“Smooth Operator”

© Leigh O'Gorman
© Leigh O’Gorman

With his outwardly laconic nature, one might be forgiven for thinking Tom Blomqvist approach ill-suited to the higher reaches of motorsport.

Yet when properly supported, the English-born ‘Son of Stig’ is no slouch behind the wheel. Taking the runner-up spot in the FIA European F3 Championship behind Esteban Ocon and ahead of Max Verstappen was no mean feat.

Blomqvist is quick – of that, there is little doubt – but with stints in the McLaren and Red Bull junior programmes now lagging deep in his history, delivering on the future was always going to be a tough ask.

A move to Carlin with the (huge) support of Far East fast food merchants Jagonya Ayam helped a lot and after two occasionally tricky years in European F3 behind him, 2014 needed to count.

Winning the opener at Silverstone helped and Blomqvist added several more victories before the race was out. And he was leading on the opening lap at Macau until a clash with Ocon resulted in a massive shunt took them – and many others – out in spectacular fashion.

Blomqvist recently tested DTM machinery with BMW and while the German tourer series may not be immediately on the horizon, the 21-year-old has earned his shot at professional motorsport.

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