BF3

Volkswagen 2010 season preview

Volkswagen in Formula 3 High-calibre Formula 3 drivers "powered by Volkswagen" Wolfsburg (11 February 2010). Volkswagen will start into the 2010 Formula 3 season with a high-calibre driver line-up. Macau Grand Prix winner Edoardo Mortara ...

Published: Feb 12, 2010, 5:16 PM

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Volkswagen in Formula 3

High-calibre Formula 3 drivers "powered by Volkswagen"

Wolfsburg (11 February 2010). Volkswagen will start into the 2010 Formula 3 season with a high-calibre driver line-up. Macau Grand Prix winner Edoardo Mortara (Italy), last year's runner-up in the ATS Formula 3 Cup Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and the 2009 champion of the ADAC Formula Masters Daniel Abt (Germany) are heading the squad of the Wolfsburg-based automobile manufacturer who will again have commitments in the three most prestigious European Formula 3 series: the Formula 3 Euro Series, the ATS Formula 3 Cup and the British Formula 3 Championship. Volkswagen will supply a total of seven teams with two-litre four-cylinder engines delivering an approximate power output of 210 hp.

"In 2010 we've got an interesting mix of hungry youngsters, promising talent and experienced racers among our ranks. The line-up promises to make for a thrilling season in which the drivers 'powered by Volkswagen' want to fight for the title again in all three racing series," says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "Last year's performances when our drivers became the respective champions in Germany and Great Britain and clinched a one-two win in the legendary Grand Prix at Macau have got to be the benchmark."

Formula 3 Euro Series: experience paired with ambition

In the Formula 3 Euro Series Volkswagen will be represented by the French Signature team and by the German Motopark Academy squad that has now joined the ranks of the Volkswagen teams as well. Mortara, who won the world's most important Formula 3 race - the Macau Grand Prix - at the end of 2009, and Signature are a team that is accustomed to working with each other. In 2008, the Italian finished the Euro Series as the runner-up with the seasoned squad of Philippe Sinault. His team-mates have Formula 3 experience as well: 18-year-old Laurens Vanthoor - last year's commanding champion of the ATS Formula 3 Cup thanks to Volkswagen Power - and Marco Wittmann, who is currently the only German racer in the Formula 3 Euro Series. The up-and-coming Motopark Academy team headed by Timo Rumpfkeil on the other hand will contest the Europe-wide championship with three Formula 3 rookies: The Portuguese Antonio Felix da Costa won the 2009 Formula Renault NEC, the Briton Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and Matias Laine from Finland are moving up from the junior class too.

ATS Formula 3 Cup: title defence project against strong rivals

For the Van Amersfoort Racing team, the ATS Formula 3 Cup will be marked by the "title defence" project. Team principal Frits van Amersfoort is banking on last year's "vice-champion" Stef Dusseldorp, 17-year-old Daniel Abt and Willi Steindl from Austria in this endeavour. But the three will be facing strong competition from their own ranks: the British-Swedish Performance Racing team of Bobby Issazadhe "powered by Volkswagen" will contest the series with the champion of the Asian Formula Renault, Alon Day from Israel, and the Swedish Formula Renault champion Felix Rosenqvist. In addition, there will be two other teams - Motopark Academy and HS Technik - competing in the cup with Volkswagen engines this season. The squad from Oschersleben is placing its trust in the Dane Kevin Magnussen, the son of former Formula 1 driver Jan Magnussen, Luis Derani (Brazil), Jimmy Eriksson (Sweden) and Rene Binder (Austria). The Austrian HS Technik team and its team principal Michael Hascic are planning to field three vehicles in Germany's top-ranking Formula series.

British Formula 3 Championship: Carlin starts as champion, T-Sport with Brundle

In the British Formula 3 Championship Carlin Motorsport will enter four Dallara-Volkswagen cars. Trevor Carlin's team won the 2009 championship in the United Kingdom with Red Bull Formula 1 reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo and aims to repeat its title win with Jean-Eric Vergne from France and the Britons James Calado and Rupert Svendsen-Cook. A fourth cockpit is still available. Team T-Sport headed by Russell Eacott will enter two vehicles "powered by Volkswagen". One of the drivers is Alex Brundle, the son of Martin Brundle. "Generations of drivers have benefited from competing in British F3, including myself with Volkswagen power. I like the attitude and approach of the T-Sport team and I'm confident about Alex's rookie F3 season," says the former Formula 1 driver and Le Mans winner. In addition, the group of Volkswagen squads in Great Britain has been joined by Hitech Racing with team boss David Hayle who plans to field three cars with Volkswagen Power.

-source: vw

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