Photo: ACI Sport
Reigning Formula Regional European champion Gianluca Petecof will move up to Formula 2 this year with Campos Racing.
The Brazilian talent’s racing future looked uncertain after departing the Ferrari Driver Academy during the off-season and missing out on FIA Formula 3 Championship testing, but has instead landed a surprise berth in F2.
Before his 2020 FREC crown, Petecof was the 2019 Italian Formula 4 runner-up and came fourth in ADAC F4 the year before.
The announcement of his deal to join Campos Racing in F2 comes after the sad loss of the team’s founder Adrian Campos last month.
“It is an honour to know that one of the great Adrian’s last wishes was to have me in a Campos car and it motivates me in a special way more than ever before,” said Petecof.
“Campos Racing has a winning culture and giving unique opportunities to young drivers is in the team’s DNA. I cannot wait to start working with them and prove ourselves once again.”
Petecof will line up alongside the returning Ralph Boschung in the Campos F2 team.
“I am sure that I speak on behalf of the entire team if I say that we are very excited to complete our Formula 2 driver line-up with such a professional driver and so much hunger for victory like Gianluca,” the team’s sporting director Adrian Campos Jr said.
“He has made a very important step of category and will have hard work ahead, but don’t forget that he is the current champion of the Formula Regional so we all have a lot of confidence and enthusiasm in the results that both Gianluca and Ralph can achieve in this 2021 season.
“This is an agreement that my father did not have the opportunity to complete before he passed away, but we know that completing the F2 line up with Gianluca was his wish and we have fought very hard to make it happen.
“I want to welcome him on behalf of Campos Racing and wish him the best of luck in this 2021 season.”