FR Italy champ Pal Varhaug to join Formula Master

VARHAUG GRADUATES TO JENZER MOTORSPORT'S TOP FORMULA MASTER SQUAD

2008 Formula Renault Italy Champion Pal Varhaug will graduate to Formula Master this season to partner Fabio Leimer in the Jenzer Motorsport team.

Varhaug, from Norway, has been racing with the team for the past two years in the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup, NEC, Italy and Suisse series. The 18-year-old claimed the runner-up title in the Formula Renault 2.0 Suisse series in 2007, before becoming the 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 Italy Champion.

"It was important for me to come to Formula Master because the Series is in such good shape," said Varhaug. "Their TV coverage is really important, especially with the current situation, and I really liked the car when I tested it last year; it fitted me very well.

"The competition will be hard though, I know my team-mate Fabio and he's very good. But I'm glad I'll be in the same team as him so that I can learn from him."

After two years of working together, Jenzer Motorsport Team Principal Andreas Jenzer knows Varhaug's strengths well and is looking forward to having him drive in Formula Master:

"This Series is the perfect next step for Pal, after doing so well in national series over the past two years," said Jenzer. "After winning the Italian championship last year, he had to move up and he made the decision to race in Formula Master and stay with us. We think he will do well alongside Fabio and look forward to some good results for him this season; we expect to be quite strong with this line-up this year."

Varhaug's Formula Master racing debut will take place on 16-17 May on the street circuit of Pau in France.

-credit: formulamaster.net.