Jan Charouz
January Charouz ( born July 17, 1987 in Prague) is a Czech racing driver and the son of racer Antonín Charouz. In 2006 he was master of the F3000 International Masters, and in 2009 Master of the Le Mans Series. He drove in Formula Renault 3.5 in 2010 and 2011.
Career
Charouz started his motor racing career at the age of seven years in karting, where he was active until 2002. In 2003 he moved to Formula racing in the German Formula BMW. After he could get no points in his first season, he was 21 in 2004 in the overall standings. In 2005, he joined the Italian Formula 3000, where he finished in eleventh place overall. After he had taken part in the Winter in the A1 Grand Prix series at two races, he went in 2006 in the F3000 International Masters, the predecessor of the International Formula Master Series at the start and won with two wins the championship. He also competed in two races of the Renault Megane Euro Cup and the FIA GT Championship.
After he had taken part in two races A1GP again in the winter, he returned to the Formula racing, first the back. Decisive for the decision was his studies at Regent's College. He chose 2007 for Le Mans Series, in which he had to undergo much less championship races over sprint race series and was therefore able to invest more time in his education. He also expressed his 2009 his motives:
" I think I did the LMP1s are the best cars after the F1 single- seaters and that's another reason why I chose endurance. All the young drivers dream of Formula 1, but the budget is too high Necessary for someone from a small country like the Czech Republic. "
"I think the LMP1 are the best vehicles behind the F1 - seaters and that's another reason why I chose long-distance races. All the young drivers dream of Formula 1, but the necessary budget is too high for someone from a small country like the Czech Republic. "
His father Antonín, for whose team he already drove in the Italian Formula 3000, planning for the 2007 season to enter the sports prototype. So Charouz and Stefan Mücke now shared a Le Mans prototype with which they came in eighth place overall at the end of the year. He also finished eighth in the 24- hour race at Le Mans. 2008 Charouz improved to fifth overall in the Le Mans Series. At the 24 - hour race in Le Mans he was only ninth this year. After Charouz Racing Systems had contact with the use of an Aston Martin engine in the 2008 season tied for Aston Martin Racing and Prodrive, the Czech in 2009 was admitted to the works team of Aston Martin. With mosquito and compatriot Tomáš Enge, he finished his third year in the Le Mans Series and won with two wins the championship. He also scored in the 24- hour race at Le Mans in fourth his best result so far.
With the completion of his studies as a master, Charouz returned in 2010 back into formula racing and went for P1 Motorsport as team-mate Walter Grubmüller in the Formula Renault 3.5 at the start. In the second race, he came in second place, but was, because it is less than the required three liters of petrol had in parc ferme in the tank disqualified. At this performance, he could not connect more and two seventh places were his best results in the further course of the season. Charouz, who was sidelined due to injury, a race weekend, finished the season 18th overall. Parallel to his involvement in Formula Renault 3.5, he entered the 2010 season for the team his father in the Auto GP, in which it already in 2005, when the Italian Formula 3000 series was called, was launched at. As the best pilot of his team, he finished the season in fourth place in the overall standings. He also appeared in the 2010 season, a test driver of the Renault Formula 1 team. 2011 graduated Charouz for the team his father's second season in Formula Renault 3.5. At the end of the season, he finished 25th overall, while his teammate Brendon Hartley was 7. After the season Charouz participated for Carlin at the GP2 Final in 2011 and was 25 Moreover Charouz was again in 2011 Formula 1 test driver for Renault. In this role, he completed a day of testing for Renault. In addition, he tested for HRT and took for this team participate in the first free practice of the Grand Prix of Brazil.
Statistics
Career stations
- 2003: German Formula BMW
- 2004: German Formula BMW (No. 21)
- 2005: Italian Formula 3000 (No. 11)
- 2006 F3000 International Masters (Master)
- 2007: Le Mans Series ( 8th place)
- 2008: Le Mans Series ( 5th place)
- 2009: Le Mans Series ( Master )
- 2010: Formula Renault 3.5 ( 18th place)
- 2010: Auto GP (4th place )
- 2010: Formula 1 ( test driver )
- 2011: Formula Renault 3.5 (ranked 25)
- 2011: Formula 1 ( test driver )