Briton will also contest GP2 Series with DAMS this season
Tuesday 13 January 2015 08:37, UK
GP3 champion Alex Lynn is on the verge of a Formula 1 test seat as he eyes a graduation to the pinnacle of motorsport in 2016.
The Briton confirmed his status as a rising star of world motorsport with a dominant march to the F1-supporting GP3 Series title with Carlin.
That title success led to an F1 debut for Lynn with an outing for Lotus in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi and he is now eyeing a reserve driver role in 2015.
“There is a good opportunity that should be coming on its way very shortly. It should be in the next two or three weeks,” Lynn told Sky Sports Online.
Alongside a potential F1 reserve role, the 21-year-old will graduate to GP2 this year, taking the DAMS seat vacated by 2014 champion Jolyon Palmer, rather than switching to Formula Renault 3.5.
“To be honest my goal is to get into Formula 1 and to be Formula 1 world champion. GP2 is where all the best drivers go and where I need to be to showcase what I can do,” Lynn added.
“I’ve got myself the best opportunity to drive for DAMS – I think they are the best time by a good margin – and I’ve a good opportunity to do well. But obviously the competition is going to be very high, Stoffel [Vandoorne] is going to be a big competitor in ART, but I think myself, and my team-mate Pierre Gasly, we have a good chance of doing well.”
Lynn’s graduation to GP2 will be supported by Pirelli who have given the Briton 200,000 Euros towards the cost of his drive as reward for winning the GP3 title.
“We are delighted that Alex Lynn has made the logical progression from GP3 champion to GP2 contender with Pirelli,” said the firm's motorsport director Paul Hembery.
“His performances in 2014 underlined his potential and we are excited by the prospect of watching him take the next step of his career using Pirelli tyres, and pleased that we have been able to make a valuable contribution to his racing campaign for 2015.”
The Sky Sports F1 Online team will be providing live commentary of all three winter tests, starting in Jerez on Sunday February 1, with live updates from trackside also on Sky Sports News HQ.
