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Axed Renault F1 junior Fenestraz could make 2019 Japanese F3 switch

Macau Grand Prix podium finisher Sacha Fenestraz is closing on a switch to the Japanese Formula 3 Championship for 2019

The 19-year-old Frenchman, who has lost his place on the Renault Formula 1 Junior programme after his 2018 F3 European Championship campaign, will take part in this week's two-day JF3 official test at Suzuka.

Fenestraz has been invited to the test by B-Max Racing, which has recently started a collaboration with Macau-winning squad Motopark.

ADD Management's Fraser Sheader, who looks after Fenestraz, told Autosport: "It's definitely an option for next year.

"Sacha's in a great place right now - he's got some really nice options and Japan is one of them.

"If we went to Japan it would definitely be with a multi-year intention.

"We wouldn't want to try to run before we could walk, so initially it would be doing F3 and doing it well, and having Super Formula and Super GT very much at the front of our minds for the future."

As reigning Formula Renault Eurocup champion, much was expected of Fenestraz in his rookie F3 season with Carlin, but he finished 11th in the championship with one win to his credit, at Pau.

"The target that [Renault] gave me at the beginning of the year was to be within the first three of the championship, but already at the beginning of the season we saw that we had a lot of work to do in terms of equipment," said Fenestraz.

Fenestraz finished the year on a high with third place in Macau, and he is understood to have options in the FIA F3 Championship, while he also tested for the Audi DTM team at Jerez last week.

Prior to that, he had a runout with Motopark at Barcelona to acclimatise to the team's F3 car before the B-Max test in Japan.

He will be joined in the team's line-up at the Suzuka test by Lucas Auer and Harrison Newey - both are learning the circuit ahead of their anticipated Super Formula campaigns next season with the B-Max squad.

Motopark boss Timo Rumpfkeil told Autosport: "Our mission is to have the best possible line-up.

"Sacha is an exciting talent and we're very happy to have him in the car next week."

Another European trying out Japanese F3 at the test is Hugo de Sadeleer.

The Swiss, a Formula Renault Eurocup race winner who switched to the European Le Mans Series for 2017 and '18, will run with ThreeBond Racing.

Remember when...

If Fenestraz does switch to Japanese F3, he will attempt to emulate fellow Frenchmen Sebastien Philippe and Benoit Treluyer, who won the championship in 2000 and '01 respectively.

Treluyer (pictured above, leading) used his F3 success as a launchpad to a glittering career in Japan, and then on to Le Mans 24 Hours stardom with Audi.

Philippe also enjoyed a long professional Super GT career in Japan, but is better known today as the team manager of the ART Grand Prix Formula 2/GP3 team.

Additional reporting by Federico Faturos

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