Tamas P’âl Kiss and Sergio Campana have signed with Austrian squad Zele Racing to keep them in the Auto GP World Series this season.
Campana, who finished 3rd in the Auto GP points standings last year, moves over from Ibiza Racing, while P’âl Kiss returns to Zele following a partial campaign with the in 2013.
This will not be Campana’s first race with Zele – the 27-year-old Campana stepped into the team for one round in 2012, emerging with a podium and a 4th place at Sonoma.
The Italian is under no illusions that this could prove his best shot at a title, having last triumphed in the Italian Formula 3 Series three years ago. “I have known Michael for some time and we work along the same lines,” said Campana.
“When I did a guest start for them at the US race in 2012, I finished on the podium off the cuff. It clicked immediately,” he added.
Campana won three races last year with Ibiza and is keen to add to that tally. “Since then, both I and the team have developed further and we started talking about 2014 at the official testing in Jerez last year.”
Meanwhile P’âl Kiss assumed 5th in the standings last year, despite missing four of the sixteen races.
Hailing from Miskolc in the Northeastern section of Hungary, the 22-year-old has garnered plenty of experience in junior categories since he began car racing in 2007.
A move from the GP3 Series brought P’âl Kiss to Auto GP, via Team MLR71, Zele Racing and Ibiza Racing, before returning to Zele once again. A full season with the Austrian team could go a long way to turning P’âl Kiss into a regular podium and race winner.
“It’s good to be back at a place with people you know,” commented P’âl Kiss. “My expectations are high, because the cooperation with the team was already very good last year. And from what Michael (Zele) told me, they have gained more experience and won several technical partnerships. So everything seems ready for us to battle at the front.”
While both Campana and P’âl Kiss represent two good signings, it is noticeable that with just over one week until the first test, only six drivers have been confirmed for the series.
The opening race of the season takes place on April 12th in the Moroccan city of Marrakech and supports the WTCC.
