Press Release
Strakka Racing has signed FR2.0 NEC front-runner Gustav Malja for its 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 championship campaign. Malja, 19, currently part of the Swedish national motor racing team and McLaren Performance Academy Driver of 2014, scored two victories in the highly competitive Formula Renault NEC series en route to fifth in the 2014 standings.
“Gustav is definitely one to watch and we are delighted to have such a focused and committed driver at Strakka Racing,” says team principal Dan Walmsley. “Getting Gustav signed early means we can start straight away on our in-house simulator together with the Strakka Performance team and build upon Gustav’s impressive winter testing.”
“I am absolutely thrilled to be stepping up to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with Strakka Racing this season,” says Gustav Malja. “I’ve felt immediately at home with the team, and we share the same view about how to go racing. I’m convinced that their way of working will allow me to get the most out of myself in my rookie year. Joining this championship will mark the greatest challenge of my career so far, but I learned a lot in winter testing and I do feel well-prepared. This is a fantastic opportunity; I can’t wait for the season to get underway.”
Strakka Racing is aiming to build on its 2014 season, securing victories at Monza and Jerez, as well as scoring a further two podiums en-route to sixth in the Teams’ and Drivers’ championship.
This year’s Formula Renault 3.5 calendar features nine rounds across Europe, including one on the iconic streets of Monaco supporting the FIA Formula One World Championship. “The World Series by Renault in our view offers the ideal preparation for F1,” adds Walmsley. “Getting our first driver signed at the very start of the year underlines both its appeal and the unique support on and off track that Strakka provides to serious and committed racing drivers. We expect to announce our second driver soon.”