Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA
Breaking news

Indian MSport team joins Asian F3 series

Indian racing team MSport will contest the FIA F3 Asian Championship in 2018, it has been announced.

Meco motorsport garage

Meco motorsport garage

JK Tyre Racing

MSport (previously Meco Motorsports) will field two cars in the newly-announced FIA-certified series, which aims to bridge the gap between regional F4 series and the planned International F3 championship.

One yet-to-be announced driver has already been signed, while negotiations for the team’s second driver are currently in progress.

Renowned Indian sportscar driver Armaan Ebrahim will effectively serve as the team principal, having personally come up with the idea of taking the MSport team to an international level.

“Last year they announced that they are starting a Formula 3 championship in Asia and I saw that there was an opening here and a good opportunity to get involved,” Ebrahim told Motorsport.com.

“So over a race weekend I spoke to my father [Akbar] and an engineer. I’ve worked with him the past. he’s been around and he’s one one of the top engineers in Asia in formula cars, GTs and sportscars.

“And basically I want to promote Indian drivers and also Asian drivers who are trying to make a career. That’s how we started off. Now comes the crunch time.”

He added: “I will be running the team. On the technical side the team will be looked after by an engineer called Patrick Roberts, who has a long history in India and who has engineered me quite a lot in Europe. Over the last 10 years he’s been with Asia’s leading teams and they’ve won a lot of championships.

“I think we’ve got a good base to start off with. We’ve got a good setup technically. And on the driving side as well. Looking forward to get the year. We are not there to make numbers. We want to make an impression in the first year.”

Boost for Asian drivers

Asia has seen tremendous growth in regional series in recent years, with the FIA F3 Asia following the likes of Blancpain GT Asia, FIA F4 South East Asia and F4 UAE.

F3 Asia is also FIA’s latest step to streamline the junior motorsport ladder, providing a seamless path for drivers around the world to progress from grassroot racing to Formula 1.

“In Asia over the past three years, there has been the FIA F4 which i’ve been an official driver coach for,” he said.

“Then apart from it there is the Formula Masters Series, there’s Formula Renault in China and also some Japanese series. The FIA is trying to form a structure with the F4, F3, then you go to Europe, then you have F2.

“So they are trying to make it a little more streamlined for the youngsters so they are not confused on which direction to go, what championship to do. There is a numeric system with the ladder that is actually there for drivers than want to pursue in single-seaters.”

MSport is one of India’s top domestic racing teams, and currently competes in the National Karting Championship as well as the LGB class of JK Tyre Racing Championship.

It will take part in its first Asian F3 race when the series's first season kicks off in July at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit.

 

Asia F3
Asia F3

Photo by: FIA

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Volkswagen to cease F3 engine supply after 2018
Next article Renault plans to replace Eurocup with new F3 series

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA