Race 1 & 3). He inherited the Race 2 win from Olli Caldwell, who was disqualified due technical infringement.

McLaren Shadow and DR Formula’s Igor Fraga managed to score two podiums – finishing third in the first two races and seventh in final to slot in third overall with 36 points, while US Racing’s David Schumacher, son of former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, is fourth.

He has 27 points after the German scored a third place in Race 3 to go with eighth and sixth in the opening two races. The Top 5 of Formula European Regional is rounded out by DR Formula’s Raul Guzman with 26 points after finishing fifth, fourth and eighth.

F4 Japan: Ren Sato and Atsushe Miyaki share wins

In F4 Japan, Honda Formula Dream Project’s Sato beat TOM’S Spirit’s Seita Nonaka by a small margin in Race 1 at Okayama with OTG Motorsports’ Togo Suganami completing the podium position – but he doesn’t lead the points standings.

It is Suganami along with Nonaka in the lead – both with 33 points – as the former battled for a race win in Race 2, only for Honda Formula Dream Project’s Atsushe Miyaki to pass and win with Nonaka in third. Miyaki sits third with 25 and Sato in fourth with same points.

F4 NACAM: Manuel Sulaiman unbeatable in Monterrey

Sulaiman was the dominant driver in Round 4 of NACAM F4 at Monterrey  as he won all three races which puts him well in the lead in the drivers’ standings with 205 points – 41 more than Jak Crawford, who only managed to take one podium.

L'entrada Junior Round-Up: Martins leads FR Eurocup, Vesti in Regional F3 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After spending whole of 2018 at the sidelines and undertaking coaching work mostly, O’Keeffe has secured his return to competitive racing with FA Racing by Drivex in the Formula Renault Eurocup series – where he has raced before.

O’Keeffe raced in the old Formula Renault Eurocup cars in 2014 and 2015 seasons after which he moved to USA to compete in the USF2000 series in 2016. He returned to Europe in 2017 to compete in the British F3 Championship but couldn’t secure any drive for 2018.

The 2019 season was looking mostly the same for O’Keeffe until the opportunity from FA Racing by Drivex, the team which is run in partnership between Alonso and Pedro de la Rosa. The South African joins Patrick Schott and Brad Benavides to complete the line-up.

“Honestly I still can not believe it,” said O’Keeffe, on the announcement. “After 18 months out of the competition it seemed like I was going to be on the sidelines for another year until this fantastic opportunity arose.

“I am very grateful to all the people who have added their work to put me back in a racing car. For me, it is also a perfect place, because it was an FA kart with which I launched my karting career when I achieved the British specialty title.

“I was also second in the World Championship [with them], so I return to the races again and backed by that same name is the perfect story, and a dream that comes true. The goal is always the same no matter what the car is. Go to the limit.

“As far as expectations are concerned, I really have no idea what it will bring. The car is certainly very different from anything else I’ve driven before and I’m looking forward to experiencing the new feelings.”

Despite not racing, the South African said he kept himself fit enough to jump in the car whenever the call came. He is not aiming for anything on his return knowing that it is a new car and also first time for the team in the championship.

But he is pumped up to learn from Alonso and de la Rosa. “The list is endless,” he said, on taking tips from two former F1 racers. “In this sport you never stop learning. Fernando and Pedro are two world-class racing drivers.

“I am excited about the possibility of working with them. His experience will be invaluable for my development as a race driver and also off the track.” His first assignment with the team will be the two upcoming pre-season tests before the season starts.

Team’s co-owner Alonso said: “We want to give Callan a warm welcome on board. He is a very talented driver and we are looking forward to working with him. In addition, Callan provides a lot of experience in the field of European single-seaters to FA Racing by Drivex since it has participation in several championships in all these years.

“Our goal as a team is to provide competitive material and work together to ensure that we achieve good results during the season.” The team – which also has some McLaren influence – already started its 2019 preparations with the first test at Paul Ricard last week.

L'entrada Callan O’Keeffe returns to racing in Eurocup for 2019 with Alonso’s team ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After success with FA Racing in the karting scene, Alonso is expanding his team into single-seater competition from 2019 onward by competing in the Formula Renault Eurocup championship in partnership with Pedro de la Rosa’s co-owned Drivex outfit.

With less burden on Alonso in 2019 with no F1 drive, the two-time champion has spent more time looking over his racing team, having attended the shakedown of the new car and being close in the decision-making scene as well.

The team announced two of the three drivers to compete for them in 2019 as Swiss racer Patrick Schott and Spaniard Brad Benavides joins in for their rookie Eurocup campaigns. 18-year-old Schott has a year’s experience of single-seater racing.

