For the 2019 FIA F3 Championship, Jehan Daruvala will be racing with team Prema in an all-new, much faster F3 car. The new F3 car is faster than the previous formula car driven by Jehan during his 2017-18 season.
The F3 car will be built on an all-new Dallara chassis and will be powered by a 3400cc which is a direct-injected and turbocharged, V6 motor that makes close to 700bhp. With the new chassis and engine upgrade, the F3 racecar will be capable of achieving a top speed of 300kmph. To enhance driver protection, it wll also feature a halo which was introduced in F1 earlier this year. The new F3 car will also feature DRS (Drag Reduction System) & Virtual Safety Car seen on F1 cars. Pirelli will be the official one make, tyre supplier for all 30 cars on the grid.
“The new F3 series is going to be very exciting and a different experience for me. Driving on an F1 weekend, on Pirelli tyres and an expected grid of 30 drivers, is going to be fun and challenging. I am extremely excited and proud to begin this journey with Prema and I am confident that we can achieve great results together. I would like to thank Prema for having the confidence in me and giving me the opportunity to be a part of this successful team.“ said Jehan.
20-year old Jehan tested the new GP3 car at the Yas Marina F1 circuit. During the three days of testing, he managed to post the fastest time in four sessions and clocked the second best time during the remaining two sessions. He has now signed up with Prema Racing, which is one of the most successful Junior Racing teams which has won six drivers and team titles. F1 racers such as Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll, Antonio Giovinazzi have all raced with Prema on their way to F1.
“Jehan is definitely a promising prospect. We have known and respected each other for a while now and we are appy that all the dots finally connected to start what we expect to be a great relationship. He always impressed when he had the right chance in the past, and our goal will be to put him in the right position to express his full potential. We are confident that he will make great progress while providing us with valuable insight heading into the challenging season ahead.” said René Rosin, Team Principal, Prema Racing
The 8 Round (16 Races) FIA F3 Championship kicks off on May 10, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain, when the F1 Championship begins its European races.