New Generation GP3 Car Announced For 2013 Onwards

Plans have been announced today for a new generation GP3 car, which will make its debut next season and will run until 2015. The new GP3/13 car, which will replace the current GP3/10 car, will be faster and more powerful yet will still remain within todays costs and budget.

After the series inaugural season in 2010, the likes of Esteban Gutierrez and Valtteri Bottas have been crowned Champions and have both progressed to GP2 and Formula 1 respectively. Esteban Gutierrez is now competitively racing for Lotus in the GP2 Series, alongside fellow GP3 graduate James Calado. Valtteri Bottas is now the Williams F1 reserve driver, and has taken part in numerous Friday practice sessions alongside Spanish Grand Prix winner Pastor Maldonado. With these facts, it’s undeniably clear that GP3 is paving the way for future World Champions in Formula 1.

The new GP3/13 car will feature several modifications in its design, with a new nose, sidepods and engine cover. However, the car will still retain the same level of downforce as it’s predecessor. The shakedown of the new car will take place early this summer, before the grand unveiling takes place at the legendary Autodromo Nazionale Monza during the Formula 1 race weekend (where GP2 and GP3 will both be supporting events).

“When we started to think about our next generation car, we based our design on what has made the Series a success since its inception which was a low cost machine that best prepared the drivers for GP2 with a high level of downforce and the same kind of tyres as GP2 and F1, but we also added two major parameters: we want our car to be more powerful and more selective in order to make it an even better learning tool for young drivers who wish to graduate to GP2 and then to F1.” Explained GP3 Series CEO, Bruno Michel.

“To achieve this, we have thus opted for a naturally aspirated 400hp engine which will make the drivers gain 3 to 4 seconds per lap on average, but we have also decided to redesign part of the car such as the nose, the sidepods and the engine cover, of course. We will also focus on working a lot with Pirelli in order to make the GP3 tyres closer to the ones used in GP2 and in F1.

“The costs will be quite similar to the ones today, but this new car will be much more selective and powerful.” Continued Bruno Michel, “The modifications on the car will be implemented in the form of an upgrade kit in order to save the teams from purchasing a brand new chassis, thus being cost effective.”

A total of 9 teams will granted an entry slot for the next three seasons in GP3, the same amount as the current season. A maximum of 27 cars will be permitted, and the entry process is now open. With GP3 being a highly entertaining and unpredictable series, the action looks set to continue for years to come as the next generation of F1 World Champions are born.

Picture Copyright © Drew Gibson/GP3 Media Service 

Ocean Racing Technology Enters GP3 Series

It has been announced today that Portuguese team Ocean Racing Technology have entered the GP3 Series, taking over from Tech 1 Racing. This comes after they formed an agreement with Tech 1 Racing, allowing them to enter the GP3 Series as well as racing in GP2.

Ocean Racing Technology have been involved with GP2 since 2009, with drivers’ Karun Chandhok and Alvaro Parente and have enjoyed relative success. Since then they have only won two races, courtesy of Alvaro Parente and Fabio Leimer.

Tech 1 Racing have been involved with GP3 since the inaugural season, back in 2010. They have never won a race before, and have had 9 different drivers’ in a very short space of time, including Formula 1 rookie Jean-Eric Vergne.

“We are very happy to welcome Ocean Racing Technology to GP3.” Said GP3 Series CEO Bruno Michel, “They become the fifth team involved in both of our Series along with Lotus GP, Arden Motorsport, Carlin and more recently Trident Racing. It is a great opportunity for the Portuguese Ocean’s team. This new season is set to be another thrilling one.”

Ocean Racing Technology will make their first GP3 track appearance of 2012 next week, at an official pre-season test in Barcelona.

Picture Copyright © Daniel Kalisz/GP2 Series Media Service 

Venezuela GP Lazarus Allocated Entry For GP2 Series

With Super Nova Racing leaving a vacancy on the 2012 GP2 grid, the place has been allocated to new team Venezuela GP Lazarus, who have become the fourth Italian team on the 2012 GP2 grid. 

The team was founded by Tancredi Pagiaro in 2009, with the team entering the EuroSeries 3000 Championship the same year. The following season, Team Lazarus entered the new Auto GP Championship with a single car. At the season opening race at Brno (Czech Republic), the team picked up a podium finish with 3rd place.

“We are pleased to welcome Venezuela GP Lazarus to [the] GP2 Series.” Said GP2 Series CEO, Bruno Michel, “They are a great addition to our competitive field of thirteen teams. Tancredi Pagiaro and most of his staff have been involved in GP2 in the past years and I am sure they will be able to be on pace very quickly.”

“We are very excited to be part of GP2 and I would like to thank the organizers for giving us this entry.” Commented Team Principal, Tancredi Pagiaro, “This Series is the most prestigious and competitive category after F1. I am proud that we have reached such an important agreement with the Venezuelan sponsors. With their help, we have been able to enter the prestigious GP2 Series. We know this will be a big challenge but we are ready for it and cannot wait to get started.”

Venezuela already have a huge involvement in Formula 1 after petroleum company, PDVSA, paid the Williams F1 team £29.4 million for pay driver Pastor Maldonado.

Picture Copyright © GP2 Series