Renault Sport Academy driver Sun Yue Yang and karting graduate Clement Novalak will fill the final two spaces for the Carlin team in BRDC British F3 for 2018.
Sun, who was reported to have signed for Carlin by TCF last month was confirmed by the team this week. The Chinese driver spent 2017 in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 having made the step up from karting. After a miserable year in which he failed to score, he’ll be hoping for more success with the British series champions.
“I’m pleased to be joining Carlin and lining up on the BRDC British Formula Three grid this season.” said Sun. “It’s a good championship for me to compete in and continue my career with the support of the Renault Sport Academy behind me.
“I enjoy the British F3 car and have found pre-season testing so far to be really positive so I’m really looking forward to the first round of the season next month.”
As for Novalak, his recent success in the Toyota Racing Series could have made him a realisitic championship contender. The French-born, Swiss raised driver will compete under a British flag having recently finished fifth in TRS as top rookie, beating last years British F3 runner-up James Pull.
Prior to this season, Novalak won the international karting championship; WSK Super Master Series in 2015 and 2017, and has been seen as one karting’s rising stars for a few years now. He will also make his debut in the Eurocup series with Josef Kaufmann Racing.
In an interview with Formula Scout, Novalak said; “For 2018, I’ll be doing a double program to race as much as possible in my first year [in single-seaters].
“I am happy to say I’ll be driving in both the Formula Renault Eurocup championship with Josef Kaufmann Racing and the British F3 championship with Carlin.”
Novalak, whose double campaign with Carlin and Josef Kaufmann mirrors Lando Norris in 2016, has announced he’ll prioritise Eurocup ensuring that he’ll miss the Spa-Francorchamps and Donington Park round and also mean that he’s unlikely to be a real threat for the title.
These confirmations, along with Nicolai Kjaergaard‘s signing ensure that Billy Monger, who was testing with team, will be left without a seat at Carlin. Should he mark his return to racing in British F3, he’ll have to look for another outfit.
