British team Andy Welch Racing is to compete from the 2011 season onwards in the Formula Abarth category.
The team, run by highly-respected engineer Andy Welch, plans to contest the seven-round European Series with at least two cars. AWR also plans to compete in the Formula Abarth GB Championship, which was confirmed at the Abarth Race Days at Varano last Friday. The team, which is based in Kent, is ready to test drivers immediately.
Formula Abarth was introduced in Italy in 2010. It expands for 2011 to include the inaugural European Series, which will be associated with the most famous Formula 1 team of all via sponsorship from the Ferrari Driver Academy. As a junior formula, it is ideally placed to train drivers from karting or beginner categories to prepare them for Formula 3 or GP3.
The carbon-composite monocoque chassis are constructed by Tatuus, which produced all Formula Renault cars from 2000-09 and Formula Master from 2007-09. Welch engineered drivers to race and championship victories in both of these categories.
AWR will enjoy a cooperation with Swiss team Jenzer Motorsport, with which Welch engineered in Formula Renault and Formula Master. Jenzer ran four of the top 10 drivers in this year’s inaugural Italian Formula Abarth Championship.
“I know people who have run cars in Formula Abarth this year, and it has been a great success, as a competitive training formula without reliability issues,” said Welch.
“I have great faith in the products of Tatuus, and Formula Abarth’s opportunities for testing mean that the category is the ideal series for young drivers based in the UK to learn their trade in a highly-competitive environment, on some of Europe’s best circuits.”
STRUCTURE OF FORMULA ABARTH
The Formula Abarth European Series will consist of seven double-header race events in 2011, competing at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, Hockenheim in Germany, Monza, Mugello and Misano in Italy, the Red Bull Ring (formerly A1-Ring) in Austria, and the Ricardo Tormo Valencia circuit in Spain.
Although details have yet to emerge about Formula Abarth GB, it is anticipated that races will run alongside the British Formula 3 InternationalSeries.
ANDY WELCH IN MOTORSPORT
After competing in Formula Ford 1600, Andy set up Andy Welch Racing. The team found most success in the British Formula Ford Championship Zetec era, running many drivers including Mario Haberfeld, Michael Vergers, Darren Malkin, Dan Wheldon, Fairuz Fauzy and Danica Patrick.
Since 2001, Welch has worked in the European, Italian, German and North European Cup Formula Renault championships with highly-successful Swiss team Jenzer Motorsport, and in UK and FranAm North American Formula Renault championships with Team Firstair and John Village Automotive. He also engineered at Jenzer Motorsport’s Formula Master team.
