European F3 standout Juri Vips set to join Red Bull F1 junior team
Standout Formula 3 European Championship rookie Juri Vips is set to join the Red Bull Junior programme, according to Autosport sources
The 18-year-old Estonian scored four F3 wins on his way to fourth in the championship with long-time Red Bull partner Motopark, which has run the drinks company's racing proteges for almost two decades.
But Vips missed out on the rookie title to Prema Powerteam's Ferrari prospect Robert Shwartzman, and also lost third in the overall points to the Russian at the final race after a first-lap collision with compatriot Ralf Aron.
Within the Motopark F3 line-up, Vips partnered existing Red Bull Junior Dan Ticktum, who finished second in the championship and is now tipped to race in Super Formula in Japan next season - and has also been linked to a Formula 2 programme.
Vips, who graduated to F3 in 2018 after winning last year's German Formula 4 Championship, is understood to be moving with Red Bull support into the new Formula 1-supporting FIA F3 Championship next season, potentially with ART Grand Prix.
He is understood to have had discussions with Red Bull driver-programme boss Helmut Marko at the penultimate F3 European round, at the Red Bull Ring.
Vips will make his Macau Grand Prix debut next month alongside full-season team-mates Ticktum and Marino Sato, ex-Carlin driver Ferdinand Habsburg and returning BMW DTM racer Joel Eriksson with Motopark, but the team is known not to have an entry for the FIA F3 series in 2019.
Neither Vips nor his mentor, 2007 British F3 champion and former F1 test driver Marko Asmer, were available for comment.
Previous article
2018 Macau GP: Ilott, Eriksson return to join Schumacher, Ticktum
Next article
Entry list for 2019 FIA F3 series announced, HWA's place confirmed
About this article
| Series | FIA F3 |
| Drivers | Roman Staněk , Jüri Vips |
| Author | Marcus Simmons |
Why Correa's return is the feelgood story racing needed
Juan Manuel Correa has had a long road to recovery from that horrific day at Spa in 2019. ART's decision to give him his race return in FIA Formula 3 in 2021 is a victory in itself, but his determination will surely - in time - have him fighting for bigger things
Why Piastri's F3 title was better than results suggested
F3 rookie Oscar Piastri only just snatched the 2020 title with Prema Racing, but the setbacks he overcame to do so suggest that Renault's next Australian talent is one destined for the top
The ground-effect wonder behind a generation of F1 stars
Recently named as Autosport's greatest single-seater, Ralt's RT3 launched a plethora of superstar drivers through the early 1980s, and established the constructor as the go-to place for your single-seater weapon
The Macau GP's greatest moments
Coronavirus restrictions mean this weekend's Macau GP will have a very different feel, with the usual F3 jamboree replaced by Chinese F4. But in past years, the event has provided some seminal moments in the careers of future world champions
Rating the prospects of the 2020 F3 title contenders
With the title race finely poised ahead of the final triple-header, a category returnee who raced George Russell in his F3 days lends Autosport his thoughts on the ones to watch
Why "whirlwind" Tauranac's legacy will stand the test of time
The passing of Ralt boss Ron Tauranac last week drew tributes from around the world, not least from the bosses of three prominent teams on whom the Australian designer made a lasting impression
The young driver Red Bull couldn't ignore
Igor Fraga has a more colourful career behind him than any other driver on the FIA Formula 3 grid, and now he's beginning to become as recognised for his talents in real racing as in the virtual world
The new F3 car that has teams purring
Dallara has improved upon its old F3 car with the new 320 for this season's Euroformula Open, ensuring that single-seater competition's 'heritage’ category can race into the future
