Jack Aitken promoted, Artem Markelov appointed at Renault
Renault has revised its young driver academy, with Jack Aitken being promoted to reserve driver while Artem Markelov becomes a development driver.
Last month, it was confirmed that Jack Atiken would enter F2 with ART Grand Prix with the support of Renault. At the time, it was simply indicated that the British-Korean driver would continue to receive support from Renault, without further details.
These details emerged with the unveiling of the RS18, Renault’s F1 car for 2018. It was announced that Jack Aitken would become the team’s third and reserve driver: « I still can’t fully grasp everything this entails, but my involvement with the team will intensify. By the time of the first Barcelona tests, it will be real and I will fully understand it. This allows me to get closer to Nico and Carlos, to learn from them while observing the race team, the engineers, and the organization in detail. If asked, I would of course be delighted to take a seat in the cockpit, but I hope everything goes well with Nico and Carlos! For now, I must focus on my progression. »
But the biggest surprise was the announcement of Artem Markelov’s arrival as a development driver for the team. Although the 23-year-old driver had a successful 2017 season, finishing as F2 runner-up, he had never been part of a manufacturer’s fold before. It can be assumed that Renault sought to compensate for Sergei Sirotkin’s departure to Williams since Russia is an essential market for Renault, which owns the local brand Lada.
The two men will therefore be in direct confrontation for the F2 title since Artem Markelov will remain with the Russian Time team for a fifth consecutive season.
With the participation of www.racingbusiness.fr
