Reigning Italian Formula 4 champion Kacper Sztuka will race in the 2024 Formula 3 Championship after concluding a deal with Dutch outfit MP Motorsport. The rapid Polish youngster joins MP as a fresh member of the Red Bull Junior Team.
After claiming the Italian F4 title with nine wins, 12 podiums, eight pole positions and eight fastest laps, the 17-year-old from Cieszyn first tested the waters of FIA F3 during a two-day post-season test at Imola, where he soon clocked times that lifted him into the top-12 of the test’s combined results. This encouraging pace cemented the belief that Sztuka and MP would form a strong pairing for next year’s FIA Formula 3 Championship. At MP, Sztuka teams up with fellow new Red Bull Junior Team member Tim Tramnitz and a third driver who will be announced soon.
“I’m extremely happy to be able to step up to FIA F3 with MP Motorsport”, said Sztuka. “The team has a strong pedigree in the series, which will help me with a smooth transition from F4 to F3. I loved the car when I drove it in the Imola test, and can’t wait to step back into it for more testing and the new season ahead. It’s going to be a huge challenge but I’m up for the task. Bring it on!”
“We are really pleased to welcome Kacper to the team”, said MP Motorsport’s team principal Sander Dorsman. “He has had a sensational season in Italian F4, and being invited to join the Red Bull Junior Team was just reward for what has been a brilliant year. He immediately showed his promise in the Imola test, so we are confident that Kacper is ready for a strong debut in FIA F3. The whole team are looking forward to working with both Kacper and Tim during the season.”
Starting in single-seaters after a successful karting career, Sztuka added selected rounds of the German F4 series to his programme in 2022 after his debut in Italian F4 in 2021. He completed the 2022 season sixth in the Italian championship and tenth in the German championship, despite only competing in six rounds of the latter series. In the winter of 2023, he became the first champion of the new Formula Winter Series, with five wins and four poles out of six races, before storming off to the 2023 Italian F4 title. He added more success in selected rounds of the Euro 4 Championship, with one victory, three podiums and three poles.