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Cem Bolukbasi
Photo:
LAT Photographic / IMAGO
The Turkish e-athlete and racing driver Cem Bolukbasi will compete in Formula 2 in the coming season.
He is the first player to switch from the "F1 Esports Series" to the second highest racing class - on real asphalt.
He is scheduled to contest his first race in Bahrain in mid-March.
The 23-year-old Bolukbasi signed a contract with the Czech Charouz Racing System.
His goal is to drive in Formula 1 one day.
Bolukbasi has been active in esports since 2015.
For the Toro Rosse / Alphatauri team, he has been in the "F1 Esports Series" since 2017 and in 2020 he won the "Formula Renault Esport Series".
“If I had never been to F1 Esports, I would never have had the chance to get into a real car.
I wouldn't be where I am now, ”said Bolukbasi.
He wants to give people hope.
"When people see that a person can do it, they'll believe they can too."
However, this is not a fairy tale about a boy who plays his way into the cockpit of a PS machine through outstanding computer skills.
Because in addition to his job as a computer professional, Bolukbasi also regularly competed in real races.
Support from large Turkish companies
In 2021 he drove in Formula 3 and scored points in 13 of his 15 races.
After the end of last season in Abu Dhabi, he tested an F2 car and also drove in the Euro formula, in which he also scored points.
In 2020 he finished second in the GT4 European Series.
Bolukbasi started his motorcycle career when he was six years old, and in 2007 he switched to karting.
He is supported by several large Turkish companies and government agencies as well as the Turkish Motorsport Association.
"We are very happy to welcome such a brilliant driver as Cem to our Formula 2 team," said team owner Antonín Charouz.
It will be a challenging and exciting new experience for him.
They want to accompany him on his learning path.
The last Turkish driver to compete at F2 level was Jason Tahincioglu, son of former TOSFED President Mumtaz, who drove in the then GP2 in 2006 and 2007 without winning a point.
bka / Reuters
