The second of the three drivers for the 2021 season of the FIA Formula 3 Championship has been confirmed: HWA RACELAB is putting its faith in the promising and talented Rafael Villagomez (Mexico) in the coming season of the junior racing series. The 19-year-old will make his debut in the series for the team from Affalterbach.
Rafael Villagomez (Mexico) started out in karting before stepping up to Formula racing in impressive fashion: in December 2019, he entered a contest run by the Richard Mille Young Talent Academy, in which he went up against another 16 talented youngsters in a variety of different tests. Villagomez emerged triumphant and was rewarded with a seat in the French Formula 4 championship for the 2020 season. Here, he once again showed his talent with a podium finish and sixth place overall. As well as French Formula 4, Rafael was also in action on the British Formula 4 series, in which he also claimed a podium finish. On top of this, he also drove in the Euroformula Open series, in which he made his first acquaintance with HWA AG technology. The young Mexican contested four races in a car with an engine built by HWA.
The HWA RACELAB team will attend tests in Jerez (25th and 26th February), Barcelona (16th and 17th March), and Spielberg (3rd and 4th April), at which it will prepare for the FIA Formula 3 season, which kicks off in Barcelona from 7th to 9th May.
Rafael Villagomez (19, Mexico)
“I’m really happy and proud to announce that I will drive in the FIA F3 championship with HWA RACELAB. After my first year in Formula, the step will be big but I’m sure that I’m going to learn a lot and that we will do a great job all together! Thanks to the team, but also to my family, to everyone who is trusting in me and my manager Tom Claessen who has been helping me since the beginning. I can’t wait to start the season!"
Thomas Strick (team principal HWA RACELAB)
“In Rafael, we welcome another promising young talent into our team for the coming FIA Formula 3 season. He has shown that he has the drive you need to succeed, not least with his victory in the Richard Mille Young Talent Academy contest. You need that determination in order to be successful in the fiercely-competitive FIA Formula 3 Championship.”
About Rafael Villagomez:
2010-2019: Karting
2019: Winner Richard Mille Young Talent Academy
2020: French Formula 4
2020: British Formula 4
2020: Euroformula Open