Morad joins opening GP3 Series

Lebanon’s number one race driver, Daniel Morad, is opening the next chapter in his motorsport career by driving in the inaugural GP3 Series test at the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit this week.

The 19-year-old, who made Lebanese racing history last year with his strong results for A1 Team Lebanon in the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, will drive with UK-based team Status Grand Prix in the first competitive sessions with the all-new GP3 Series car.

Morad will gain experience of the turbocharged, 280hp Renault-powered Dallara chassis over two days of running on March 4th and March 5th at the track in southern France.

“I’m so excited at the prospect of getting out in this new car at the start of a new championship," said Morad. “I’ve been through all the right preparations for the test with Status GP, and we have high hopes of learning a lot about the car and making a good impression. The track time is invaluable, and it’s all about gathering as much knowledge as we can for the year ahead."

Morad’s program is organized by GMH Motorsport Ltd, which pioneered Lebanon’s international circuit successes with the A1 Team Lebanon entry.

GMH Motorsport’s Sporting Director Nick Roe said: “We are delighted to have Daniel participating in this test with Status GP. We feel that Status GP and the GP3 Series is an excellent move for Daniel to further progress his career and allows GMH Motorsport to continue developing young, talented drivers with a Middle East heritage while promoting the country of Lebanon."

The 16-race GP3 Series is a new single-seater championship that will be part of the support-race bill at seven Formula One™ Grands Prix across Europe this year. Organized by Bruno Michel, the boss of established F1 feeder formula the GP2 Series, in conjunction with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, it is designed to identify the F1 stars of the future.

This week’s test is the first of three two-day test sessions before the first GP3 Series event of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona on May 7th-9th.