New Generation GP3 Car Unveiled In Monza

The new generation GP3/13 car has been unveiled to the media at Monza, ahead of this weekends season finale around the legendary Italian circuit. Inaugural Series Champion Esteban Gutierrez was joined by GP3’s Technical Director Didier Perrin, as they revealed the new car which will be used from next season onwards.

The new car features a whole host of new upgrades, including a new naturally aspirated 400hp engine in comparison to the current 280hp engine. Due to this leap in power, it is expected the car will be around three seconds faster than the current generation car. The GP3/13 also features a new nose, side pods and engine cover. These upgrades combined are expected to close the gap between GP3 and GP2, and therefore offer up-and-coming drivers with a more reasonablestep further up the motor sport ladder.

Esteban Gutierrez and Didier Perrin unveil the new generation GP3/13 car.

“I am very proud of this new generation car.” Explained GP3 Series CEO, Bruno Michel. “Our main objective was to make sure that GP3 remains the best way to prepare young drivers for the next steps, GP2 and F1, which is why we designed a more powerful and more selective car that – among other things reduces, the gap between GP3 and GP2. The teams will not have to buy a new car. We will provide them with a development kit. It was quite a challenge seeing how the aerodynamics and the engine are different. And speaking of the engine, we go from 280 to 400hp for the same price. Now, it all boils down to selecting the nine teams for the next three seasons with at least two cars per team, three maximum so we will have a top figure of twenty-seven cars on the grid. We will announce the teams entry list soon. We will keep a calendar of eight race events in 2013. Racing on the same European F1 tracks and on a car that will prepare them best for GP2 before, hopefully, going further. More than ever before, GP3 is the best logical stepping stone for drivers whose ambition is to move to F1.”

This weekend sees the 2012 GP3 Series season come to a conclusion, as Mitch Evans, Aaro Vainio and Antonio Felix da Costa battle for the Championship title. Former Champions Esteban Gutierrez and Valtteri Bottas have both progressed up the ladder, now respectively racing in GP2 and Formula 1 as a reserve driver. The prize for the eventual Champion is mouthwatering, and will make this weekend’s final two races unmissable as the stars of the future are pitched against each other for GP3 supremacy.

Picture(s) Copyright © Daniel Kalisz/GP3 Series Media Service