2021 F4 British Championship runner-up Matías Zagazeta will make the jump up to Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine in 2022 after signing with Swiss outfit G4 Racing.
The Peruvian racer will be joined at the team by Frenchman Owen Tangavelou, who also makes the leap from Formula 4, the seventeen-year-old having spent the past two years racing in French F4.
Zagazeta was a four-time winner in British F4 last year and only lost out on the title to British racer Matthew Rees by twenty-six points. And the eighteen-year-old says he is eager to get going with his new team in 2022.
“I’m very excited to be joining forces with G4 Racing, a team full of potential and ambition, and I am very happy to be part of their project this season,” said Zagazeta.
“I can’t wait to get the season started and chase after some really good results like they had last year and to develop even more together in 2022!”
Adrian Muñoz, theSporting and Technical Manager at G4 Racing, says he has no doubts that Zagazeta will showcase his talents in FRECA as strongly as he did in British F4, and will be a factor in what is expected to be a very competitive field in 2022.
“I am delighted to have Matias on board for this season as he showed great potential and talent in British F4 last year,” said Muñoz.
“I have no doubts that Matias is going to show his class in the very competitive Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine as well, as he has been preparing all winter to give his best.”
Tangavelou also tasted success in 2021, winning once and claiming five podiums on his way to fifth in the French F4 standings, and earlier this year he competed in three rounds of the Formula Regional Asian Championship to gain experience at Formula 3 level.
“I’m very delighted to join G4 Racing,” said Tangavelou. “The people in the team are very serious, and the car is highly efficient.
“I feel comfortable with them and I will do my best to perform. I’m looking forward to racing soon.”
Muñoz feels Tangevelou was wise to run a partial championship in Asia this past February, and he believes the Frenchman will be one of the rookies to watch this year.
“We evaluated Owen in all possible conditions during the winter and I am very happy to have him in the team for the coming season,” said Muñoz. “After two successful years in the French F4 Championship, I’m sure he is going to be one of the best rookies in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine.
“He trained himself very hard with a part-time program in the Formula Regional Asian Championship, and he is now ready to start preparations for an exciting run in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine.”
Owen Tangavelou steps up from French F4 to FRECA in 2022 – Credit: Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine