Delétraz joins Carlin for GP2 Series finale

Carlin is pleased to welcome Louis Delétraz to the team for the final race of the 2016 GP2 Series at Abu Dhabi. Delétraz has been competing in the Formula V8 3.5 Series for the season and came away from the final round of the year in Barcelona impressively as Vice Champion after a strong rookie campaign. The Swiss racer has already had Championship winning success in Formula Renault 2.0 NEC and joins the team for what is likely to be a thrilling conclusion to the GP2 Series.

19 year old Delétraz, a Renault Sport Academy driver, has spent the 2016 season racing hard in the Formula V8 3.5 Championship with race winning success – taking two strong victories, including the season opener at Motorland, and a total of nine podiums. Delétraz was a championship contender throughout his rookie season and at the final round took the Vice Champion slot as the title fight went down to the wire. His strong 2016 campaign follows on from the previous season when he clinched the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC title with an incredible tally of nine wins.

The GP2 Series finale in Abu Dhabi will provide a new challenge for the Swiss racer who has never driven GP2 machinery before, raced at the Yas Marina circuit or experienced the Pirelli tyres – the weekend will no doubt be one of learning for Delétraz as he joins Carlin alongside experienced racer Sergio Canamasas at a venue known to draw a fantastic atmosphere.

Delétraz said of the upcoming race, “GP2 is the championship that I want to race in next season so it’s great that I have the opportunity to contest the final race of the season with Carlin. They are a very experienced team and have been successful in GP2 after finishing second in the 2014 championship. That’s something that will benefit me as I start to learn about a completely new racing formula.

“It’s going to be a big challenge at Yas Marina because I have no previous GP2 experience. I’ll be learning a new car, a different kind of tyre, a new track and working with a new team. I’m definitely excited by the opportunity to make my GP2 debut and test myself in a new category. It will be interesting to see what the performance is like in Abu Dhabi.”

Racing director Trevor Carlin said, “We’re pleased to have Louis on board for the final round of the season at Abu Dhabi. We’ve watched Louis over the course of the season and he has impressed us with his ability to be challenging for the Formula V8 3.5 title in only his rookie season. Abu Dhabi will be a learning curve for him and no doubt he will take on a lot from the experience of racing in the GP2 car but we’re excited to have him in the cockpit and look forward to working with him in Abu Dhabi.”

Delétraz will be out on track in Abu Dhabi in the final weekend of November with Carlin as the GP2 Series draws to a conclusion.