F3 race winner Smolyar switches to MP for third season in 2022
Alexander Smolyar will move to MP Motorsport for the 2022 FIA Formula 3 season after splitting from ART Grand Prix.
The Russian driver, who finished third in the 2019 Formula Renault Eurocup, produced a solid second season in F3 last year with two sprint race victories and two further podiums.
He won the opening race in Barcelona and repeated the trick next time out at Paul Ricard, becoming the first double winner of the season.
But a tricky end to the campaign with just one points finish in the final five races saw him slide to sixth place in the final drivers’ standings.
After two seasons in F3 with ART, the SMP-backed 20-year-old will join Dutch squad MP Motorsport for 2022 with the goal of building on his progress up the ranks.
MP ran rookie Victor Martins to fifth in the points, taking a single win at Zandvoort.
“I’m delighted to team up with MP Motorsport for another season in FIA F3,” Smolyar said.
“Last year, I fought many duels with MP’s cars as they challenged for the podium finishes that I was aiming to achieve as well, and now we’re together, hoping to take as many wins as we possibly can.
“We’ll be preparing ourselves to the maximum before we hit the road for testing and the first round in Bahrain.”
Smolyar, chased at Spa by MP Motorsport driver Caio Collet, will switch to the Dutch squad this year
Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images
“It’s great news that Alex and SMP Racing have put their faith in MP for this year’s FIA F3 Championship,” Sander Dorsman, MP Motorsport team principal, added.
“Alex is arguably one of the best drivers to stay in the category for another season, and his vast knowledge of the car and the circuits will serve us well as we look forward to a strong season.”
Smolyar becomes MP Motorsport’s first driver confirmed in its F3 line-up, while he leaves the final race seat at ART Grand Prix vacant for 2022.
The French squad has already re-signed Juan Manuel Correa and promoted its Formula Regional European championship-winner Gregoire Saucy.
The 2022 FIA F3 season gets underway in Bahrain on 19-20 March to kick-off a nine-round, 18-race campaign, after the series reverted to its previous race weekend format of two races per event.
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