Renault adds F4 champion Collet to junior ranks

Collet, who turns 17 in April, contested the French F4 series in his first full season in cars last year.

Winning seven races in what was the category's first campaign under FIA's Formula 4 regulations, Volant Winfield winner Collet secured the title, which enabled him to join the ranks of the Renault Sport Academy.

Collet had previously enjoyed success in karting, his most notable achievement being third place in the KF Junior class of the world championship in 2015.

Two years after that, he joined Nicolas Todt's All Road Management stable, which also includes 11-time F1 grand prix winner Felipe Massa and new Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc.

“I’m very happy to join the Renault Sport Academy. I knew as part of the prize for winning French Formula 4 there would be the opportunity to join the programme so that was a huge motivation last season,” Collet explained.

Collet will now race in Renault's revamped Eurocup series, which will run to the new regional F3 specs introduced by the FIA.

The Brazilian will drive for French outfit R-ace GP, which took Max Fewtrell - another Renault junior – to the title in the Eurocup last year.

“The hunger will only grow from here because I want to show Renault that I’m deserving of a place in the Academy and that will mean having a successful season on track in the Formula Renault Eurocup,” Collet continued.

“I will be working really hard to meet my targets and I can’t wait to work with Renault and use all their support.”

Renault announced ex-Ferrari junior Guan Yu Zhou as a new test and development driver for its F1 squad earlier on Tuesday, and is expected to unveil the rest of its junior roster for 2019 shortly.

Caio Collet

Photo by: FFSA