News

• Artem Markelov: "I am sure I will benefit from the vast wealth of experience at HWA."
• Ulrich Fritz: "Artem is the ideal driver for us in our first season as an independent team."

Affalterbach, 22nd November 2019 – HWA AG is expanding its involvement in junior racing in 2020: as well as Formula 3, it will also compete as an independent team in the FIA Formula 2 Championship. HWA RACELAB will line up on the starting grid in place of the BWT Arden team, for whom it has been involved as technical partner in the current Formula 2 season. One of the two drivers will be Artem Markelov, who HWA RACELAB has signed for the coming season.

The 25-year-old has a wealth of experience in Formula racing. After finishing runner-up in the German Formula 3 Cup in 2013, a 19-year-old Markelov switched to the predecessor to Formula 2, GP2, where he drove for Russian Time from 2014 to 2016. It was with this team that he enjoyed his strongest season to date in the 2017 FIA Formula 2 Championship. Five race wins helped him to finish runner-up in the overall standings, beaten only by current Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc. In total, he already has eight Formula 2 victories to his name.

In the 2019 season, Markelov demonstrated his strength with a fourth and a sixth place in Monaco, where he stood in at the last minute for MP Motorsport. Since his home-GP in Sochi he contests for BWT Arden. He will take his place in an HWA RACELAB car for the first time at the official Formula 2 post-season tests in Abu Dhabi from 5th to 7th December.

Artem Markelov (25, Russia)
"I am really looking forward to racing for HWA RACELAB in Formula 2 next season. I think we will gel quickly. HWA has a vast wealth of motorsport experience, from which I am sure I will benefit."

Ulrich Fritz, CEO HWA AG
"Artem is the ideal driver for us in our first season as an independent team in Formula 2. He has lots of experience at this level. His tally of eight race wins speaks for itself. His expertise as a driver will help make our introduction to the series easier. I am pleased that we were able to acquire his services."

About Artem Markelov
Born: 10th September 1994 in Moscow
Career: 2014 – 2016 GP2 series (1 win)
2017 – 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship
8 wins
Runner-up in 2017