Puerto Rican racer Felix Serralles will compete in the 2012 Cooper Tyres International British Formula 3 Series with the Fortec Motorsport team, it was announced this morning.
The 19 year-old joins Brazi’s Pipo Derani and 2011 Formula Renault UK champion Alex Lynn as the third of Fortec’s entrants, with a fourth expected to be announced later in the month.
After finishing 3rd overall in a scholarship-awarded Skip Barber season in the United States, Serralles competed in the Formula Renault Eurocup category last year, also with Fortec, scoring regular top 10’s on his way to 12th in the overall standings.
After a strong showing in Fortec’s F3 winter testing late last year, Fortec team principle Mick Kouros was eager to sign the teenager up for 2012. “We gave Felix some runs in the F3 car towards the end of 2011 and he surprised us with his pace,” said Kouros. “We think he will take to the new car and be a key player in the team alongside Pipo and Alex.”
Seralles is equally excited, but also acknowledged the challenge of adapting to a different category and an entirely new chassis – the Dallara F312. “I am very pleased to be racing again with Fortec – I know that they will be the best team for me as I progress to Formula 3 – and very excited to be among the first drivers to try the new car from Dallara. I know that it will be hard to adapt, though, and will be giving it everything.”
