Carlin announce F3 line-up
British F3 race winner Tincknell will make the move to Europe following two years in the British Series, with 2012 marred by bad luck Tincknell is looking to use his experience to get to the front in the new FIA championship. Despite a tough season, Tincknell finished fifth in the British F3 standings in 2012, following nine podiums, including four wins and finished the year with a strong top ten result in the Macau Grand Prix last November, on his first visit to the winding street circuit.
Tincknell will be joined by Nicholas Latifi, who despite being just 17 years old has been quietly learning the basics of F3 in the Italian Formula 3 European Series, where he was a race winner. Latifi dovetailed his F3 program in Europe with karting in the US, as well as the Skip Barber Winter Series, in which he won one race from just two race starts. Previously, Latifi was a front runner on the US and Canadian karting scenes.
Cardiff born racer Mardenborough makes his debut in single seaters this year, with only one season’s racing under his belt. The 21 year old, who was the 2011 winner of the Nissan GT Academy, was a revelation in last year’s Blancpain Endurance Series and the British GT Series where he was a race winner. Mardenborough has since impressed the team with his ability to adapt to cars with lots of downforce as shown in his performance in the F3 car in winter testing.
Completing Carlin’s F3 line-up will be Formula Renault 2.0 driver Jordan King. 2012 was a busy year for King, who started off the season clinching the honors in the MRF Challenge in India and also competed in the 2012 Toyota Series in New Zealand. King continued in Formula Renault 2.0 after a strong rookie season in 2011, racing in the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup and the Northern European Championship where he finished second thanks to nine podiums and a race win.
Trevor Carlin commented, “While we did have drivers interested in the British F3 Series, circumstances have dictated that we now focus on the FIA European Formula 3 Championship and I’m extremely pleased to have four such talented drivers with us for the season ahead.
“Harry makes an extremely welcome return to the team and his experience of F3 will be key; we have high hopes for him this season. Nicholas is going to have a very steep learning curve, with practically every circuit a new experience for him. This season will be about learning as much as possible for him, as it will for Jann, who let’s remember only has one season’s racing behind him. Jordan will also be an F3 rookie, but despite it being quite a young team, I look forward to seeing what surprises they can deliver as they progress throughout the season."