At the same time, Benavides is graduating full-time from karts, even though he raced in one round of Euroformula Open series last year. “My commitment is to help young drivers from karting to make the transition into the single-seater scene,” said Alonso.

“My experience will help them push the car to its limits quicker. I will be able to give them some tips with the aim of make it easier, because your first steps on the single-seater ladder are quite demanding at this level.

“We are extremely happy having Brad and Patrick joining FA Racing by Drivex for the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup season. It’s nice to confirm that such young talents will be a part of our team.

“Everybody is motivated to start on the right foot in this fascinating and prestigious racing series. It will be a tough challenge but we are looking forward to starting this new chapter.” It is unclear if the team will opt to have a third driver for its first season.

Team manager Miguel Angel de Castro added: “We had the opportunity to work alongside Patrick last year and he rapidly made an impression as a quick learner. Having him driving one of our cars for a full-season programme are excellent news.

“In the same way, Brad is another emerging talent coming through the ranks and we welcome him to our team. The pre-season testing is just about to start but preparations are already in full swing.

“The competition level and the professionalism of the series demand our best effort.” Schott and Benavides are the 13th and 14th drivers confirmed to compete in the Formula Renault Eurocup series for the 2019 season.

“I am very happy and excited to race for FA Racing by Drivex in this prestigious Renault championship,” said Schott. I can’t feel better to tell the truth. My first season F4 went very well. It was therefore necessary to continue the path towards this championship.

“So, it was the jump to do and the best choice for this year. My first goal is to improve my skills to the maximum and understand the car quickly. It is good to know that Fernando Alonso’s staff as well McLaren will provide assistance, it’s unbelievable.

“Having drivers like Fernando (Alonso) and Pedro (de la Rosa) advising me is amazing. On the other hand Benavides added: “I’m truly enthusiastic to get on board with this new team and I’m looking forward to start working with them as soon as possible.

“The season will definitely be one to remark as it is my first ever season in a single seater. Hence I am absolutely woke for delivering my utter dedication as well as preparation.

“Meeting two iconic figures like Alonso and de la Rosa in motorsport is not something to undermine. I admire them in light of what they’ve done for the history of Formula 1 and I’m honored to take part of their team.”

Among other teams for the 2019 season, MP Motorsport has their three drivers in place with Lorenzo Colombo, Amaury Cordeel and Victor Martins along with R-ace GP having Caio Collet, Oscar Piastri and Aleksandr Smolyar.

BhaiTech Racing has signed Federico Malvestiti and Petr Ptacek with M2 Competition having Kush Maini and Esteban Muth while Arden Motorsport has Patrick Pasma and JD Motorsport has Ugo de Wilde so far.

L'entrada Alonso’s FA Racing signs two drivers for 2019 Formula Renault campaign ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

Max Fewtrell joined the Renault academy in 2017 and finished sixth overall and top rookie in the Formula Renault Eurocup series. He stayed in the series for his second year and eventually took the title beating fellow junior Christian Lundgaard.

He now joins the Dane at ART in F3 for the 2019 season, completing the team’s driver line-up who had announced David Beckmann earlier on. “I’m very proud to remain with the Renault Sport Academy this season and I can’t wait to get back to racing,” said Max Fewtrell.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without Renault’s support but I know there’s a long way to go in my career and a lot more targets I have to reach. I look forward to continuing the hard work with the Academy and growing the connection with the Formula 1 team.

“Racing in Formula 3 will be interesting and it’s a very competitive category, but I relish the challenge and I will be putting the work in to be prepared.” The British racer becomes the ninth driver to be confirmed for the F3 series.

Renault’s Mia Sharizman added: “Max has been a great addition to the Renault Sport Academy since joining in 2017. He’s shown his talent across two seasons racing in the Formula Renault Eurocup meaning his connection with Renault has been increasingly strong.

“Max was fully deserving of his place on the programme for 2019 by winning the Eurocup last season and he continues to showcase his calibre as one of Britain’s best rising stars. We’re looking forward to continuing with Max and helping his progression through the junior categories with a season in Formula 3 his next challenge.”

2019 F3 line-up so far:

Prema – Marcus Armstrong, Jehan Daruvala

Jenzer – Yuki Tsunoda

HitechGP – Juri Vips

ART – David Beckmann, Christian Lundgaard & Max Fewtrell

Campos Racing – Sebastian Fernandez

Carlin – Teppei Natori

Aside Max Fewtrell, Renault also confirmed that Victor Martins will continue with their academy as well which he joined at the start of the 2018 season. He raced in the Eurocup series where he finished fifth overall.

