Belén Garcia returns to FRECA, joins G4 Racing for part time campaign

W Series racer Belén García will return to G4 Racing in Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, as she is set to contest pre-season testing and a part-time campaign starting from the season opener at Monza.

Photo by: Dutch Photo Agency

Catalan racer Belén García announced a return to the uber-competitive Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, in a part time program with G4 Racing that so far includes pre-season testing and the season opener at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza on 23-24 April. "I'm excited to be back in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine with G4 Racing!" - commented Belén. "Last year we had an amazing experience and the goal for this season is to keep learning and enjoying as much as I did in 2021”. García, 22, will enter her third season in single-seater racing, having made her debut in 2019 in Spanish Formula 4, where she clinched the female trophy title and an overall victory at Navarra, at her first weekend in the series. The win earned García the record of first woman to win a Formula 4 race in Europe. At the end of the season, García was selected for the second edition of the all-female W Series championship, which would later be cancelled due to the pandemic. She finally made her debut in W Series in 2021, where she almost ended on the podium at her first race at Red Bull Ring, Austria.

Her impressive debut was helped by the experience in Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, as Garcia contested a partial campaign with Spanish-Swiss team G4 Racing. Garcia made her F3 racing debut at Imola, in support of the F1 GP, where she returned to racing after over a year of inactivity. Having quickly gained confidence with the new car, Belén also raced at her home track in Barcelona Montmelo, before missing the Monaco round due to the clash with the W Series test at Anglesey. García returned at the wheel of the G4 Racing's machine at Circuit Paul Ricard, where the Spaniard showed promising pace and significantly recovered in the second race. As she focused on her W Series commitments, Belén was back in FRECA at Valencia, for her fourth and final race meetings in 2021. In the all-female championship, García finished 10th in the drivers' standings, claiming five point-scoring finishes. Due to a series of unlucky circumstances - including the scary qualifying crash at Spa Francorchamps - she narrowly missed out on the automatic confirmation on the 2022 grid, but she was invited back at pre-season testing in Arizona, where she set the benchmark lap times for the newcomers. A few weeks later, García was again part of the collective W Series test at Barcelona, as we await for the full 2022 line-up. The driver from Ametlla del Vallès - who also made her rallying debut last weekend, in a Autobianchi A112 Abarth at the 70th edition of the historic Rally Motul Costa Brava - will therefore get back behind the wheel of the G4 Racing's Tatuus T318 ahead of the upcoming FRECA season, with pre-season testing getting underway shortly: the six days of testing will take place at Barcelona, Le Castellet, and Monza.

One of the most competitive single-seater series in the world, Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine is gearing up for another thrilling season, with 13 teams expected to enter the championship. The first round is scheduled for 23-24 April at Monza, the Temple of Speed. "I am delighted to welcome back Belén in G4 Racing for a part-time program" - added Adrián Muñoz, sporting and technical manager at G4. "We will continue to support her during the whole season. The experience she made in 2021 will help her to perform well this year and to improve again as a driver".

Belén will join full-time drivers Axel Gnos, Matias Zagazeta, and Owen Tangavelou, as her next appearances after the first round are expected to be announced in due course.

Photo credits: W Series