Arden set for title attack
Formula Renault Eurocup race winner Alex Quinn has secured a berth in the newly merged Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine with the series’ only British squad, Arden Motorsport.
The 20-year-old Cornishman looks set to lead the three-car attack of Arden after a highly promising rookie season at this level. Quinn, who had three rounds under his belt from the Renault Eurocup in 2019, struggled to raise a budget for 2020, but he was called up by Arden at the last minute to deputise for Australian Jackson Walls, who could not make it to Europe due to COVID-19 quarantine issues. Initially this was on a round-by-round basis, but Quinn eventually contested the full season and claimed fourth in the overall standings, and won the rookie title.
Quinn will have strong back-up from 18-year-old Finn William Alatalo, who was another of the leading rookie Renault contenders last year and transfers from JD Motorsport. The line-up is completed by Nicola Marinangeli – the Italian had a busy 2020, competing in Renault Eurocup plus a couple of Formula Regional rounds, and breaking his leg in a road-car crash.
Arden team manager Ben Salter believes that the team’s leading pair of Quinn and Alatalo can give the team success. “I would say Alex is going to be a leading contender,” he told Autosport. “If he just focuses on getting in the car and driving it, he’ll be up there. We just want to carry on building on the seasons he and William had last year, and put together some strong results.”
Other recent recruits to the Regional grid include Patrik Pasma, who has starred in this month’s F3 Asian Championship. He remains at Finnish team KIC Motorsport as it, along with the other teams from the old Fregional series, transfer from Alfa Romeo power to the Alpine engine for 2021.
Ex-renault F1 junior Hadrien David moves to R-ace GP for his second season at this level. That completes the line-up of men for the French team, which has become the first to confirm an optional fourth entry for a female: that has been taken by Swiss Lena Buhler, who competed in Spanish Formula 4 last season.
Reports suggest that 34 entries have been attracted for the 2021 season. So far 19 drivers have been confirmed, including three apiece at ART Grand Prix and Prema Powerteam, which ran the championship-winning drivers from last year’s Renault Eurocup and Regional European series respectively.
Cupra’s new contender for the new all-electric Pure ETCR initiative has broken cover in an official series test at Motorland Aragon. Veteran Jordi Gene drove the Cupra eracer, while Jean-karl Vernay continued work on Hyundai’s Veloster N ETCR. Cupra has confirmed its up-and-coming World Touring Car Cup race winner Mikel Azcona alongside Gene and the versatile Mattias Ekstrom in its Pure ETCR squad for 2021.