Andre Negrao has joined Rene Binder to complete the GP2 Series driver pairing at Arden International.
The Brazilian switches to the Formula One feeder category from Formula Renault 3.5, where Negrao spent three seasons with International Draco Racing.
In those three seasons, Negrao has taken two podiums, and has taken a best series classification of 10th in 2013; however the 21-year-old will still need to do much more than that
Arden team manager Julian Rouse does not believe Negrao’s lack of top results will be an issue. “There is always a lot to learn in GP2 as a rookie, but Andre looked like he adapted very well to the car in the Abu Dhabi in the tests and so we are confident he can have a strong first season. The important thing is that he fits in well with the team and works hard and we have no doubt he will do that.”
While Negrao has earned a few respectable results in FR3.5, one cannot help but feel this may be Arden’s weakest pairing since the Josef Kral / Jolyon Palmer duo of 2011.
Both Negrao and Binder possess touches of speed, but have done little in their brief careers to truly light up the board. It will interesting to see if this changes in 2014.
