In January MP Motorsport team, partner of Draco Marketing also for the 2020 season, confirmed one of the drivers who will participate with the team in the Formula 2 championship: the Brazilian Felipe Drugovich.
Now, the news of the confirmation of the other driver who will race with MP Motorsport in Formula 2 alongside Drugovich: the Japanese driver Nobuharu Matsushita.
Felipe Drugovich got acquainted with MP Motorsport intensively during the post-season F2 test in Abu Dhabi on 5-7 December. Testing all three days on the Yas Marina circuit, the Brazilian racked up more than 1000 kms, ending up tenth fastest overall and fourth fastest rookie.
“I’m really happy to join MP Motorsport for my first season in FIA Formula 2”, said Drugovich. “We worked very well together in the Abu Dhabi test, and that gave me the confidence that as a combination we can do very well in 2020. I can’t wait to get back in the car for the first pre-season tests and my first race weekend in FIA Formula 2.”
“Felipe did a great job in his F2 test with us”, said Sander Dorsman, MP’s team manager. “He was eager to learn and improved every session. So when the moment came to sign him for the 2020 season, we didn’t hesitate one bit. We’ve kept an eye on Felipe ever since his title-winning performances in the lower categories, and it’s great that he’s now part of the team.”
After a strong national and international career in karting, Drugovich made his car racing debut in 2016, starting out in the German ADAC F4 series. His first single-seater win came in the 2016-’17 MRF Challenge winter series before he stormed to third place in the 2017 ADAC F4 championship. The next winter, the Brazilian aced the 2017-’18 MRF Challenge by claiming 10 wins on his way to the title, and added another dominant title in the regular season. His 2018 Euroformula Open campaign was marked by an unprecedented 14 wins, 10 poles and 10 fastest laps before Drugovich stepped up to FIA F3 in 2019.
Nobuharu Matsushita bagged five more wins and 14 podiums to rank himself among the most successful FIA F2 drivers of the past seasons. The Japanese driver now joins Dutch team MP Motorsport where he will create an exciting blend of experience and youth, as he lines up alongside budding Brazilian star Drugovich, who was announced as an MP driver earlier this year.
“I’m excited to join MP for a fresh assault on the FIA F2 Championship”, said Matsushita. “I’m convinced that together we will be able to create a package that will surprise all our rivals on the grid. Also, I hope that Felipe’s raw speed will spur me on to extract the best from myself in my efforts to add more victories to my FIA F2 win tally.”
“It’s great news that Nobu will be part of our team in 2020”, said MP’s team manager Sander Dorsman. “In the past seasons, you could always count on him being up there fighting for the points and the wins, and I’m certain that his experience will help the team thrive in its search for success. He’s won in every F2 season that he competed in, and of course I’m hoping for this trend to continue in 2020! Also, Nobu will be a formidable yardstick for Felipe going into his debut season in FIA F2.”
Matsushita was the 2012 Formula Challenge champion and the dominant 2014 Formula 3 champion in Japan before venturing to Europe for his GP2 debut. A lone season in the Japanese Super Formula dovetailed his two most successful FIA F2 seasons in 2017 and 2019, each season gaining him two wins and a pole position on his way to sixth place in the championship.