Top junior series team ART Grand Prix announced today that they will not be taking part in any Formula 3 series from next season onwards.
They revealed that their plan is too fully concentrate on their GP2 and GP3 participation.
The French team joined the Formula 3 Euroseries in 2003, claiming six drivers and seven team’s championships, including titles for current Formula 1 stars Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg. However, with the emergence of GP3 this year and the strengthening of the British Formula 3 Championship, the Euroseries has witnessed a serious dip in stature and draw. Indeed, the Euroseries has seen such a dramatic shrinking of field size in recent years, it is questionable how long the series can survive.
ART were very successful off the bat at the beginning of the GP3 Series, eventually taking the title at Monza with young Mexican driver, Esteban Gutierrez. Indeed, Gutierrez is moving up to GP2, starting with the brief Asia Series in February. In September, ART Grand Prix were bolstered by the announcement that they will be backed by Group Lotus in both GP2 and GP3 from next season onward.
The group had originally applied to join Formula 1 for next season, but withdrew from the process due to “unfavourable economic conditions.”
