Back at the Alpine Academy, Victor Martins to discover Formula 3

The Renault Sport Academy is getting a makeover.

In line with the renewal of the Formula 1 team, now called the Alpine F1 Team, the diamond brand's training center is renamed Alpine Academy.

On the occasion of the presentation of its 2021 promotion, the Alpine Academy has formalized the extension of four of its drivers to which will be added a new one.

Or rather a ghost: Victor Martins, who had left the academy after two seasons, at the end of 2019.

"I am super happy to find the Academy and its family side again," said the Francilien from Tenerife (Canary Islands), where he is doing a training camp.

I was able to find my 2019 team, even if some engineers and mechanics left, and we were able to start working. ”A temporary estrangement which did not prevent him from winning the Formula Renault Eurocup title in 2020 with the French team ART Grand Prix, for its third season in the category.

Then approached at a higher level, in FIA Formula 3, the world karting champion (2016) believes he made the right choice to leave for a season, even after having hesitated for a long time: “This title in Formula Renault has brought me a lot.

With my entourage, we decided to leave for a year, which was important for me as a pilot but also as a man.

I learned a lot about myself, especially physically.

I feel ready to take on this new challenge, keeping in mind that so many F1 drivers have gone through this championship, which represents the elevation of the level of competition.

I am ready to take this step. ”

Martins and Collet will discover the F3 together at MP Motorsport

This milestone, he therefore crosses it this year, where he will discover the FIA ​​Formula 3 within the Dutch team MP Motorsport, with whom he finished second in Formula Renault in 2019. Team manager, Sandor Dorsman said to himself " very happy to find the one with whom they came close to the title in 2019. "

That year, the Australian Oscar Piastri had edged the Frenchman by seven points in the general classification, which had played into the departure of Martins from the Academy.

Another member of the Alpine Academy, Piastri continued his ascent by winning the F3 setting last year, by three small points ahead of the Frenchman Théo Pourchaire.

It's official!

Alpine Academy drivers @VictorMartinsFR and @caio_collet will join us for the upcoming F3 season!

Welcome to the team guys pic.twitter.com/0xhRzWcybm

- MP Motorsport (@mpmotorsport_) February 10, 2021

While waiting to be able to follow in the footsteps of his teammate, who will have his baptism of fire in Formula 2 alongside repeaters Guanyu Zhu and Christian Lundgaard, Victor Martins will discover the F3 at the same time as a familiar face, that of the Brazilian Caio Collet: "An excellent driver with whom I fought for a long time last year."

After a long battle halfway through, Martins finally gained the upper hand to finish 44 points ahead of Collet, who finished second.

But the games were already made internally.

“At the lower level, we noticed that Caio and Victor were the two best drivers.

As the season progressed, we understood that we would take both, regardless of the general classification, ”said Mia Sharizman, director of the Alpine Academy.

Officialized behind the wheel of MP Motorsport's single-seaters, the two men will thus discover Formula 3 within the same team: "We have placed them in the same team because we are convinced that the two will be able to work together to raise the bar ever higher. , explains the Malaysian.

And thus make their mark on the championship. "

"I want to believe in the team's project, capable of winning and getting involved in the fight for the championship"

Victor Martins

Modest and without a specific objective, Victor Martins does not take the plunge without ambition.

If this will be assessed "step by step", as underlined by his Malaysian boss, the native of Varrenes-Jarcy (Essonne) intends "first to appear well, to carry out good sessions as the weekends go. running, which could boost (his) confidence. "

Faced with the “challenge” of shining for his first experience at this level, Martins will first of all be keen to confirm his full potential in qualifying sessions, after having signed the pole record last year with ART (10).

A "qualifying monster", authorizes Sandor Dorsman.

Under his orders, the Frenchman "wants to believe in the project of the MP team, capable of winning races and, why not, of being part of the race for the title."

A first element of response awaits MP Motorsport and the Frenchman during the first winter testing in Jerez, on February 25 and 26.

Before the first round of the championship, the weekend of May 9 in Barcelona, ​​where he was able to test the Formula 3 car last year during tests reserved for

rookies

. 

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Learn from the best

Former French gymnastics champion (2011), Victor Martins appreciates the balance in terms of physical and mental preparation which he will benefit from within the Academy.

Without feeling any pressure as to his status as the only French driver in the sector, Martins measures his chance to evolve in optimal conditions: "We give young drivers the opportunity to grow up, and to arrive in F1 one day. for one of us.

Renault may have changed the personnel somewhat, nothing has changed for the drivers, we still have the same support, in terms of preparation and the possible opportunities that will arise. ”

Excited at the idea of ​​being able to take advantage of the Formula 1 simulator, the young 19-year-old driver hopes "to be able to go to the F1 weekends to see how it goes and to speak with Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon", with whom he is eager to share to "learn from their experience."

And so do everything to follow their path, for one whose "objective remains the same: to arrive in Formula 1 one day, then to be world champion."

But before that, Victor Martins knows the rules of the game: “It is always clearly stated, the opportunity will be given to those who perform best.

What makes you want, and motivates.

We will have to materialize and show what we are capable of. " 

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