Moroccan teenager Sami Taoufik will make the leap from karting into single seaters in 2018 after joining Arden Motorsport in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 series.
The fifteen-year-old 2017 CIK-FIA European OK champion only made his single-seater debut last month but took a second and a fourth place finish at the Dubai Autodrome in the Formula 4 UAE series.
“I’m very excited to race this season with a spectacular team and strong team-mates,” said Taoufik. “After the winter test programme, I feel very comfortable in the car and ready to start preseason testing on the front foot.”
Taoufik joins Oscar Piastri and Aleksandr Vartanyan in the line-up for 2018, and Arden Motorsport Formula Renault Team Manager Ben Salter, said the teenager made a big impression on the team during testing despite having never sat in the 2.0-litre machine before.
“With the announcement of Sami, I’m pleased to confirm our 3-car line up for our second year in Eurocup,” said Salter. “Sami made a strong impression during his winter test programme, especially considering the fact that he had never driven a Eurocup car before car before.
“Sami definitely has a lot of talent, which is the most important thing, and with the support of Arden he will be able to showcase his talents on the Eurocup scene this year.”
