Alpine juniors Victor Martins and Caio Collet will both graduate to the FIA Formula 3 Championship with MP Motorsport this year.
Martins won last year’s Formula Renault Eurocup championship while Collet finished runner-up in the standings.
It marks a return to the academy for Martins, who was part of Renault’s scheme across 2018/19, before being dropped prior to his title-winning 2020 season.
“I’m really looking forward to it as it’s been a long time waiting to race in Formula 3,” said Martins.
“It’s the next step in the junior categories, so I’m looking forward to starting the season. The most important thing for me is to enjoy the season because I have to consider myself as a rookie and an outsider.
“There’s not too much pressure and I want to use the experience of everyone in my new team. I know them from when I raced for MP Motorsport in 2019, even if it’s not the same engineers or mechanics.
“I aim to create a positive environment around me and work as much as possible with those around me like the Academy, my team and my family.
“It’s going to be good to race on the Formula 1 weekends. You see the cars up close and that’s really cool and it makes the ultimate goal feel even closer.
“When we’re in our paddock, Formula 1 is just metres away and they are watching us.
“There’s an opportunity to surround myself with important and inspiring people like the entire F1 team, with whom I could exchange productive conversations.”
Collet commented: “I’m really looking forward to this season with MP Motorsport.
“The Formula 3 series is part of the Formula 1 weekend, so naturally it has more eyes on it and it’s going to be important to perform to your best every single weekend.
“It’s also a very competitive series with some of the best young drivers in the world so it’s going to be a fight from start to finish. The target, as always, is to win the championship.”