He will continue to compete in the series for the second time with MP Motorsport where he will race alongside Amaury Cordeel and Lorenzo Colombo. “I’m really happy to be a Renault Sport Academy Driver for a second successive season and I’m grateful for this opportunity.

“Renault’s support has been excellent so far and I’ve been able to develop as a driver and as a person, which I look forward to continuing in 2019. I have one goal this year: to win the Formula Renault Eurocup title.

“I know it won’t be easy because it will be competitive and I have to learn to drive the new car. Nevertheless, it’s a challenge which excites me and I’m motivated to do my family and Renault proud,” he said.

As for the Renault academy, Fewtrell and Martins became the fourth and fifth driver after Lundgaard, Caio Collet and Guanyzu Zhou for the 2019 season – where the former three were the retained drivers while the latter two as newcomers.

L'entrada Renault junior Fewtrell graduates to F3 with ART in 2019 ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After the announcement of Guanyu Zhou earlier in the day, Renault has named Collet in their academy for the 2019 season. The 16-year-old took the 2018 French F4 title in only his first year in single-seater racing – winning seven of the 21 races.

“I’m very happy to join the Renault Sport Academy. I knew as part of the prize for winning French Formula 4 there would be the opportunity to join the programme so that was a huge motivation last season,” said Ciao Collect.

“The hunger will only grow from here because I want to show Renault that I’m deserving of a place in the Academy and that will mean having a successful season on track in the Formula Renault Eurocup.

“I will be working really hard to meet my targets and I can’t wait to work with Renault and use all their support.” As Collet said, he will compete in the Formula Renault Eurocup series in 2019 with R-ace GP alongside Oscar Piastri.

In fact, he is the seventh driver confirmed for the series after Kush Maini (M2 Competition), Ugo de Wilde (JD Motorsport) and Lorenzo Colombo, Amaury Cordeel & Victor Martins – all three racing for MP Motorsport.

Renault Sport Academy Director, Mia Sharizman added: “We’re very happy to confirm Caio Collet as a Renault Sport Academy Driver. Brazil has a strong history of producing talented racing drivers and Caio has what it takes to continue that trend.

“He is among a number of exciting talents we have in the Academy. His record in karting is very good and he made an impressive transition into single-seater racing, which he exemplified by his French F4 Championship win.

“We look forward to working with him and in close collaboration with his team at All Road Management over the coming years to progress him through the established motorsport ladder within the framework of the Academy.”

As Sharizman said, Collet works with the All Road Management which is headed by Nicolas Todt which has drivers like Charles Leclerc, Felipe Massa, James Colado, Jose Maria Lopez, Ralf Aron and Manuel Sulaiman in their list.

L'entrada Renault adds Caio Collet in their academy for 2019 season ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.

After finishing third in the Italian Formula 4 in 2017, Colombo debuted in Formula Renault Eurocup in 2018 with JD Motorsport team. In first races he already showed his potential to be among the best of the series and until the end of the season he remained in the fight for the podium in most of races. Despite he couldn’t achieve any victory, he got five podiums and finished the championship in a meritorious sixth position.

His good performances didn’t go unnoticed for MP Motorsport, who decided to offer him the possibility of joining his team. The Dutch were runners-up last season both in the drivers’ standings with Christian Lungaard and in the team standings. This season they hope to take a step forward and be able to fight for championship title champion in both standings.

For this, they have also signed Victor Martins, who was fifth in the final classification last season just ahead of the Italian with the R-ace GP, the team that took the title. These two signings represent a leap in quality for the team. “I’m very pleased to team up with MP for my second season in the Eurocup,” said Colombo.

“Their cars were among my strongest opponents last year, and I’m sure they will shine with the new car for the series. Working with them in Abu Dhabi during the GP3 test confirmed I was right about my choice, and I’m sure that MP Motorsport were pleased about my performance and working method. I’m glad to have a competitive teammate like Victor because I battled a lot with him last year. I’m physically and mentally ready to give the maximum for next season”, added Colombo.

The team is also excited about the arrival of Colombo. “We’re very proud that Lorenzo has decided to join MP’s 2019 Eurocup challenge. Last year in the Eurocup, Lorenzo was always a threat to the established frontrunners, and his two pole positions showed the speed that he is capable of. I’m sure that he will use his first-year experience to regularly challenge for wins this year”, explained team MP manager Sander Dorsman.

L'entrada MP Motorsport signs Lorenzo Colombo to race in Formula Renault Eurocup ha aparegut primer a FormulaRapida.net.