Alex Palou has made the move into the FIA European Formula 3 Championship for the 2018 season, with the Spaniard joining Hitech Grand Prix.
Palou primarily raced in Japanese Formula 3 in 2017 but also competed in the World Series Formula V8 3.5 and FIA Formula 2 Championships, where he impressed in both, particularly with a victory in the former at the Nurburgring whilst racing for Teo Martin Motorsport.
Palou was a race winner in both the EuroFormula Open in 2014 and GP3 Series in 2015, and despite a relatively quiet second GP3 season in 2016, came back fighting with three race victories in Japan as well as five pole positions and ten podiums, but he is delighted to be back competing full-time in Europe in 2018.
“I’m super excited to compete in the FIA Formula 3 and even more excited to be joining Hitech GP,” said Palou. “I know that both, the team and I, are hungry to fight for the Championship together.
“The Winter Tests went really well and I am looking forward to racing back in Europe next year. I’d really like to thank my backers for this opportunity!”
Team Principal Oliver Oakes hopes to be able to give Palou the car to fight for the championship in 2018, feeling that the Spaniard is a ‘young, quick and competent’ driver.
“It’s great to have Alex joining the team,” said Oakes. “I have followed him over the years and he has consistently showed that he is an extremely young, quick and competent driver.
“He spent this season in Japanese F3. His one off appearances in Formula 2 in Abu Dhabi and the recent Rookie Test in Super Formula showed he has something special. We are looking forward to giving him the chance of a complete programme to mount a challenge for the FIA F3 Championship”
