In last three seasons twenty-two-years-old Jan Charouz has been concentrated on sports car endurance racing in the most prestigious LMP1 class. In 2009, Jan Charouz and his team-mates Tomas Enge and Stefan Mucke have been crowned Le Mans Series champions, recording five podium finishes from five races. In 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans Jan Charouz and his team-mates achieved fourth position. Before entering sports car endurance racing Jan Charouz gained experience in single-seaters series. Winning 2006 Formula 3000 International Master has been the highlight of the period. In autumn 2009 Jan Charouz participated in GP2 Series tests.
Twenty-years-old Walter Grubmüller is involved in single-seaters racing since 2005 season. He gained experience in i.a. Formula Renault or Asian Formula 3. Since 2007 Walter Grubmüller has participated in British F3 championship. His third season in British F3 has been the most successful one till now. In 2009, he achieved two wins (Hockenheim and Donington) and seven further podiums with UK-based HiTech Racing Team, managed by his father Walter Grubmüller sen. According to his results Walter Grubmüller finished second in the British F3 overall rankings.
In 2010, Jan Charouz and Walter Grubmüller will enter World Series by Renault 3.5 which is percieved as a step towards F1. Also several motorsport stars participated in the series in their career beginnings: Fernando Alonso, Heikki Kovalainen, Robert Kubica, Stéphane Sarrazin, Tiago Monteiro or Sebastian Vettel. The 2010 World Series by Renault 3.5 schedule consists nine rounds (eighteen races).
P1 motorsport team is involved in World Series by Renault 3.5 since 2007 season. In its first season it was represented by Fairuz Fauzy, Malaysian who would become the third driver of Lotus F1 team in 2010 season. Fairuz Fauzy achieved three podiums in the team´s debut year. In 2008, Dutch driver Giedo van der Garde under the guise of P1 Motorsport achieved eight podiums, including five wins. These results guaranteed him winning the title. P1 Motorsport finished third in the Teams´ rankings. For 2009 season P1 Motorsport stayed in World Series by Renault running two cars for James Walker and Daniil Move. Walker ended up fifth in the championship, winning race at Spa-Francorchamps. In the team rankings P1 Motorsport achieved third place again.
Jan Charouz: „Many people have confirmed, P1 Motorsport is in all aspects an excellent team. Its principal Roly Vincini is keen of his job and he is true professional. I am looking forward to collaboration with the team and also my new team-mate Walter Grubmuller jr. World Series by Renault will be great experience for me. I am convinced it is high-quality championship, probably alike GP2 Series, although GP2 Series is better known, accordingly to fact it is part of F1 racing weekends. Aims of my participation in World Series by Renault are: to get experience and get accustomed to single-seater again. However, I would like to achieve good results and finish in Top 10.“
Walter Grubmüller jun.: „For me the step up into World Series by Renault marks a new stage and challenge in my career that I really look forward to. I believe WSR is one of the best feeder series to F1 having produced such drivers as Vettel and Kubica. I'm aiming to be consistently in the points and eventually challenge for podiums. Jan and I met a few weeks ago. I think, we will work well together and look forward to a good season.“
Walter Grubmüller sen., team holder of P1 Motorsport: „P1 Motorsport enters 2010 World Series by Renault with two rookies. We are aware it is a risk, but at the same time we are convinced Jan Charouz and Walter Grubmuller are really good racing drivers. Both have shown their talent and both have achieved great results in motorsport. According to these facts, equality of conditions is commonplace. We would be happy, when both our drivers will finish in Top 10 in overall classification. Already now we are hard working to prepare for the next season. In February we are going to start testing and we want to be well-prepared for it.“
Roly Vincini, Team Principal: „We’re very pleased to confirm P1‘s line-up for 2010, and while it’s going to be tough with two rookie drivers, as a team we have the experience and knowledge to be competitive. Jan and Walter will be given the necessary support to develop their capabilities during various test programs and throughout the season – and while we will be targeting podium finishes for both drivers, as the season progresses we can hopefully begin to compete for race wins. I look forward to working together with both Jan and Walter in what will be a challenging year for them.“
Antonin Charouz, manager: „The decision about Jan’s future career was not easy for us after so successful season. I told him, that he has last chance to try to step up to Formula 1, but it will be necessary, he will by fully concentrated on this aim. He agreed, so we will see. It’s true, it wouldn’t be easy and we know, that from this point of view, we lost three years. Jan is 22-years-old, so it is his last chance to try it. I am curious, how he will grapple with this challenge. But I believe, he will show to all, that he truly deserves the FIA Talent of the Year Award.“
PHOTOGALLERY
Photo: BPA/Miloš Rybář
Photo: Media Renault Sport
Photo: Media Renault Sport
Photo: Media Renault Sport
Photo: Media Renault Sport
WORLD SERIES BY RENAULT 2010 SCHEDULE
| 16/04-18/04 |  |
Motorland |
| 30/04-02/05 |  |
Spa-Francorchamps |
| 13/05-16/05 |  |
Monaco |
| 04/06-06/06 |  |
Brno |
| 18/06-20/06 |  |
Magny-Cours |
| 02/07-04/07 |  |
Hungaroring |
| 03/09-05/09 |  |
Nürburgring |
| 17/09-19/09 |  |
Silverstone |
| 08/10-10/10 | |
Catalunya |
DRIVERS OF P1 MOTORSPORT
| #5 | |
Jan Charouz |
| #6 |  |
Walter Grubmüller jun. |
MORE DETAILS
| Driver profile | Jan Charouz |  |
| Driver profile | Walter Grubmüller jun. | |
| Series and team profile | World Series by Renault and P1 Motorsport | |
