Facu Regalia will race in his third single-seater category of 2012 this weekend when he makes his GP3 Series debut at Silverstone.
The Argentine will drive the Jenzer Motorsport team's #22 entry, which was raced by Czech driver Jakub Klasterka in the opening two rounds at Barcelona and Monaco. Venezuelan female driver Samin Gomez drove the car at the mid-season test at Valencia, before the car was absent from the races at the Valencia Street Circuit.
Regalia, 20, is already racing in both Auto GP and the European F3 Open this season, both for the Campos Racing team. After five of seven rounds in Auto GP he lies fifth in the standings, having scored two podium finishes. He is sixth overall after three weekends of the F3 Open.
Regalia actually has plenty of experience with the GP3 car, having first tested it for Addax and Status Grand Prix at Jerez in October 2010, and then again for Status and Lotus ART at the end of 2011.
“It's a fantastic chance for us and we couldn't reject it,” said Regalia. “In 2010 and 2011 I made winter tests in Jerez and Valencia and now, finally, I am officially debuting in England.
“It's going to be a difficult debut due to a large number of reasons, mainly because this Dallara-Renault is very different from the Lola-Zytek and Dallara Toyota driven by me in the Auto GP and European F3 Open respectively.
“GP3 uses Pirelli tyres, and they will be an issue too because they aren't even similar to the Auto GP or European F3 Open ones. Last but not at least I'm competing against drivers more experienced than me with this single-seater and at Silverstone, a track where I drove for last time two years ago during my Formula BMW Europe days.
“It wouldn't be clever to aim for high goals, which would be hardly reachable. I will work as hard as possible, and I will try my best once again. Jenzer Motorsport is a well-experienced team and they won in 2010 and in 2011 too, so I hope to help and offer them good results.
“Jenzer called me for Barcelona and Monaco, but unfortunately I couldn't join them because this second round was clashing with my previous commitments in the European F3 Open. Now we have a new chance and, if everything goes OK at Silverstone, we will study to do more events in the series, depending on my meetings in the Auto GP and European F3 Open. Being sincere, I am looking forward to drive the Dallara-Renault in the free practice sessions. I'm grateful to people who made possible this new opportunity.”
Regalia joins Robert Visoiu and Valencia winner Patric Niederhauser in Jenzer's lineup.
