MP Motorsport is specialized to work with young talents
MP Motorsport is a Dutch racing team, established in 1995 and located in Westmaas, which currently competes in several open-wheel competitions – the FIA Formula 2 Championship, the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup, the SMP Formula 4 and Spanish F4 Championship.
Since its foundation, the team was searching for young racing talents and preparing them for high-class racing. Some of the world’s top drivers were working with MP Motorsport, such are Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen, Will Stevens, Oliver Jarvis or Paul di Resta.
MP Motorsport was founded in1995
MP Motorsport debuted in Formula Ford competitions
The first racing series in which MP Motorsport was participating were the national and regional Formula Ford competitions in Netherlands and neighboring countries.
The team achieved the first great success in 2000 when Patrick Koel was a Dutch Formula Ford champion. Two years later, Jaap van Lagen was both the Dutch and Benelux Formula Ford champion.
Formula Renault switch in 2003
The team made a milestone change in 2003, switching to the Formula Renault Series. The team competed in the FR Eurocup but also in the national and regional Formula Renault competitions.
The first notable success came in the opening round of the 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup when Paul Meijer won the race at Spa-Francorchamps. In the following years, the best result was the fifth place for the team at the end of 2010 season.
Manor and MP Motorsport contested together in the Auto GP Series
Three seasons in the Auto GP series
In 2011, MP Motorsport entered a new competition, the Auto GP Series, participating in selected races with Daniel de Jong as a driver. For the 2012 Auto GP World Series season, MP Motorsport joined forces with British team Manor Motorsport, fielding two cars for Daniel de Jong and Chris van der Drift. The latter scored team’s only win at Marrakech street circuit to finish fourth in the points, one place ahead of a teammate.
In 2013, three drivers contested for Manor MP Motorsport – Riccardo Agostini, Meindert van Buuren and Daniel de Jong. Without wins, the team finished fourth in the points. The best-placed driver was De Jong in seventh place.
Oliver Rowland was Formula Renault vice-champion
Manor MP Motorsport’s driver Oliver Rowland was one of the front-runners in the 2013 Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup season, scoring three wins and finishing second in the championship standings, losing a title to Pierre Gasly. The team finished fourth in the points.
It remained the best result for the team in the series. In the following years, Andrea Pizzitola was fourth in the 2014 championship and Dennis Olsen was eighth in 2015. MP Motorsport left the series in 2016, returning in 2017.
Oliver Rowland achieved the most of all MP Motorsport drivers in the Formula Renault
GP2 Series regulars since 2013
Besides participation in the Formula Renault and Auto GP, the season 2013 was a milestone year for MP Motorsport because the team entered GP2 Series for the first time. The series was and still is the last step on a way to Formula 1.
Daniel de Jong was the only full-time driver of MP Motorsport in the 2013 GP2 Series season, with Adrian Quaife-Hobbs and Dani Clos spending time in another car. Two highlights of the season were Quaife-Hobbs’ second place in Monaco and Dani Clos’ second place in Abu Dhabi.
Maiden GP2 victory at Sochi in 2014
The team took maiden GP2 victory in 2014, in the penultimate round at Sochi Autodrom, where Marco Sorensen won the sprint race. Other drivers during a season were Daniel de Jong, Jon Lancaster and Tio Ellinas. The team finished in the eighth place.
In the 2015 GP2 Series season, the team was using services of six drivers in two cars. The third place for Sergio Canamasas in Monaco was the best result of the season. Other drivers were Oliver Rowland, Nicholas Latifi, Meindert van Buuren, Daniel de Jong and Rene Binder.
Presentation of team ahead of 2017 season
MP Motorsport converts to Formula 2 in 2017
In the 2016 GP2 Series season, only two drivers competed for the team – Oliver Rowland and Daniel de Jong. Rowland scored four podiums and finished ninth in the points, leading the team to seventh-place among the teams.
For the 2017 season, GP2 Series was converted into the FIA Formula 2 Championship. MP Motorsport changed a line-up, hiring Sergio Sette Camara and Jordan King as drivers.
The team has two Red Bull Juniors in the 2017 Formula Renault season
Formula Renault return with championship-winning line-up
In 2017, MP Motorsports returns to the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup after one season outside a series. Among the drivers is Red Bull Junior Richard Verschoor, who was a double champion in 2016, winning both SMP F4 and Spanish F4 championships. Verschoor’s rival Jarno Opmeer, who was SMP F4 vice-champion, also joined the team. The third driver is a young American Neil Verhagen, who is also a member of Red Bull Junior program.
MP Motorsport also continues to run cars for youngest talents in the lowest single-seater competitions, the SMP (North European Zone) and Spanish F4 Championships.
Photos: mpmotorsport.com,
