Lisbon, 24 February 2021
DR Formula has confirmed its participation in the brand-new Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. The squad, which is headed by multiple karting champion Danilo Rossi, will field three cars for a full campaign.
For its third season in the renewed series, DR Formula has revealed an exciting trio as Emidio Pesce, Brad Benavides and Gabriel Bortoleto complete the driver line-up.
Italian racer Pesce (18) is the only one to have competed in Formula Regional before the series was merged with the Formula Renault Eurocup, making some good progress last season.
American 19-year-old Benavides started his single-seater career in 2018 to move up to Formula Renault 2.0 the following year.
Brazilian Bortoleto – who turned 16 on October – was one of the 2020 front-runners in the Italian F4 Championship achieving one victory, two pole positions and five podium finishes.
DR Formula Team Principal Danilo Rossi said: “We are delighted to be joining the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine programme this season. It will be a new challenge for us, in a higher-level series. We are prepared for that. I’m also happy to continue with Pesce and give my welcome to Benavides and Bortoleto. I knew them from karting and I’m pretty confident they can show very well“.
The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, which is certified by the FIA, consists in 10 round heach of two races. The season kicks-off on 23/25 April at Spa-Francorchamps. The next two events will join Formula One at Barcelona and Monaco. The fourth round is scheduled at the circuit Paul Ricard, before heading to Zandvoort, Imola and Nürburgring. After the Summer break the series will go to the Red Bull Ring. The last two events are hosted in Italy at Mugello and Monza.
