Prema_Racing

Prema Racing

Prema Racing

Motorsport team from Italy


Prema Racing (also competing as Prema Powerteam until 2022 and as Prema Orlen Team in the FIA World Endurance Championship) is a motorsport team from Italy. It operates in the FIA Formula 2 Championship and FIA Formula 3 Championship as well as various junior championships. In 2022 the team made its FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series entries, beginning the efforts in the endurance racing. The team was founded in 1983 and is located in Grisignano di Zocco, in the Veneto region. Prema has been a talent pool for several Formula 1 junior programs: from Toyota and Renault in the early days; to Alpine, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Williams in recent years. For 2023, the team will enter nine championships, fielding a total of 28 drivers. Prema is also set to participate in the IndyCar Series from 2025.

Quick Facts Founded, Founder(s) ...

History

Prema Racing started operating in 1983 and joined the Italian Formula 3 Championship the following year. National F3 would be the main proving ground for the team in the early years. Among his first famous alumni stand future Touring Car star Fabrizio Giovanardi, multiple Le Mans winner Rinaldo Capello and Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve. More Italian Formula 3 Championship titles came in 1990 with Roberto Colciago, in 1998 with Donny Crevels and in 1999 with Peter Sundberg. The team also made a one-season attempt at the International Formula 3000 Championship. [1] [2]

In 1988, the team made its first international foray at the Macau Grand Prix, a competition that would have seen it at the start for the most part of the following decades.[3]

In 2000, Prema started competing in the modern-era Formula Renault races, winning the Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup Team Championship and the Italian Formula Renault 2000 championship with Ryan Briscoe in 2001. Other notable achievements include winning the 2005 Italian Formula Renault 2000 Championship with future F1 star Kamui Kobayashi.[4][5]

In 2003, the team entered the Formula 3 Euro Series and won the inaugural edition with Ryan Briscoe. In the following years, the team struggled to achieve competitive results but rebounded by claiming the 2011 and 2012 titles with Roberto Mehri and Daniel Juncadella. The series then transitioned into the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, and Prema started almost complete domination, winning all the team titles from 2011 and 2018 and all the driver championships but one. Some of the Champions also went on to become Formula 1 drivers including Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, and Mick Schumacher. In 2011, the team claimed its first Macau Grand Prix win with Juncadella.[6][7][8][9]

In the same period, the team started expanding towards the bottom and the top of the junior single-seater ladder. Between 2006 and 2009, the team took part in the World Series Formula V8 3.5 championship with a best placing of fourth in 2008 with Miguel Molina, and also competed in the short-lived Italian and European Formula Abarth championships.

With the FIA establishing a more strictly-regulated ladder toward Formula 1, Prema progressively expanded to encompass all its steps. While staying active in European Formula 3, the team embraced Formula 4, winning the first two editions of the Italian Formula 4 Championship with Lance Stroll and Ralf Aron. It also entered the GP2 Series in 2016, finishing 1-2 at debut with Red Bull Junior driver Pierre Gasly and Antonio Giovinazzi. In 2017, as the series evolved into the FIA Formula 2 Championship, Prema dominated again with Ferrari Driver Academy's Charles Leclerc claiming seven wins and seven poles en-route to an early title. [10][11][12][13]

For 2018 FIA Formula 2 Championship campaign the team fielded experienced drivers Sean Gelael and Nyck de Vries.[14][15] In the 2018 FIA Formula 3 European Championship the team were represented by Ferrari Driver Academy members Marcus Armstrong, Robert Shwartzman and Guanyu Zhou.[16][17][18] Their 2016 F3 driver Ralf Aron returned to the F3 team, as well as Mick Schumacher who went on to win the Formula.[19][20] For their double ADAC and Italian F4 programme they signed Olli Caldwell and Ferrari Academy drivers Enzo Fittipaldi and Gianluca Petecof.[21][22][23] Red Bull Junior Jack Doohan is scheduled to race with Prema for selected round in both championships.[24]

In 2019 the team is represented in FIA Formula 2 by Sean Gelael and their FIA F3 European Champion Mick Schumacher.[25][26] Whilst the team only finished 9th in the team championship in F2, they were the champions in the inaugural F3 Championship with the drivers Robert Shwartzman, Jehan Daruvala and Marcus Armstrong. Shwartzman would also end up winning the driver's title, with Armstrong and Daruvala coming second and third respectively. Prema also competed in Italian F4 in 2019, where they came second in both championships, being beaten comprehensively by Van Amersfoort Racing and the Norwegian driver Dennis Hauger.

