Taylor Barnard, the winner of the race, stood on the podium representing Jenzer Motorsport. The event took place on July 30, 2023, during the Formula 3 Championship at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.
PHM Racing recently announced that Taylor Barnard will be joining Joshua Duerksen at the team for the Formula 2 season in 2024. This completes the grid for the upcoming campaign.
Barnard, a British driver, is returning to PHM after previously racing for the German team in the Formula 4 UAE Championship, as well as the Italian and ADAC F4 series in 2022. One of his notable achievements during that time was finishing as the runner-up in the ADAC F4 series, with five victories and 10 podium finishes. This success led him to progress into Formula 3 last year.
In his first season in Formula 3, Barnard competed with Jenzer Motorsport. He had a standout performance in the Belgian Feature Race, where he secured a victory. Overall, he finished 10th in the championship standings.
In addition to his Formula 2 commitment, Barnard is also serving as McLaren’s reserve driver in Formula E. His talent and potential were recognized when he was nominated for the Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award last September.
Expressing his excitement, Barnard said, “I am thrilled to announce that I will be competing in FIA Formula 2 with PHM AIX Racing. This is another step towards achieving my dream, and I am determined to be as prepared as possible. I will give my all and more to deliver a strong performance.”
Roland Rehfeld, the Sporting Director of PHM AIX Racing, shared his enthusiasm about Barnard joining the team. He stated, “The entire team is extremely pleased and happy to have Taylor on board. As the most successful driver from the PHM Academy, it was only logical to consider Taylor as the best option for success. He has consistently shown dedication, natural talent, and speed, as well as improving technical precision. These qualities have resulted in impressive results, especially in the last three rounds of the 2023 FIA F3 season, where he was the highest-scoring driver.”
Rehfeld also mentioned that Barnard will be partnering with Joshua Duerksen, and their familiarity with each other will be beneficial for the team. He acknowledged the competitiveness of the Formula 2 grid and expressed high expectations for the two rookie drivers. Rehfeld anticipates an improvement in performance throughout the season and hopes for some positive surprises.