Trident have announced that Barbados-born Zane Maloney will make the step up to the FIA Formula 2 championship for the season finale in Abu Dhabi, replacing Australian racer Calan Williams.
Williams announced his departure from the Italian outfit last month, and Trident made the decision to promote Maloney from their FIA Formula 3 squad, the nineteen-year-old having finished second in the championship in 2022 thanks to three race victories, four podiums and two pole positions.
The 2019 British Formula 4 champion only missed out on taking the Formula 3 championship by five points, losing out to Frenchman Victor Martins after having a nightmare start to the campaign that saw him score top ten finishes in only two of the opening six races of the season.
However, he ended the year superbly with three consecutive feature race victories at Spa-Francorchamps, Circuit Zandvoort and the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, the last win moving him up to second place in the standings.
Maloney will race alongside Dutchman Richard Verschoor for the final round of the 2022 campaign as he eyes to impress with a possible move up to the category full-time in 2023 a distinct possibility.
“We are very proud to be able to compete with Zane Maloney in the final event in the FIA Formula 2 Championship,” said Giacomo Ricci, the Team Manager at Trident. “Zane, the Barbadian driver, terminated the Formula 3 Championship with three consecutive feature race victories and has proven to be second to no one in terms of competitiveness, almost winning the driver’s title.
“We are therefore pleased to have Zane on board, once again this year, and we are confident that Trident will be able to provide him with the maximum support and dedication for the challenging Yas Marina Circuit.”