Mick Schumacher was retained and Shwartzman was promoted for the following F2 season.[27] Schumacher would go on to win the drivers title,[28] with Shwartzman finishing in 4th with the most wins.[29] In the 2020 F3 season, the driver line up was Logan Sargeant,[30] Prema's 2019 FREC winner Frederik Vesti,[31] and Oscar Piastri.[32] Piastri would win the drivers' championship, with Sargeant and Vesti 3rd and 4th respectively.[33] For the 2020 FREC season, Prema's line up consisted of four full time drivers; past Prema F4 drivers Oliver Rasmussen[34] and Gianluca Petecof,[35] as well as Arthur Leclerc[36] and Jamie Chadwick.[37] The season was completely dominated by the team, with Petecof, Leclerc and Rasmussen finishing in the first three positions of the drivers' championship, and as in 2020 F3 season winning the teams' championship by a more than comfortable margin.[38]

In early 2024, Prema expressed interest about joining IndyCar as early as 2025.[39] In April of that year, the team confirmed their entry into the 2025 season.[40]

Current series results

FIA Formula 2 Championship

More information Year, Chassis ...

In detail

(key)

More information Year, Drivers ...

* Season still in progress

FIA Formula 3 Championship

The Prema drivers during the FIA Formula 3 season (2021)
More information Year, Chassis ...

In detail

(key)

More information Year, Drivers ...

Formula Regional European Championship

More information Year, Car ...

In detail

(key)

More information Year, Drivers ...

* Season still in progress.

F3 Asian Championship/Formula Regional Asian Championship

More information Year, Car ...

Formula Regional Middle East Championship

More information Year, Car ...

Italian F4 Championship

More information Italian F4 Championship, Year ...

Euro 4 Championship

More information Euro 4 Championship, Year ...

Formula 4 UAE Championship

More information Year, Car ...

† Antonelli competed under the Prema Racing banner in Round 1 and under the Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema banner in Round 3.

F1 Academy

More information Year, Car ...

Formula 4 South East Asia Championship

More information Year, Car ...

24 Hours of Le Mans

Prema Orlen Team Oreca 07 during the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans
More information Year, Entrant ...

FIA World Endurance Championship

More information Year, Entrant ...

* Season still in progress

European Le Mans Series

More information Year, Entrant ...

Former series results

International Formula 3000

More information International Formula 3000, Year ...

Eurocup Formula Renault

More information Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup, Year ...

Formula 3 Euro Series

More information Formula 3 Euro Series, Year ...

Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0

More information Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, Year ...

Formula Renault 3.5 Series

Xavier Maassen driving for Prema Powerteam at the Donington Park round of the 2007 World Series by Renault season.
More information Formula Renault 3.5 Series results, Year ...

Formula Renault 2.0 Alps

More information Formula Renault 2.0 Alps, Year ...

Italian Formula Three Championship

More information Italian Formula Three Championship, Year ...

GP2 Series

More information Year, Car ...

In detail

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

More information Year, ChassisEngine Tyres ...

FIA European Formula 3 Championship

More information FIA Formula 3 European Championship, Year ...

ADAC Formula 4

More information Year, Car ...

Timeline

More information Current series, Former series ...

