The Venezuela GP Lazarus GP2 team have confirmed that American Conor Daly will contest the full season with them in 2014, alongside Frenchman Nathanael Berthon. Initially the twenty-two-year-olds deal was for just the Bahrain weekend last month, but now it has been extended to cover the whole season, starting with this weekend races in Spain.
Daly had impressed the team with his performance in Bahrain despite not scoring a point. He finished twelfth and just outside the points in the feature race on Saturday but was a retirement in the Sunday sprint race when he picked up damage when he ran over debris on track.
“We are delighted to have reached an agreement for this season with Conor Daly, a driver we have followed in recent years in GP3 and that has now thoroughly impressed when he got behind the wheel of our GP2 test in Abu Dhabi,” said Venezuela GP Lazarus’ Nicolo Gaglian. “It is a pleasure for us to be able to get on track an US driver: Conor, despite having little experience with the GP2 car, knows the circuits having raced three seasons in GP3. He’s a talented driver and we hope to reach good results together.”
Daly raced full-time for ART Grand Prix in the GP3 series in 2013, winning one race on route to third in the championship, having made a one-off appearance for Hilmer Motorsport in the GP2 series in Spain. He also contested the Indianapolis 500 for AJ Foyt Enterprises, qualifying 31st and finishing two laps behind the race winner Tony Kanaan in 22nd.
“This has been a long winter of uncertainty for me, but I am committed on my path to Formula One,” said a relieved Daly. “GP2 is where I want to be right now, and the Lazarus team really has a great group of people. We have learned a lot so far this season and have more work to do, but I will give everything to the team to help achieve a great result.”