Caterham F1 confirms Dutchman Giedo van der Garde for 2013

By Berthold Bouman

Great news for the Dutch Formula One fans, Caterham F1 has confirmed that Giedo van der Garde, their 2012 reserve driver, has been promoted to full-time race driver for the 2013 season. Earlier in his career van der Garde drove for the Caterham GP2 team, and scored six podium places and two wins.

Team Principal Cyril Abiteboul commented, “Everyone in the team is delighted that we can finally confirm that Giedo will be racing for us in the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship. He has been part of our family since early 2012 when he joined our GP2 team and was appointed as reserve driver for the Formula One team.”

And he added, “He acquitted himself extremely well in both his GP2 season and his six FP1 sessions, progressively improving his outright pace, technical feedback and his relationship with his engineers and mechanics, giving us the clear justification for promoting him to Formula One.”

Giedo van der Garde in the Caterham in 2012 – Photo: Caterham F1

Van der Garde will team-up with Charles Pic and Abiteboul said, “This is the next natural step for Giedo with our team. We continue to grow as a team and we are committed to giving young talent across the motorsport industry the chance to grow with us and this is Giedo’s opportunity to show he deserves his place at the very highest level of global motorsport. He and Charles have been team-mates before so he is an excellent choice to partner Charles in what is going to be another very interesting season, and we are all looking forward to seeing Giedo continue to progress as he takes on the ultimate challenge of Formula One.”

Van der Garde was of course elated to finally have made it into the pinnacle of motorsports, Formula One, “I am absolutely delighted to confirm that I will be racing in the 2013 Formula One World Championship with Caterham F1 Team. I want to thank Cyril, Tony Fernandes, McGregor and everyone who has worked so hard to make this happen.”

The 27-year old driver reckons he is ready for it, “I know I am ready to take the step up to Formula One and all the work I have done throughout my career, and particularly in the last year with this team, has brought me to my ultimate goal.”

About his role in 2012 he commented, “Throughout 2012 I was able to fully integrate myself into the team, both through the FP1 sessions I ran at a number of tracks that were then new to me, and as reserve driver, fully embedded with the team throughout the season.”

“Now I can continue to learn at the highest level of motorsport and show that I am ready for F1. I cannot wait to start work.”