Notes

  1. Entered as Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema
  2. Entered as Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema
  3. Entered as Mumbai Falcons
  4. Entered as Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema
  5. Entered as Mumbai Falcons
  6. Entered as Mumbai Falcons
  7. Entered as Mumbai Falcons
  8. Italian F4 Trophy
  9. Entered as Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema
  10. Kirill Smal raced for R-ace GP for 3 races in 2020.
  11. Entered as Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema
  12. Entered as Abu Dhabi Racing
  13. Entered as Abu Dhabi Racing
  14. Entered as Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema
  15. Entered as Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema
  16. 2024

References

  1. "Alex Zanardi: il film della sua incredibile carriera". la Repubblica (in Italian). 20 October 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  2. Padin, Marcelo (17 April 2022). "Storia. Gli 11 titoli in 16 anni di Opel nella Formula 3 italiana". Electric Motor News (in Italian). Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  3. "Formula 3 Macau GP 1998 standings | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  4. "Aussie 20-year-old set for F1 trial with Toyota". Crash. 23 October 2001. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  5. "Kamui Kobayashi | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  6. Grandprix.com. "Briscoe is Euroseries Formula 3 Champion". www.grandprix.com. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  7. "Roberto Merhi takes 10th F3 Euro Series win of 2011 at Hockenheim". www.autosport.com. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  8. Foley, Mark (20 November 2011). "Juncadella Wins Thrilling Macau GP". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  9. "LANCE STROLL WINS IN FORMULA 4". TKART - News, tips, tech about karting. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  10. "Ralf Aron is the 2015 F.4 Champion". www. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  11. "Calendar & Results for the FIA Formula 2 2017 Championship: The Road to F1". FIA_F2® - The Official F2® Website. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  12. Allen, Peter (19 November 2017). "Sean Gelael seals Prema F2 seat for 2018". formulascout.com. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  13. Kalinauckas, Alex (27 November 2017). "McLaren's de Vries joins 2018 Prema F2 line-up". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  14. Simmons, Marcus (8 December 2017). "Ferrari junior Armstrong gets Prema F3 seat". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  15. Allen, Peter (19 December 2017). "Robert Shwartzman to race for Prema European F3 squad in 2018". formulascout.com. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  16. Simmons, Marcus (12 January 2018). "Zhou sticks with Prema for third F3 season". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  17. Simmons, Marcus (9 January 2018). "Aron rejoins Prema for 2018 F3 season". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  18. Simmons, Marcus (12 February 2018). "Schumacher stays in F3 as Prema expands to five cars". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  19. Waring, Bethonie (26 February 2018). "Olli Caldwell picks Prema for dual ADAC and Italian Formula 4 campaigns". formulascout.com. Formula Scout. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  20. Wood, Elliot (30 January 2018). "Enzo Fittipaldi to remain with Prema for second year in Formula 4". formulascout.com. Formula Scout. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  21. Allen, Peter (5 February 2018). "New Ferrari recruit Petecof to race in both Italian and German F4 for Prema". formulascout.com. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  22. Allen, Peter (28 November 2018). "Sean Gelael stays at Prema F2 team for 2019 alongside Mick Schumacher". formulascout.com. Formula Scout. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  23. Benyon, Jack (27 November 2018). "Schumacher joins F2 2019 grid with Prema". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  24. "FORMULA 2: F3 champion Shwartzman to partner Schumacher at Prema". formula1.com. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  25. Morlidge, Matt (6 December 2020). "Mick Schumacher wins Formula 2 title after dramatic final Sakhir race". Sky Sports. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  26. "Driver ROBERT SHWARTZMAN". Ferrari.com. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  27. Benyon, Jack (17 December 2019). "FIA F3 champion Prema makes first 2020 signing in Logan Sargeant". Autosport. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  28. Benyon, Jack (2 January 2019). "Formula Regional champion Vesti gets Prema F3 seat". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  29. Woollard, Craig (13 September 2020). "Piastri is FIA F3 champion as Lawson wins Mugello finale". Formula Scout. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  30. "Charts". www.acisport.it. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  31. "Prema considering IndyCar program". RACER. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  32. "PREMA RACING TO JOIN NTT INDYCAR SERIES IN 2025". NTT IndyCar Series. 9 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  33. WSbR complete results Archived 19 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine speedsportmag.com 29 September 2013.
More information Achievements ...

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Prema_Racing, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.