German outfit Ma-Con Motorsport has announced a surprise return to the FIA European Formula 3 Championship after a four-year absence, and will field ADAC Formula 4 race winner Julian Hanses.
In what is likely to be just a one-car effort in 2018, Ma-Con return to the top level of European Formula 3 racing for the first time since 2013, and have previous run the likes of Sven Muller, Stefano Coletti, Tom Blomqvist and Emil Bernstorff in F3 machinery.
Ma-Con are set to resume their engine partnership with Volkswagen, who partnered the German team in 2012 and 2013, with team boss Otto Schwadtke delighted to be returning to the category this season.
“We are looking forward to being part of it [Euro F3] again,” said Schwadtke on the official European Formula 3 website. “I kept an eye on Julian’s performance throughout the last year and I am impressed by his way of working.
“We are certainly the underdog of all teams, but I am very confident that we will spring a surprise here and there. The whole team is highly motivated and burns for the project.”
Hanses finished eleventh in the overall standings in ADAC Formula 4 in 2017, winning the opening race at the Sachsenring in September, but admits 2018 will be tough for him, as he will need to learn about the car, tracks and series as the lone driver of the team.
“It’s a great honour for me to have the chance to compete in one of the most famous junior racing series in the world,” said Hanses. “Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher have already been racing Formula 3 successfully and paved their way for higher tasks.
“I am aware that this is not going to be an easy task – the competition is strong and many racetracks are new to me. I just can’t wait for the season to begin. Currently the team and I are working flat out on our preparations for my Formula 3 debut and I will be happy when we finally will go out for the first tests.”
