Marussia Manor Racing Confirms Fabiano Machado for GP3
The 25 year-old from São Paulo began his racing career in karting, showing great promise by winning the Paulista Championship and the Brazilian South Region Championship as well as finishing third in the PanAmerican Championship, Cup of Brazil and Brazilian Championships. In 2010 he won the RBC Karting Championship and he was rewarded with an F3 test. He stepped up to single-seater racing later that season, competing in 12 of the 24 South American F3 races with the Cesario Formula 3 Team. He won four races and ended the season 4th in the Championship.
In 2011 he competed in 25 races and dominated the South American F3 Championship, achieving 17 wins, 15 fastest laps and 7 pole positions.
This season the Brazilian driver will make his racing debut in the European GP3 Series in front of the Formula One crowds at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona in May.
Fabiano will line up alongside Russia’s Dmitry Suranovich for Marussia Manor Racing, with the full driver line-up due to be completed before testing begins on 21 – 22 February in Estoril, Portugal.
Fabiano Machado
“To race in the GP3 Series with a winning team like Marussia Manor Racing will be a big step forward in my learning process and in my career. I’m really pleased and excited to be racing for the first time in a European Championship. I want to thank the team and my sponsor Grupo Schahin for this opportunity and I will work as hard as possible to put together a strong campaign."
Pete Sliwinski, Team Principal
“We are delighted to welcome Fabiano to Marussia Manor Racing for the 2012 season. To win the South American F3 Championship shows that he is a fast and talented young driver and I’m sure that in his first season in Europe he will continue to impress us. He will be a great asset to the team."