Brazilian teenager joins Pourchaire at Sauber Academy

Sauber Academy prodigy Theo Pourchaire has been joined in the team’s junior stable by new GB3 driver Roberto Faria, for the coming season.
Pourchaire is widely regarded as a Formula 1 star of the future, having finished fifth in the Formula 2 standings last year while only turning 18 midway through the season.
Faria, also 18, now goes alongside the young Frenchman in the Sauber Academy – the junior ranks of the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team – as he enters the GB3 [formerly British Formula 3] Championship for the new season.
Having previously won national championships in his native Brazil, Faria made the move over to Europe in 2019 as he looks to take his motorsport career to the next level.
Formula 2 front-runner, @TPourchaire, and Brazilian driver, @robertofaria777, who is competing in the GB3 Championship (British F3), will be the class of 2022 of Sauber Academy, Sauber Motorsport’s programme aimed at developing the racing stars of tomorrow 🗞️ pic.twitter.com/anS4zqlXyI
— Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN (@alfaromeoorlen) March 16, 2022
“Joining the Sauber Academy is something special for me and I am grateful to the team for this opportunity,” said Faria. “As a young driver, knowing I can rely on the experience and the know-how of a team that developed some of the biggest names in motorsport is huge and I am looking forward to repaying the trust that has been put in me. I can’t wait for the season to start and show the progress I am making.”
As for Pourchaire, he will continue to hone his skills in Formula 2 this season, and will partner Mercedes junior Frederik Vesti at ART in what will be an intriguing match-up in the feeder series in 2022.
Pourchaire is thought to be among the favourites for the title this year and has been raising eyebrows in the Formula 1 paddock, but Alfa Romeo team principal Frederic Vasseur did not want to take the risk of promoting him to the top tier too early, but confirmed he will run for the team in free practice at some point this season.
But despite that, Pourchaire is excited for the year will hold for him in Formula 2.
“Sauber Academy has been an incredible support throughout my career and I am so happy to continue with them for 2022,” he said. “The way the team has been following me in the junior formulas has been incredible, I have felt part of the Sauber family since day one and I aim to continue repaying their trust this season, pushing for an even better year.
“I have the experience of one F2 campaign under the belt and I am ready to fight at the front from the first race in Bahrain.”

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