Alex Palou will be starting only his second season of single-seater racing in 2015, and will be racing in the competitive GP3 Series with Campos Racing.
Moving up from the EuroFormula Open championship where he won three times in 2014, eighteen-year-old Spaniard Palou remains with the team that gave him his debut for a crack at the GP3 Series. He has already shown good speed, topping one of the test days at the recent Valencia test, and could be one to watch this season.
Talking to The Checkered Flag ahead of the first race weekend of the season at the Circuit de Catalunya in his homeland, Palou revealed he started competing in go-karts with no expectation of having a career in motorsport, and is delighted to have performed as well as he has so far.
Alex Palou has shown well during testing (Credit: Sam Bloxham/GP3 Series Media Service)
“Well I started when I was five years old,” revealed Palou. “For my 5th birthday my family gave me an old go-kart. Then we started to go karting every weekend like a hobby, and now here I am!
“I started in this sport without ambitions, without knowing that one day I could drive in a go-kart race and much less in a single-seater race.
“I also have the luck that all my family support me and helps me when I need it. They give me the force that I need every train or race. In terms of results I would say that I’m more than happy to have all that results in go-karts, and now we need to try it in single-seaters!”
After competing for Campos Racing in EuroFormula Open in 2014, Palou remains with the Spanish team for 2015 and the team’s first venture into the GP3 Series. He feels comfortable with the team, and is confident of achieving good things together.
”As last year, thanks to Campos Racing especially Adrian Campos and Circuit de Barcelona/Catalunya, they give me the car to compete in GP3 Series,” said Palou. “They are confident with me and I’ll work to keep the same relationship.
“Campos Racing is more than a team. I feel like if they are my second family, because we really work like a family. To work with them is very comfortable I hope that we can keep our relationship like this!”
Alex Palou is hoping for a strong 2015 season (Credit: Sam Bloxham/GP3 Series Media Service)
His EuroFormula Open career began in the best possible way last year, with a victory in the season opener at the Nurburgring, with the Spaniard finishing third in the championship, but he knows 2015 will be more difficult in GP3.
”2014 was a very good first year for us in single-seaters,” said Palou. “I know that this season will be more difficult, because there is more level in GP3 and the car is new for me and for the team.
“But anyway, after the test in Estoril I know that it will be a very challenging and exciting season!”
Looking ahead to the season, Palou is hoping for a strong second season in single seaters, and is excited to be racing on the same track as both Formula 1 and GP2. He knows the level of drivers this season will be higher than he’s experienced before, but is hopeful 2015 is good for him so his career can continue.
“I’m looking to have a good season,” insisted Palou. “I’m excited to compete the same weekend as GP2 and Formula 1. That means that all the Formula 1 fans, will be there when I will be on track so that’s very, very exciting! And of course to drive a car with 400hp it’s always amazing!
“My expectation for this season is to have a great year. I know 2015 will be hard and exciting at the same time. We all had seen that there are many talented drivers in GP3 this year, but anyway the important thing is to be consistent and to score as many points as possible!
“This is the most important season, as last year and as all the years. Always the current season is the most important for me. My only chance to keep racing is to keep having results every year.”
