Jehan Daruvala, Kush Maini to spearhead Mumbai Falcons chellenge: Asian F3

Dubai, 28 Jan 2021: India’s F1 hope and top international racer Jehan Daruvala of Mumbai, and talented youngster Kush Maini of Bengaluru, who excelled in British F3 last year, will spearhead the Mumbai Falcons challenge in their maiden campaign as the Formula 3 Asian Championship begins here on Friday with a 23-car entry list at the Dubai Autodrome here.

After unveiling the team’s livery on Thursday, which proudly incorporates the colours of the Indian Tricolour, the two young racers expressed their delight at being pitted against a world-class field in the continent’s premier International Single-Seater Championship.

“We have prepared very well for this and are thrilled about the way the cars have turned out. We are particularly excited about racing for an Indian team and are looking forward to the challenge.” Jehan Daruvala, an F2 and F3 race winner, said.

“We raced against each other as kids in karting and now, after 12 years, we are racing as teammates. It’s amazing. We are going to make India proud,” Kush Maini, runner-up in the BRDC F3 Championship, declared. Like his Indian F3 champion father Akbar, Team Principal Armaan Ebrahim had a successful formula career, contesting three seasons of the FIA F2 championship.

Red Bull Junior Daruvala and Maini will have their task cut, though, with a number of talented young racers, most of whom have links with F1 teams, in fray. They include big names like Dino Beganovic (Swedish-born) of the Ferrari Driver Academy, Guanyu Zhou (China) and Williams Junior Roy Nissany (French-born) of Renault F1’s Junior drivers and Ayumu Iwasa (Japan) and Daruvala himself of Red Bull’s Juniors.

Round 1 will take place at the Dubai Autodrome and will see 23 racers from 17 different nationalities competing for honours. Mumbai Falcons, incidentally, will become the first full fledged 2-car all-Indian Team to compete in it.

Indian racing fans can watch the Championship races live on Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited YouTube Channel at 5pm on Friday, and 12pm and 5pm on Saturday.

Moid Tungekar, CEO of Mumbai Falcons, said, “We are looking at raising the profile of motorsport in India. Our racers can be at the very top and we are sure that Jehan and Kush will inspire many more to take up the sport.”

Seventeen nationalities spanning four continents represent the grid for opening triple-header. Eight teams join championship for compact five-round fourth season, a unique proving ground which gives fledgling talent sound international benchmark.

Among the entries are some of the sport’s most promising up-and-coming talents, while their more experienced rivals will provide a credible and useful international benchmark.

Reigning team champions BlackArts Racing, who won the 2020 championship with Dutchman Joey Alders, defend their title with a four-car entry comprised of 16-year-olds Lorenzo Fluxa of Spain – 2020 F4 UAE series runner-up – and Venezuelan-born Czech Zdenek Chovanec, and Mexican Rafael Villagomez and Turkish driver Cem Bolukbasi.

The Zhuhai-based outfit has also bolstered its management team, enlisting former F1 driver Alex Yoong and F1 and IndyCar engineer Greg Wheeler in the roles of Team Manager and Technical Director respectively.

Two-time F3 Asian team champions Hitech Grand Prix return for a fourth season, their four-car entry combining both experience and fledgling talent. With two seasons in the FIA F2 Championship, Israel’s Roy Nissany is one of the most experienced drivers in the field this year, while Red Bull Junior Team driver and reigning F4 French champion Ayumu Iwasa is without doubt one to watch. Joining them are Reece Ushijima of Japan and Czech driver Roman Stanek.

Also with a four-driver entry are Pinnacle Motorsport, second in the team and driver classification last season with Red Bull Junior Team driver Jack Doohan. Returning to the series with Pinnacle having made his debut last season with Hitech Grand Prix is Italian Alessio Deledda, the 26-year-old recently confirmed for the 2021 FIA F2 Championship with HWA Racelab.

Pinnacle’s championship newcomers are Frenchmen Pierre-Louis Chovet and Alexandre Bardinon, both 18 years of age, who are joined by Matthias Luethen of Germany.

Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema marks the championship debut of Prema Powerteam, one of the most successful outfits in all junior formulae below F1. Amna Al Qubaisi continues to develop her pioneering motorsport career with Prema, having made her racing debut in the 2018 Italian F4 Championship and a front runner in this year’s F4 UAE series.

Race Timings (Indian Standard Time)
Race 1 – 5 pm on Friday
Race 2 – 12 pm on SaturdayRace 3 – 5 pm on Saturday