6
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An incredible, sensational and wholly
unexpected season. Antonio Fuoco, the
Ferrari Driver Academy driver, racing for
Prema Junior, was the surprise package
of the 2013 F. Renault 2.0. ALPS
championship. Fuoco, who moved into
the world of single-seaters directly from
kart racing, took the category by storm,
immediately showing that he had the
ability, and the self-assurance, to
compete with his more experienced
rivals. Race after race, following his initial
victory in Vallelunga, the young Calabrian
continued to amass points and extend his
advantage of the other drivers in the
championship standings. Fuoco’s main
rivals were his team mates, Bruno
Bonifacio and Luca Ghiotto, who shared
the remaining victories between them, so
that the Prema Junior finished the season
unbeaten in all fourteen races. Fuoco is
the first Italian to win the ALPS title, which
went to Spaniard Javier Tarancon in 2011
and the Russian driver, Daniil Kvyat, in
2012. It is worth recalling that only one
Italian driver – Daniel Manicelli in 2009 –
managed to win the F. Renault 2.0 Italia
competition, which was held between
2000 and 2009 and also organised by
Fast Lane Promotion.
During the recently-concluded season,
Fuoco won six of the fourteen races:
Vallelunga 2, Imola 1, Imola 2, Monza 1,
Mugello 1, Mugello 2, as well as starting
on pole position five times. He ended the
season on 245 points, 35 more than his
closest rival, Ghiotto. During the course of
the 2013 season, Fuoco also took part in
a Eurocup F.Renault meeting in Spa. The
Prema Junior driver further enhanced his
reputation at European level by achieving
pole position in the second qualifying
session and fifth and fourth places in the
two races. Fuoco’s next move will be the
step up from Renault 2.0, to the F.3
championship. The 17 year old from the
Ferrari Driver Academy will be competing
in the FIA F.3 European Championship,
driving a Dallara-Mercedes for Prema
Powerteam.
