Petroball Racing has confirmed their first driver for the BRDC Formula 4 Championship as Gaetano di Mauro. The 17-year-old Brazilian makes his single seater and European debut with the team when the season gets underway at Silverstone in April. Gaetano has twice claimed the Brazilian championship in Shifter Karts and took the Sprint Race prototype series in Brazil alongside Guilherme Salas last year.
December 2013 saw di Mauro in action in the 500 Mihas de Beto Carrero, sharing a Kart with Rubens Barrichello, Tony Kanaan and Felipe Giaffone. Barrichello also serves as advisor to the young Brazilian hope and may attend rounds of the BRDC championship which do not clash with his own commitments to F1 commentary and Brazilian Stock Cars.
di Mauro was delighted to sign for Petroball Racing, saying “I am still dreaming about it all. Everything moved very fast in 2013, winning kart and car championships and winning the race with Rubens Barrichello. 2014 has started in the same way, signing with Petroball Racing to race in the fantastic BRDC F4 series in the UK. I could not be happier and am looking forward to repaying the faith they have in me.”
Team Principal, Jose Roberto Sabathe added, “We are very happy to have signed Gaetano di Mauro to be our first driver in the 2014 BRDC F4 Championship. As we follow the same philosophy of the series, it is important to give opportunities to new young Brazilian talents.”
Sabathe also hinted that their second driver announcement could come next week and will likely be a driver from the USA rather than a South American racer.
The team meanwhile have continued to set up their UK based operation, moving into premises in Milton Keynes and acquiring a property for their drivers. The team have also now taken delivery of two brand new MSV F4-013s at Bedford Autodrome and will be at the MSV media day at Brands Hatch tomorrow.