Team Torino Motorsport have announced their entry into the 2013 running of the Formula Abarth championship, with their 2012 FR2.0 Alps driver Luis Michael Dorrbecker confirmed by the team in the series.
The 20-year old German-born Mexican driver made his debut in car racing in 2008, contesting the local Formula VEE and a regional league in the Skip Barber series hierarchy. In 2010, he achieved his first victory in the national-level Skip Barber championship, contesting a part-time campaign of six races.
In 2011, Dorrbecker made a full-time switch to Formula Renault 2.0 Italy, where he finished ninth with one podium. 2012 saw him join Team Torino Motorsport, with another limited campaign to his name – running in four Alps rounds and amassing two points.
Regarding his move to a new series, Dorrbecker said: “I am happy to start a new adventure by joining Formula Abarth. I know Team Torino Motorsport well, as I raced for them during the last two years. We decided to go along this new path and we will work hard to be at the front right away. We’ll begin a series of tests shortly to get ready for the first round of the series at Vallelunga”.
A statement issued by team principals Marco Braghero and Giacomo Notarrigo confirms that Dorrbecker’s employment was a factor in the team joining Formula Abarth: “The hiring of Luis Michael has been crucial for us in deciding the approach to the Formula Abarth series. Miki is a driver who we know very well, as this will be his second year with us. We’ll try to enable him to achieve great results right off the get-go, as he is an experienced driver”.
The principals are also quoted as saying that they intend to “field a second car” in the series.