Brazilian ace to race in GP2 in 2017
Multiple podium finishing GP2 Series team MP Motorsport is absolutely delighted to today, Sunday, 27th November, announce its first high-profile driver signing for the 2017 season – exciting Brazilian 18-year-old Sérgio Sette Câmara.
Mere days after the talented South American starred with a podium finish in the world’s biggest Formula 3 race, the Macau F3 Grand Prix, Dutch squad MP Motorsport has finalised a race deal with Sette Câmara – who has already tested in Formula One with Scuderia Toro Rosso – for next season.
Before then, though, the Petrobras, CEMIG and Mercantil do Brasil backed Brazilian will form part of the MP line-up during the official post-season GP2 Series test at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi this week following this weekend’s final event of the current campaign at the Middle Eastern track.
“Sérgio is an outstanding young talent, he delivered some great performances in Formula 3 this year and his recent podium at the Macau Grand Prix, on one of the world's most challenging street circuits, was sensational”, said MP Motorsport’s Sander Dorsman.“He’s undoubtedly one of the hottest prospects coming into GP2 next year, incredibly quick, and everyone at MP Motorsport is very pleased to be working with him. To have the deal completed so early, ahead of the post-season test next week, is perfect for all of us and gives everyone the best possible chance to prepare as strongly as we can for Sérgio’s GP2 race debut in 2017.”
As soon as he was old enough to graduate from karts to cars after his 16th birthday in 2014, Sette Câmara debuted in the Brazilian Formula 3 Championship, taking three podiums, before making the leap into the ultra-competitive FIA Formula 3 European Championship.
Turning heads in his rookie year in 2015, becoming a podium finisher, Sette Câmara also made headlines at the standalone Masters of F3 at Zandvoort in The Netherlands where he was a pole position qualifier and podium finisher. At the end-of-year Macau F3 Grand Prix, he posted a new lap record on his maiden outing at the challenging Far East street circuit.
This year in FIA Formula 3, the South American took a brace of podium results and at the Masters of F3 he climbed the podium once more. His performance in Macau last weekend, though, was the true highlight. Finishing third in the Qualification Race, he went on to lead the first half of the Grand Prix itself before eventually taking third place after a mid-race Safety Car period.
Sette Câmara, who hails from Belo Horizonte in Brazil, is delighted to be joining MP Motorsport for GP2 next year and cannot wait to get his first taste of the Dutch squad’s car this Wednesday, 30th November, at the start of the official three day post-season test.
“I am extremely happy to announce that next year I will be competing in the GP2 Series”, he said, “It is a very competitive category with sensational cars. The teams are very professional, and all drivers are very fast and talented. It is a big step in relation to F3 on a platform where I can learn a lot, I can't wait to sit in the car and start to push.“In addition to acquiring knowledge I believe I can show some kind of result next year. MP Motorsport is a truly great team, racing for many years, and I believe this whole experience will assist me in the quest for mileage and the results I expect. I am grateful for the opportunity to compete with the team and I hope soon I can get closer to my trajectory towards F1.”
