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Wednesday, 13 May 2009 02:30 |
 This weekend the Formula 3 Euro Series is going to kick-off its seventh season, with the 2009 entry list comprising a total of 28 drivers.
Every young gun on the grid has the same goal, to follow in the footsteps of 2005 champion Lewis Hamilton or the runner up of the 2006 season, Sebastian Vettel, and to also cause a stir in Formula 1.
One driver already is a step ahead of his rivals on the way to doing so, Red Bull protégé Brendon Hartley (Carlin Motorsport). In addition to contesting the 2009 Formula 3 Euro Series, the New Zealander also was signed as test and reserve driver for the two Formula 1 teams Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso.
Once again, the Formula 3 Euro Series grid features an international mix. Altogether, the Formula 3 paddock will be decorated by 16 different national flags, with the French faction comprising of four drivers, Jules Bianchi (ART Grand Prix), Jean-Karl Vernay (Signature) and Adrien Tambay (ART Grand Prix) and Alexandre Marsoin (SG Formula), being the biggest on the grid.
Three other countries are represented by three drivers each. Germany with Christian Vietoris, Marco Wittmann (both Mücke Motorsport) and Kevin Mirocha (HBR Motorsport), Finland with Valtteri Bottas (ART Grand Prix), Red Bull’s Mika Mäki (Signature) and Atte Mustonen (Motopark Academy) as well as Brazil that will be represented by César Ramos, Pedro Henrique (both Manor Motorsport) and Tiago Geronimi (Signature).
Bianchi finished third in the 2008 season and now starts his second Formula 3 Euro Series attempt. Mäki, Vietoris and Vernay also made it to the top ten in the 2008 season and want to battle it out for the title, this year.
There are some newcomers who succeeded in proving their skills, even before advancing to the Euro Series.
Bottas won the Formula Renault 2.0 Europcup and Formula Renault 2.0 NECC titles last year, and Esteban Gutierrez (ART Grand Prix) prevailed in the 2008 Formula BMW Europe, while Carlo van Dam is going to contest his first full Formula 3 Euro Series season as Japanese Formula 3 Champion.
There are two additional teams that are going to make their Formula 3 Euro Series debuts, at Hockenheim.
The Motopark Academy squad headed by Team Principal Timo Rumpfkeil, which has won several Formula Renault titles and wants to establish itself as a competitive force in the Euro Series. The team’s two Dallara-Mercedes single-seaters will be raced by Atte Mustonen und Christopher Zanella.
Kolles & Heinz Union is the result of the partnership of Dr. Colin Kolles and Werner Heinz, both of whom are well known in motor racing circles. They will be entering two Dallara-Volkswagen cars for Carlo Van Dam and Red Bull driver Robert Wickens.
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