Charouz Racing System have confirmed their exciting new driver line-up for the 2020 FIA Formula 2 campaign, securing the signings of the experienced Louis Delétraz and rookie ace Pedro Piquet.
The Czech squad will return for their third consecutive season on the Road to F1 and their new duo will be bidding to add to their haul of two race wins and 10 podiums when the season kick off in Bahrain on March 20-22.
Swiss ace Delétraz will return to the team he spent 2018 with, having scored three podiums with Carlin in 2019. The 22-year-old enjoyed a productive post-season test with the Czech side in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, topping two of the three days and clinching the fastest time overall.
The 2015 Formula Renault 2.0 NEC champion is highly rated within junior formula and has previously undertaken test duties with the HAAS F1 team. Delétraz completed 113 laps for the American side in the 2018 end-of-year Pirelli tyre test in Abu Dhabi.
On returning to the team, he said: "I’m looking forward to working with the guys at Charouz again – many of whom are the same as when I drove there in 2018. I know they have good experience like me so I’m confident we can put that together and do something good in 2020. I’m focused on fighting at the front and trying to win with Charouz. I will go there and do the maximum."
Piquet joins after a positive season in F3, where he scored three podiums finishes and one race win, taking victory in Race 1 at Spa, Belgium. The Brazilian finished fifth overall with 98 points.
The 21-year-old is the son of three-time F1 World Champion, Nelson Piquet, and shone in F2 post-season testing with Charouz, where he drove F2 machinery for the first time. He finished inside the top 10 times during three of the sessions and his best lap was good enough for P8 on the overall time sheets.
Piquet said: "After two years in GP3 and F3, the time is right to take the next step in my career and I think I’m ready for the challenge that F2 will bring. I think I had some good training in the last series and that will definitely help me. I’m happy to join Charouz because they had two strong years in F2 and they have a fast car. One of the other reasons I decided to go there is because I know the engineering part of the team very well and I knew I would work with good people."
Team owner Antonin Charouz added: "We’re very happy to welcome Louis back to the team and to bring in Pedro who impressed us when we monitored his progress in F3 last season. As testing showed, I think we have a driver in Louis that is capable of winning races and we believe Pedro will learn quickly and give a good account of himself as he makes an important step in his career. We’re excited about what the new season could have in store for us."
Team Principal Bob Vavrik said: "It’s fantastic that we have been able to confirm our F2 drivers before Christmas and it was particularly useful to work with Louis and Pedro across all three days of testing in Abu Dhabi. That allowed us to focus hard on the job that lies ahead and to lay some very firm foundations on the track before pre-season testing starts next year. I hope we will realise the benefit of that when the competition starts for real."