Smolyar signs with ART Grand Prix for 2020 F3 campaign

Alexander Smolyar will join ART Grand Prix for his rookie campaign in the FIA Formula 3 championship in 2020.

The SMP Racing-backed driver finished third in this season’s Formula Renault Eurocup winning three races along with four additional rostrum appearances.

The 18-year-old will duly step up to F3 next year and is confident of getting up to speed in a new series with the support and experience of ART Grand Prix.

“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,” Smolyar said. “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 will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of fellow SMP Racing-backed driver Robert Shwartzman who clinched the 2019 F3 drivers’ title and has since go on to join the Formula 2 grid for 2020.

The Russian becomes the third name to officially join the 2020 F3 grid following Jenzer Motorsport’s signing of Australian Calan Williams and Prema Racing’s new recruit American Logan Sargeant.

The 2020 F3 season gets underway in Bahrain on the 20-22 March which starts a nine-round season which concludes with a home round for Smolyar at Russia’s Sochi Autodrom.