Alexander Smolyar has become the first driver confirmed to race for ART Grand Prix in the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2020.
The SMP Racing-backed eighteen-year-old makes the move up to FIA Formula 3 after finishing third in the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup championship, where he won three times and finished on the podium a further seven times racing for R-ace GP.
He won races at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza and around the streets of Monaco in the early stages of the season, but was forced to wait until the penultimate round of the year at the Hockenheimring to secure his third victory, and despite winning in Germany, he was mathematically out of contention for the championship.
The Russian tested a FIA Formula 3 car during the post-season test in Valencia with the Sauber Junior Team but makes the move to ART Grand Prix instead for his maiden campaign in the series.
“I am very happy that I will take part in the FIA Formula 3 Championship with the well-known and experienced ART Grand Prix team,” said Smolyar. “This championship will be a big challenge for me.
“I think for the first time in my life I will encounter such a serious level of competition. I will try to meet the expectations that SMP Racing and ART Grand Prix.
I’m sure that with their support and help it will be easier for me to adapt to the new championship, and I’m already looking forward to the start of pre-season testing in March.”
Smolyar becomes the third driver confirmed to race in FIA Formula 3 in 2020, with Calan Williams racing at Jenzer Motorsport and Logan Sargeant moving from Carlin to race for Prema Racing.
