The 22-year-old Belgian race driver Frédéric Vervisch will make his debut in the Cooper Tires presents the Formula Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda on March 20. The reigning German and Asian Formula 3 Champion joins Genoa Racing, a team with lots of experience in single seater racing, namely the Formula 3000, Indy Lights and Formula Atlantic. Last season, Genoa scored a victory with its driver and finished seventh in the standings.
Frédéric Vervisch: “My goal was to participate in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, but I was not able to find enough funding. Recently the opportunity to race in America arose. At this time, I will only take part in the opening round of the championship at Sebring. It won’t be easy, but I’m aiming for the win with Genoa Racing. Markus Niemelä, Borja Garcia and John Michael Edwards will be my main opponents. Niemelä is the reigning champion and Edwards, with whom I drove in the European Formula Renault, took the title in the Star Mazda junior series.”
A first test with his new team has already taken place. On March 11 and 12, Frédéric tested his car on Palm Beach International Raceway in Florida. On Tuesday he set the third fastest time, only a few tenths shy of the fastest time set by Garcia. Some problems on Wednesdayhowever held Frédéric from a better position.
Vervisch: “My first test in the Formula Atlantic car was very interesting. We have to change a few things before Sebring, but overall the pace was good.”
In the Cooper Tires presents the Formula Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda all drivers use the same Swift 016a chassis with a 2,3 liter Mazda engine which produces 300 horsepower (224 kW). Some of North America’s top drivers learnt the ropes in the Formula Atlantics; Gilles and Jacques Villeneuve, Patrick Carpentier, Sam Hornish and Buddy Rice. This year’s Atlantic champions will be rewarded with $1,000,000.
On March 20 things will be getting serious for Frédéric Vervisch during the opening round of the Cooper Tires presents the Formula Atlantic Championship powered by Mazda on Sebring International Raceway, where the legendary 12 Hours of Sebring will be raced that same weekend.
Career - Frédéric Vervisch
2005 World Series by Renault2006 Formula Renault 2.0 North European Cup, 9th2007 German Formula 3 Cup, 2nd(4 victories)2008 German Formula 3 Cup, 1st (7 victories)Asian Formula 3 Championship, 1st (11 victories)
