Vans Amersfoort Racing have announced their first driver for the 2023 season, Australian driver Tommy Smith.
Twenty-year-old Tommy Smith has been announced as the first driver to represent Vans Amersfoort Racing for the 2023 Formula 3 season. His entrance comes as a surprise to many as he did not participate in the post-season testing that took place in September. Smith is the 14th driver to be announced.
Who is Tommy Smith?
Smith was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, and made his single-seater debut in 2017 at the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship, competing in three races. The following year he drove in the Australian Formula 4 Championship, finishing eighth in the championship with no wins or podiums.
After spending two seasons in the Formula 3 Asian Championship, Smith moved to the UK to participate in the second half of the 2021 GB3 Championship with Douglas Motorsport. He raced racing in three rounds, with his best outing a 12th-place finish.
In 2022, Smith retained his seat with Douglas Motorsport participating full-time in the GB3 Championship alongside Max Esterson. During a reverse-grid race, Smith took the second podium in his career at Donnington Park. During the Belgian Grand Prix, Smith picked up the first win of his career.
Tommy Smith joins @VARmotorsport for 2023! 🇦🇺#F3 #RoadToF1 pic.twitter.com/8C4cohoQrK
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) December 22, 2022
Following the announcement, Smith stated:
“I am absolutely thrilled about this opportunity. Having raced in both FRECA and GB3 championships, stepping up to the FIA F3 feels like the right next move. I’m certainly aware that it will be a challenging season in which I will have to learn and adapt continuously, but I am convinced I am taking on this challenge with the right team.”
Rob Niessink (CEO of VAR) added:
“He is new to the FIA F3 Championship, but Tommy’s time spent in FRECA and GB3 will certainly help him to pick up quickly. Tommy is very eager to learn and quickly book progress. He showed this positive attitude already in the past and that will help both Tommy and the crew to jumpstart the season. We look very much forward to supporting him in this important next step of his career!”
2023 Driver Lineup
- ART Grand Prix: Gregoire Saucy & Nikola Tsolov & Kaylen Frederick
- Campos Racing: Christian Mansell & TBD & TBD
- Carlin Racing: Hunter Yeany & TBD & TBD
- Hitech Grand Prix: Gabriele Mini & TBD & TBD
- MP Motorsport: Mari Boya & TBD & TBD
- PREMA Powertrain: Paul Aron, Dino Beganovic & Zak O’Sullivan
- Trident Racing: Gabriel Bortoleto, Oliver Goethe & Leonardo Fornaroli
- Vans Amersfoort Racing: Tommy Smith & TBD & TBD
As drivers and teams continue to be announced, the table will be adjusted.
