Teen racer joins rookie shortlist alongside F1 stars
FIA Formula Two Championship runner-up Mathéo Tuscher has been nominated as Rookie of the Year for the prestigious Autosport Awards. His name appears alongside Formula 1 drivers Romain Grosjean, Charles Pic, Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne, as well as drivers from Indycar, GP2, Formula Renault 3.5 and Formula 3.
The Swiss driver, who will turn 16 ten days after the awards dinner on 2 December, was just nine years old when he won his first karting championship and completed his second season of racing in cars this year, after winning the Formula Pilota China series in 2011.
Graduating to F2 in 2012, Tuscher stunned the paddock by qualifying on pole position for the opening race at Silverstone, thereby topping his first competitive session in the championship. His maiden podium finish came at round two in Portimao, Portugal with a second place, which he repeated the following day after starting from pole.
Tuscher won his first F2 race at Paul Ricard in July and followed this up with another victory at the final round in Monza, taking the title fight down to the wire. He finished runner-up in the championship, 21.5 points shy of Luciano Bacheta.
Visitors to Autosports website are invited to vote for the winner, who will join a list that has included World Champions Sebastian Vettel, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, and last year’s winner Paul di Resta.
You can vote for Tuscher here: https://www.secure.autosport.com/rookie/