2 février 2015
Ten drivers already confirmed for the 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 Series season
With a few weeks still to go before the first testing sessions of the 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 Series season, to be held at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain on 5-6 March, ten drivers have already confirmed they will be lining up on the grid for the year ahead.
Four of them competed in last year’s championship, with Beitske Visser turning out for AVF once more and Oliver Rowland, Pietro Fantin and Oscar Tunjo also sticking with the same teams : Fortec Motorsports, International Draco Racing and Pons Racing respectively.
In taking the 2014 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 title, Nyck de Vries picked up a €500,000 grant from Renault Sport Technologies to help him make the step up in class. This year the Dutchman will be driving for reigning Formula Renault 3.5 Series team champions DAMS.
Facing him will be a clutch of old rivals, with Egor Orudzhev racing for Arden Motorsport, Gustav Malja joining Strakka Racing and Aurelien Panis teaming up with Tech 1 Racing.
The two remaining drivers will both be stepping out for Carlin, who are making their return this year. A veteran of the 2005 and 2006 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 campaigns, Tom Dillmann will be making his Formula Renault 3.5 debut, while Sean Gelael of Indonesia has signed up for his first taste of the Renault-powered car.
The car number allocations for the 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 season are as follows :
1-2 : DAMS
3-4 : Fortec Motorsports
5-6 : Arden Motorsport
7-8 : Zeta Corse
9-10 : Lotus
11-12 : Strakka Racing
15-16 : AVF
17-18 : Tech 1 Racing
19-20 : International Draco Racing
21-22 : Comtec Racing
23-24 : Pons Racing
25-26 : Carlin