WSR: Pons Racing sign Zampieri

Pons Racing has confirmed the signing of Daniel Zampieri for the 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 Series.

The reigning Italian F3 champion, who is part of Ferrari’s Driver Academy, impressed the Spanish outfit, owned by two-time World 250cc Motorbike champion Sito Pons, at the recent World Series by Renault group test in Barcelona. He has now confirmed a full-season deal with the squad, which won four races with Marcos Martinez last season.

"I am very pleased to sign with such a leading team in World Series as Pons Racing," said Zampieri. "The fact that there is a double world champion in the team guarantees that things are done well.

"Together with it being my first year in such a competitive category, means that I really want to demonstrate the potential that I know have, and in this way repay and thank all the support of my sponsors, my family, my team and the Ferrari Driver Academy."

Zampieri tested with Ferrari in December’s F1 Young Driver Test Days at Jerez as part of his prize for winning the Italian F3 Championship in 2009. He immediately impressed the team and was signed to its Driver Academy programme.

"In the test that we organised in Jerez, Daniel was one of the fastest, showing strong talent and promise that we think is necessary to investigate in more depth,” said Ferrari Driver Academy manager Luca Baldisserri.

"Now that he is part of the Academy, we have a mutual objective to learn as much as possible in order to compete with success and so that Daniel can grow like a true professional driver. For this purpose we elected to enter him in Word Series by Renault 3.5, and I expect to see him to succeed with Pons Racing."

Watch the World Series by Renault on Motors TV (Sky Channel 413, Virgin Media 545) in 2010.


Andy Wilkinson