Leclerc earns F2 promotion with DAMS for 2023

DAMS have announced that Ferrari junior Arthur Leclerc will be joining the French team for his debut Formula 2 season in 2023.

Leclerc steps up off the back of two solid Formula 3 campaigns with PREMA Racing, where he scored victories in his rookie season at Le Castellet and Zandvoort. Returning for a second campaign this year, the 22-year-old finished sixth in the Drivers’ Championship with one win in the Silverstone Feature Race and further Feature Race podium in Sakhir.

He’ll be getting his first taste of F2 machinery with DAMS during the post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit this week, from November 23-25.

“I’m delighted to be making the step up to Formula 2 with DAMS in 2023. They’re a very successful team that has achieved great results in the championship, and I hope I can be a part of that and continue the team’s success,” said Leclerc.

“Charles Pic has done an amazing job to help the team back to winning ways throughout the season and I’m aiming to keep that going next year. We’ve a lot of work to do before the start of the new campaign in Bahrain in March, and I’m really looking forward to getting started in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi!”

The Monegasque driver has been steadily rising through the ranks across the past five seasons. His debut year in single-seaters came in the 2018 French F4 Championship where he finished fifth, before switching over to the ADAC Formula 4 Championship the following year, finishing third.

In 2020, Leclerc scored six victories, 12 podiums and eight pole positions on his way to claiming second in the Formula Regional European Championship Standings with PREMA and continued with the team on his move up to F3. At the start of 2022, he also took third in the Formula Regional Asian Championship.

READ MORE: Leclerc: ‘Nobody maximised their season in 2022. I have to learn from that’

DAMS Team Owner Charles Pic added that the team were looking forward to working with the Ferrari junior, as they aim to continue their race-winning momentum from this season.

“It’s great to have Arthur join DAMS for 2023. We’ve seen his talent and skill throughout his career so far, and he’s shown in the last two years in F3 that he’s capable of challenging for victories. We’re excited to have him in the car for the post-season test in Abu Dhabi, preparing for next season. The team is aiming for a strong campaign in 2023, and we’ve no doubt that the addition of Arthur will help us towards our goals.”