Pourchaire steps up to F3 with ART Grand Prix

Theo Pourchaire will progress into the FIA Formula 3 championship in 2020 with ART Grand Prix.

The French 16-year-old stunned the Formula 4 ADAC series by winning the title as a rookie in 2019 in just his second season of single-seater racing after claiming the French F4 title in his first year.

Pourchaire, who has links to Sauber through its junior ranks, enjoyed his F3 test debut back in October in Valencia and after impressing he has been snapped up by ART Grand Prix for 2020.

“This is a new challenge for me and I’m grateful to ART Grand Prix for giving me the opportunity to race in Formula 3,” Pourchaire said. “Coming from German F4, this is a big step up, but after the tests in Valencia I feel ready to take it. We had all the possible conditions, dry, drying or wet and I felt good in all of them.

“ART Grand Prix gave me some leads to work on and I know where I can improve. I know I have a good margin of progression and that’s why my main aim will be to be better and better week in week out and to be ready to fight with the front runners by the final stages of the championship. I still have a lot to learn, but with a team such as ART Grand Prix, I think I can make it. I’m young and I want to take the time to do things right.”

Pourchaire becomes ART’s second signing in F3 for 2020 having previously secured Alexander Smolyar.