PREMA announce title winning duo for 2020

PREMA Racing will boast two title-winning drivers in their 2020 driver line-up, with the announcement that FIA Formula 3 Champion Robert Shwartzman will join Mick Schumacher in the Italian squad next season.

2018 European F3 champion Schumacher made his debut in the F2 Championship this season, making the step up with PREMA. The German enjoyed a successful maiden campaign and currently sits in 12th place, with 51 points on the board.

The Ferrari F1 junior enjoyed his first race win in Budapest, taking victory ahead of Nobuharu Matsushita in the Sprint, following a race-long slog with the Carlin driver.

Son of seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher, it is 20-year-old’s fifth consecutive season with the Italian side, having first linked up with them in Formula 4. He progressed with the team into European F3, where he finished 12th in his first season, before storming to the title in 2018.

He took eight victories, and a further six podiums on his way to the Championship title, earning his name as one of the most exciting young drivers on the junior circuit.

On signing a new deal, Schumacher said: “I am entering my second F2 year with very valuable lessons learned, both in the way to handle the car and tyres but also to work in a bigger team environment.

“I will certainly build up on this experience when I go into a season that I cannot wait to start. Teaming up again with PREMA seems only natural, since we work and grow together since so long now, and I can only thank them for again giving their trust in me. I’ll definitely give anything to prove them right.”

Shwartzman is another of junior formula’s most promising racers, and will provide the German with stern competition in 2020. The fellow Ferrari junior has been promoted on the back of winning the first ever F3 Championship with PREMA.

The Russian first joined PREMA in 2018 and won the European F3 rookie title in the same year that Schumacher took the crown. Joining the newly formed F3 Championship for 2019, he was utterly dominant.

Shwartzman secured three wins, two pole positions and a season high ten podiums on his way to the title, clinching the Championship in Sochi.

On moving up to F2, Shwartzman elated: “I am really happy to move up to Formula 2 as it is the final step before Formula 1 and obviously a very important one. On the other hand, I am delighted to continue my relationship with PREMA Racing.

"It will be the third consecutive year for me with the team, so we know each other well and there is great chemistry. Our goal is to win the championship as this year we showed that, even with a new car, a lot of unknowns and high-level competitors, it is possible to be at the front right away.

“I’m sure we have what it takes to do it all again in 2020. I will do my best to learn the tires and car as quickly as possible so we will be at the top of our game from the very beginning. I want to thank Ferrari, the Ferrari Driver Academy and SMP Racing for helping and supporting me. I hope to reward their continued trust with some great results.”

The announcement of Shwartzman and Schumacher completes PREMA’s full lineup for the new campaign, with a potentially lethal combination.

Team Principal Rene Roisin added: “We are delighted to announce a really competitive line-up for the 2020 FIA Formula 2 Championship. Shwartzman will move up to the series after being the class of the Formula 3 field this year. We are sure that his swift approach will enable him to gain great chemistry and results right away.

“On the other hand, Schumacher mastered a challenging rookie campaign and already scored his maiden win. On top of that, he has an outstanding potential which will definitely come to fruition. We think we can be strong contenders and we can’t wait to start preparations for 2020. We are particularly proud to see drivers grow up in our family until their very last steps before F1."